The Complete Guide To ProCross

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO PROCROSS

Spring/ Summer 2016

PRODUCTIVE PROFITABLEPAYBACKPROVEN PROCROSS

PROCROSS PATIENCE PRODUCES PRODUCTIVE PATIENCE PAINLESS POSITIVE PROGRESSIVE PAYBACK PRODUCTIVE PREGNANT PREGNANT PROVEN PRODUCES PROGRESSIVE PROFITABLE PROCROSS

A PROVEN PROGRAM

The ProCross system is the only crossbreeding program that is backed with data from University trials as well as data from large commercial dairies. The University trials have been in two distinctly different climates, the hot and dry of the San Joaquin Valley of California and the cold and humid climates of Minnesota. Both trials have yielded the same results; the ProCross cow was definitely more profitable. Planned crossbreeding with ProCross is the fastest way to create efficiency and profit in the dairy business.

Paul & Doug Daly with a ProCross Calf. Currently part of the Minnesota Trial

California Trial In the California trial, the clock started ticking on the day that the cow calved for the first time. That clock stopped exactly 4 years later due to the fact that we ran out of Holstein’s to compare to crosses.

During the 4 year time period ProCross animals out produced the Holstein’s in several areas listed below with a lifetime profit that was +49.5% above the Holstein.

62,014

3.5% 3.1% 2,199 1,923

Proj. Lifetime Profit $

$ 4,347

On going Minnesota trial

72,623

3.7%

As pointed out in the California trial, the ProCross cows had better reproduction and significantly less days open in the on-going Minnesota trial.

3.2% 2,687 2,318

$6,503

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+49.5%

Both trials have shown the ProCross cow has a significant advantage in survivability, days open and lifetime profits.

HOW TO GET STARTED WITH PROCROSS

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TO

3 BREED ROTATION

O ED T BRE

BRE ED BA C

HOLSTEIN

VIKING RED

MONTBELIARDE

BREED TO

PROCROSS STANDS FOR PROGRESSIVE & PROVEN! Dairy producers around the globe see the benefit of three breeds, Viking Red, Montbeliarde and Holstein combined in the ProCROSS rotation. Progressive dairy producers are the users of ProCROSS, the ones that like the simplicity of the system, the ones that can see the financial savings with ProCROSS. the ones that appreciate that ProCROSS is the best proven crossbreeding concept available.

By Hielke Wiersma, ProCROSS

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On the previous page we provided the

plan

Best Ingredients • A crossbreeding program is only as good as the breeds that make up the crossbred cow. A common mistake among dairymen is to use a two breed rotation or one or two inferior breeds thinking that they are making progress. ONLY THE BEST INGREDIENTS SHOULD BE USED! The ProCROSS system uses the Holstein, Viking Red and Montbeliarde breeds.

• The Viking Red has the highest production of all dairy cattle in the Ayrshire class which includes the Canadian Ayrshire, U.S. Ayrshire, German Angler, Aussie Red and the Norwegian Red. The December 2014 USDA release of the top Red bulls in the world. showed that the Viking Reds held the first 12 places and 23 out of the top 25. They also held 41 out of the top 50. The Viking Red is also a world leader in calving ability and low somatic cell counts.

• The Montbeliarde breed has the highest production of all dairy cattle in the Simmental class which includes the Fleckvieh and the milking Simmentals. The Montbeliarde production for all cows in France is over 19,000 of milk with 3.93% fat and 3.55% protein with high forage, low input diet. The breed is known for its outstanding feet & legs, great body condition and outstanding longevity.

Planning • All crossbreeding programs need a plan; they just don’t happen by themselves nor are they accidental.

The ProCROSS system was and is the only proven crossbreeding program based on scientific facts.

Most of our competitors are pushing a crossbreeding program designed to provide themselves with the most sales possible, not a program that is most beneficial for the dairymen.

• The ProCROSS system has been an active and continuing system for 17 years. The three breeds that make the ProCROSS cow complement each other for confirmation, production, components and health traits. Where one breed is weak, one of the others is strong. Most importantly, their gene pool is completely unrelated therefore, resulting in higher heterosis. That is why the ProCROSS cow can equal the Holstein in Milk production with higher components. In the Minnesota trial the F1 Holstein x Montbeliarde cross out produced the Holstein, pound for pound.

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The Income that is very different to see Heterosis the hidden mystery!

Problems that are cured as soon as you have our crosses milking: • No Inbreeding problem • Lower SCC • Less days open without expensive shot programs • Higher protein and fat percents • More calves born alive and stay alive • Better body condition • Shorter cow for stature • Better conception • Lower cull rate • More dollars per cull cow • More calves and milk per four year time frame • Less transition problems- very low ketosis, milk fever, and DA’s • Higher prices for dairy steers- same as beef

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Viking Holstein Proven Profitability

• All cows in Viking have to be registered by law pedigree file goes back to 1960 • More than 85% of all registered dairy cows in MR(milk recording) • More than 85% of all cows in MR contribute with registration of treatments • More than 90% of all cows in MR contribute with fertility data • More than 90% of all cows in MR contribute to information about size of calves, calf survival, and calving ease • Nearly 200,000 cows classified by classifiers every year in Viking

Viking Holstein - performing all over the world

The unique qualities of the Viking Holsteins make them the obvious choice for today’s commercial dairy breeder in need of profitable long lasting cows.

