Cattle
CONNECTION
“Connecting Dairymen Coast to Coast”
FEATURING:
PO Box 672, DeForest, WI • info@cattleconnection.com • www.cattleconnection.com
VOLUME 34
MARCH 2023
NUMBER 2
EDITORIAL
No coincidence! Interesting! In today’s TPI-top-100 (December 2022 summary) we can find 5 bulls that have a type score that is higher than 2.00 PTAT. Not very many, one would think. When we go back 10 years (December 2012), only the top-10 already included 7 bulls over 2.00 PTAT. In the top-25, there were 18 over 2.00. And in the top-100? They were almost countless! (Note: I realize base-adjustments may play a role, but that does not severely impact this situation.) Now sure: we know that the TPI formula has been changed. In favor of fitness traits, and rightfully so. Since the Holstein breed has put emphasis on vital traits such as Productive Life, Udder Health, Fertility and Stillbirths/Calving Ease, the breed has made great and profitable progress for these traits, making the Holstein breed into a better breed. But yet: type attracts. Both in small dairies as well as in dairies with thousands of cows. When we speak to dairymen, very few like to let go on important type traits such as udders and feet & legs. Breeding on Productive Life only does not do the job for them. It is not really a coincidence that these very few bulls with type scores over 2.00 PTAT are the ones that are much more popular than many other sires in the top-100. Here are their names: St.Gen Rapid; Claynook Zasberilla (new in top100), Cherry-Lily Luster-P, Aurora Mitchell and Woodcrest King Doc: Yes, all of them bestsellers. And yes, the highest among them (King Doc at 3.19) is the biggest bestseller, despite the fact that he is the lowest of them for TPI. Type: no coincidence.
Jan Bierma
Good Ol’ “ROCKYTOP” 94H206600 Full Sister:
SIEMERS HILLTP ROZ 34421-ET VG-86-2Y Rockytop is an exciting sire that found his way to the St Jacobs Linear Choice program.
Rockytop’s pedigree of Hilltop x EX-Renegade x VG88--Lincoln is a great combination. Rockytop is the lone bull in the ABS program that combines +2900G +2PTAT +DPR & +TL. Rockytop hails from our “ROZ” cow family which continue to make balanced performance cattle with ideal commercial conformation.
Add ROCKYTOP to your breeding program today!
TO THE PURPLE RIBBON CLASSIC
Photographer
Cybil Fisher
HOESLY SHOWTIME ELECTRIC-RED b. 9/16/22
Associate Photographers
Hoesly Goldchip Elana EX90 (@4 yrs) 3-06 365 34,360 3.6F 2.8P Hoesly Armani Estelle EX90 2E 4-04 365 26,800 4.8F 3.7P Hoesly Linjet Ellen EX93 4E 211,740M 4.4F 3.4P lifetime Hoesly Stardust Emmy EX92 3E 219,890M 4.2F 3.2P lifetime Robehnk Inspiration Egypt EX92 5E GMD DOM 301,440M 3.8F 3.3P lifetime All daughters EX/VG Joy-Jay Victorian Reenie Elfin VG87 GMD 180,000 lifetime
920-737-3050
BACKED BY 5 GENS EX
Lea Jordan
608-214-1845
Jenny Thomas
614-395-9823
For reprints, contact the office
920-465-3880
cybilfisher@hotmail.com
siemers@excel.net • Newton, WI • siemersholsteins.com
1609 Redstone Trail, Green Bay, WI 54313
THE FUTURE IS NOW
PETE’S AUCTION & PHOTO, INC
GREATER OPTIONS, HIGHER CONCEPTION. 80-90% MORE DESIRED GENDER CALVES Madison, Wisconsin 608-838-2504 www.boviteq.com
Red Showtime Fall Calf
MARCH BREEDER’S SPECIAL ORDER (6) PACKS HEIFER or BULL PLUS, GET (1) PACK FREE (can mix or match)
920-650-1631 alphageneticsinc.com
www.cybilfisher.com
For all your auction & photography needs!!! Small herds available - Private treaty
Striving For Superior Type & Longevity Todd, Trish, Jake & Paige 608-558-0739 trishhoesly@gmail.com
TOPPY HILL FARM
EMBRYOS WANTED for EXPORT Rodney Hetts
Cows & heifers always for sale. Normen Peterson & Brad Peterson 25664 Co Rd 5 • Wykoff, MN 55990
paptoppy@hmtel.com 507-352-4162/4160 • fax -5981 507-273-2710 Brad cell
920.723.2595 rhetts@jefnet.com
CAPTURE GENETIC TRENDS
like never before!
7HO16396 OCD Drive FELIX-ET A2A2 BB Kappa-Casein DRIVE x EISAKU x Hal
+1,195HHP$™ +1,297DWP$
®
+3070GTPI
+208WT$
+1,145CM$
+155CFP
+1,124NM$
+1.6DPR
®
®
Contact your Select Sires representative to add FELIX to your breeding program. Regardless of your index of choice, FELIX will take your herd to the next level!
Our Passion. YOUR SUCCESS ®
Telephone: (614) 873-4683 ®
u
www.selectsires.com
12/22 CDCB-S and HA genomic data, 01/23 Zoetis data. % Rel: Yield 79, NM$ 73, DPR 73. Your Success Our Passion, FeedPRO, RobotPRO, Mastitis ResistantPRO, GrazingPRO and NxGEN are registered trademarks of Select Sires Inc., DWP$ and WT$ are registered trademarks of Zoetis, its afffiliates and/or licensors. ™ gender SELECTED and HHP$ are trademarks of Select Sires Inc. All gender SELECTED semen is processed using Ultraplus™ technology. Ultraplus is a trademark of STGen LLC. FELIX semen qualifies for export to Canada. FELIX photo by Jenny Thomas. FeedPRO® RobotPRO® gender SELECTED™ Mastitis ResistantPRO® GrazingPRO®