V alue of G enetics
Synch Success By: Jenny Hanson, Communications Manager, CRI Assistant Manager Mike McConaha and Dairy Operations Manager Dave Smith in the milking parlor at Shelton Land & Cattle Co. owned by Ron Shelton.
“We began utilizing SynchSmart™ as soon as we were made aware of it and have not backed off since. SynchSmart has proven itself. It is legit.”
Shelton Land & Cattle Co. in La Salle, Colo., has a good problem - “We are being forced to sell or cull pregnant cows because so few are open,” explains Dave Smith, Dairy Operations Manager. Smith credits the dairy’s success to a teamwork environment, a results- and reproduction-oriented focus, and the single concept that the cows come first.
Released in 2007, SynchSmart is an evaluation only available from Genex that indicates the conception ability of a sire when bred to synchronized females. With this dairy’s cow breeding program based on synchronization, service sires must meet the dairy’s requirement of +1.5 or higher for SynchSmart at ≥ 80 percent reliability. Over the past several years, the dairy has utilized enough high SynchSmart sires to know sires at +1.5 or higher give their reproduction program that extra boost.
Less Me, More We
While high fertility sires create more pregnancies, the dairy still demands those calves be long-lasting fertile animals that bring higher components. Therefore, Protein, Productive Life and outcross pedigrees are key sire selection traits too. Genex Area Sales Representative Kevin Spencer is also conscious of the Daughter Pregnancy Rate of sires used in the herd.
With so many individuals involved, running a successful reproduction program is a goal shared by many, and those at Shelton Land & Cattle Co. know quality teamwork comes from working towards a common goal.
Repro and Results
Teamwork is not a hoped-for ambition, but an actual part of daily life on the dairy. “We wouldn’t have had the success we’ve had without teamwork. Areas like reproduction involve so many people – the feeders, the breeders, those working with transition cows, etc.,” explained Smith.
“We are passionate about teamwork, especially related to our reproduction program, because reproduction affects the bottom line so much,” notes Smith.
Synching Smart
Creating a cattle reproduction program that produces an abundance of pregnant females is not only the result of teamwork; synchronization shot protocols and fertile sires play a large role too.
While the simple fact of being forced to sell or cull pregnant cows speaks for the success of the dairy in itself, the dairy team has several other reproduction goals in mind. The team strives for a 28 percent pregnancy rate and ≥ 70 percent true heat detection rate. These goals, though lofty, are attainable as current herd status includes a 27.1 percent pregnancy rate and a 65 percent heat detection rate. With teamwork, reproduction and results aligned, Shelton Land and Cattle Co. is positioned for continued success.
©2010 CRI
HORIZONS
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