The profit reveals Viking Holsteins being elite class for production and world leaders in health and reproduction traits, for which they have been selected for more than 30 years. Viking Holsteins are the natural choice for dairy producers who want easily managed, healthy cows with excellent production levels.

Viking Holstein - is successfully bred!

Viking Genetics has a strong and carefully managed Holstein breeding program. The selection of bulls is done intensively in respect to the overall NTM* index which gives a balanced progress in all financially important traits in maximizing the net profit of dairy cows.

Genomic selection is the tool for bull selection. Euro Genomics is based on the largest reference group in the world, which means that the reliability is high.

1,800 bull calves are genomically tested every year, where only the best 10% of these are then selected for breeding. *NTM(Nordic Total Merit) is the most complete total merit index in the world. Combining over 40 traits with economic value into 12 main traits.

Some words from Viking Holstein Users around the World

236HO678 BYNKE DAUGHTERS

“ Unique database underpinning the invisible cow philosophy” “ Performance and type are better than UK farmers would believe” Roger Trewhella Nordic Genetics, UK

“ The healthiest cows in the world” “Profitable cows with good production, easy calving and less trouble” Hrvoje Ciganovic Lactis D.O.O Croatia

“ Viking has the most adult and the best organized data collection system to improve on health and economical traits” Walter Liebregts, Koole & Liegregts B.V. The Netherlands

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“Long Life, more calves and more milk” “ Healthy breeds - less expenses for medicine and vets” Yakup Karats, Bilge Medikal, Turkey

Viking Red About the breed

One efficient breeding program with a strong emphasis on health, calving’s and fertility has made the Viking Red world famous as a functional and profitable cow. The Viking Red cow is a robust and healthy dairy cow, with excellent fertility, health and tremendous calving ease. In addition to that the Viking Red is the only red breed in the world that can compete with Holsteins when is comes to production.

The Viking Red cow is a red medium sized cow. Viking Red is successfully used as a breed improver not only in other red populations worldwide, but also for crossbreeding with Holsteins to improve fertility, calving ease and udder health.

Easy Calvings

Viking Red is probably the best breed in the world when it comes to calving ease. The outstanding easy calvings in combination with the low incidence of still born calves is a good ground for a good economy of the herd. This does not only give the heifer a good start in her lactation but it also means more calves for replacements and sale. For pure bred heifers the average of calving problems is only about 4% and some Viking sires have a low frequency of calving problems is about 1%. Viking Red is therefore an excellent choice to use on heifers.

Longevity

Traits like udder health, fertility, calving ability and udder conformation all have a proven effect on longevity.

Healthy cows live longer, it is as simple as that. The Viking Red cows are healthy, have easy calvings and are able to resist stress caused by high production.

Udder Health

Mastitis and high cell counts are causing big economic losses in high production dairies.

The Viking Red has substantially lower cell counts compared to Holsteins and very low incidence of mastitis. In the breeding program, information on cell counts and clinical mastitis (reported by vets) are included.

Worldwide

Viking Red is world leading in the red breeds, and Viking’s bulls range high on the international top lists. A large part of the semen from the Viking Red breed is exported to be used in crossbreeding programs around the world.

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Breed Statistics Viking Red 2013 TRAIT NO. OF COWS MILK FAT FAT % PROTEIN PROTEIN% FAT + PROTEIN STILL BIRTHS % DIFFICULT CALVINGS%

VALUE 290,400 19,070 lbs.

820 lbs.

4.31 665 lbs.

3.5 1462 lbs 5.36 3.46

Montbeliarde Productivity

About the breed

The Montbeliarde origin is in the mountains of eastern France, and was officially registered as a pure breed in 1888. The tough climate of the mountains have shaped the Montbeliarde as a very hardy cow, able to cope with the coldest and hottest weather conditions, and with an excellent adaptation to all sorts of rearing systems. For centuries Montbeliarde breeders have also been cheese makers, and therefore always paid special attention to milk solids and udder health.

All Lactations Number of Results 415,552 Duration of Lactations- days 310 Milk- Lbs. 19,941 Solids- Lbs. 1,113 Solids Content- Lbs. 71.7 Protein- Lbs. 508 Protein Content- Lbs. 3.44 Fat- Lbs. 605 Butterfat Content- Lbs. 3.89

Extra Benefits

The Montbeliarde is a breed that shows extra muscle.

This makes the cow stronger. A frontend of a Montbeliarde is wide & deep, just as her flank. The rear end is also wide, especially between the hips. That extra muscle is a benefit, and the Montbeliarde users make more money from selling bull calves and cull cows.

Fertility

The Montbeliarde breed is the most fertile breed in the world. The rump structure from the Montbeliarde cow is ideal. They always have a nice slope to the rump and a high tail implantation. This is the main reason that the Montbeliarde’s are easy calving cows. Because of the strong, wide body and muscles this is a cow that always shows good condition. The Montbeliarde cows have good energy balance. They are slow starters but keep producing, also in the second part of their lactation. It is The Coopex/ Umotest selection program is as modern as the best in the breeds nature to show good persistence. management A.I. center you can find in the world. Bull dam selections is Meanwhile the University of Minnesota in the USA has based on genomic selection as well on cow family and inbreeding shown the results of an investigation. It turns out that protection features. From the hundreds of young sires that enter each the Montbeliarde breed has more female hormones than year the testing station almost half of them will be eliminated before the Holstein breed. Their rump structure, wide, robust semen production for sales purposes according to their results growth, frame and persistence are the main reasons for the feed conversion, morphology, male fertility, quality of frozen semen and good fertility from the Montbeliarde cow. updated breeding values of their parents. Montbeliarde breeding values are published 3 times a year, with a change of index base once a year.

Montbeliarde Selection

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8

Montbeliarde Sired

4th Generation

Viking Red Sired

3rd Generation

Holstein Sired

2nd Generation

Montbeliarde Sired

1st Generation

4 Generations of ProCROSS

University of Minnesota ProCross family

Confused- don’t know what to do?

Most dairymen are skeptical towards crossbreeding. They appreciate the production of their Holsteins. All of them want to keep the production at the same level, but would like to have fewer problems with their cows. If you are a dairymen with a Holstein herd, you will probably recognize one of the following problems: • low fertility • lower lifetime production than ten years ago • higher veterinarian costs per cow than ten years ago • more maintenance work per cow • a high percentage of problem cows with a higher percent of them dying prematurely • cull rate higher Continuing with Holsteins will not solve these problems: The genetics you put in will show only a slight increase in the traits that you are trying to improve. Why? Extreme inbreeding in Holsteins (Holsteins are all related to each other). Inbreeding is increasing rapidly due to genomic selection.

Holsteins can produce a lot of milk, but need a lot of attention and therefore create additional costs Crossbreeding receives the free gift of heterosis and solves many of these problems.

Keep in mind that it still is very important to use the right breeds and the best bulls within these breeds. Only then will your benefits will maximize without losing production.

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From around the world!

Testimonials

"With our ProCROSS cows we experienced cutting 50% down mastitis, placenta retention, twisted stomach, feet diseases and stillbirth" - La Corte Herd, Italy, Manager Carmelo Monteleone.

"Once you get the ProCROSS cow it will be the best cow you ever milked" - ProCross pioneer, Mike Osmundson.

“If you want to make money in the global genetic business, you have to be up front in the Holstein genomic race. But in commercial dairy production the Holsteins can not compete with ProCROSS cows”.

“The ProCROSS heifers are easy to manage. They are trouble-free and their tolerance to our extreme weather conditions is good” - Ben Andersen, Idaho, USA What I really like about the ProCROSSes is the tremendous feet & legs. They have super locomotion and much less lameless".

“Everything regarding mastitis, somatic cells, still born, cull rate, have improved with crossbreeding”.

“A few minutes after birth, the calves search avidly for the mothers udders to suck, which the Holsteins rarely do. The crossbred calves are much more vigorous. When we enter in the calves stable we notice that they are the ones that run and jump more, and above all, they are the ones that are in better body condition” - Alexandre Arriaga, Sabugo, Portugal.

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GET STARTED ON WWW.PROCROSS.INFO FIND OUT WHY PROCROSS IS THE BEST BREEDING PROGRAM FOR YOU!

E E R F G N I P P I SH

S.A. .

U E N TH ER I E R HE RD ANYW SIZE OF O ANY

CG

Creative Genetics of California, Inc. “The Leader in Crossbred Genetics” 800-640-BULL(2855) • 209-848-1531 www.creativegeneticsofca.com Disclaimer: Availablity of all semen is subject to change without notice. Semen is collected, processed and stored in accordance with sound recognized practices. Neither Creative Genetics,Inc. nor owners of bulls leased to CG nor its employees or agents shall be liable after delivery for any injury or disease caused to any persons, animals or property through the use or handling of the semen. CG does not guarantee semen to be free of genetic recessive. CG does not guarantee the fertility capacity of any semen. No warranty of any kind is inferred except to sell and convey good title. Any other warranty is herby disclaimed. Should a breach of and CG warranty be deemed by applicable court of law, the purchaser’s exclusive remedy shall be limited to replacement of semen or refund of payment at CG’s option and CG shall not be liable for any consequential or additional damages or expenses.