Summer 2023 Premier Pioneer

Cover photo: Got milk? This picture-perfect pasture shot is at Milky Way Farm in Starr, South Carolina. Learn more about Milky Way and four other member-owner operations through our Southern Creamery Road Trip starting on page 6!

BEING MORE. Mark Carpenter,

Thank you for taking a few minutes to catch up on your cooperative’s happenings through our Premier Pioneer newsletter. I hope you find it worthwhile and learn something new with every issue.

I’d like to share with you the mantra that continues to build within your Premier cooperative—BE MORE.

With an industry and economy that constantly changes, you as a farmer are required to do more. Therefore, in every aspect of our business, we want to be more for you.

BE MORE—with our business structure. Our purpose as a cooperative is to provide valuable marketplace protections to our members. However, “marketplace protection” can mean different things to different members. Sometimes it’s as simple as having access to high quality products at a fair price. Other times it’s a full-service approach to breeding your herd, or the option to receive reproductive efficiency analyses, or the devising of genetic strategies specific to your herd. Whether it’s to help meet your targeted future goals or to help correct a challenge

Chief Executive Officer

you are having, we are here for you with different avenues to get the tools you need.

BE MORE—with our service approach.

I’ve challenged our professional team at Premier to start each day and each visit with a deliberate effort to make sure we are meeting or exceeding your needs. Rather than chasing single transactions, we encourage our team to build strong and trusted relationships. We want to be there for you when you need us. We continue to double down on delivering a full suite of products, services, and consultation to help you meet your operations’ needs and goals through trusted, knowledgeable, and consistent local professionals.

BE MORE—with our product offering.

You’ve probably noticed that your cooperative has introduced some of its own Premier-branded products. We’ve also partnered with leading companies such as Agrarian Solutions, Zoetis, and CowManger to bring you additive products and services through your trusted Premier representatives. We’ve vetted these products extensively and only bring you solutions that we believe in and that have proven results in practice. Our members are our owners, so we have a great incentive to make sure you are satisfied. When you are successful, we are too. Your cooperative is deliberate and relentless in finding the best partners to grow our

industry-leading portfolio of solutions for its members.

BE MORE—with our internal efforts. We offer extensive educational opportunities for all our employees so they can continue to learn and grow as modern practices and technologies progress. We also have built an extensive network of local specialists who are dedicated to reproductive analysis, genetic strategy and selection, inventory calculators, nutritional additives, and monitoring technologies for your herd. As much as our industry continues to change, we still believe that quality people and trust are at the core of building your cooperative.

Sustainable success is not easy and there is no magic wand. It’s a compound effect of many good decisions and incremental improvements day after day, week after week, month after month. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to be part of your success. Your support allows us the ability to be there with you along your journey.

Please make sure to ask your local representative about the Premier portfolio of products that we can conveniently add to your service and delivery schedules. Any additional ways we can help you will further support your Premier local cooperative and allows us to be more for you.

FIND THE SEMEN STRAW

for a chance to WIN a special Premier Select Sires prize!

1. Find this semen straw hidden somewhere in the newsletter (hidden straw may be smaller than the one shown here)

2. Go to www.premierselectsires.com and click the“Newsletter Contest” button on the home page

3. Tell us where you found the straw to enter the drawing!

You may also send your submission in the mail. Write us a note including the following information: your name, account #, address, and where you found the semen straw. Mail it to the following address for a chance to WIN!

Premier Newsletter Contest

Attn. Laura Williams CONGRATS!

Responses must be submitted by

J. P. Hess, M. R. Foy, T. B. Bennett, R. L. Brotzman. Management characteristics, lameness, and body injuries of dairy cattle housed in high-performance dairy herds

WHAT MAKES A GOOD REPRODUCTIVE

A Reproductive Services Specialist (RSS, or sometimes also called a technician) is a Premier professional who travels to dairy and beef operations to provide artificial insemination services. As you might expect, the primary role of this person is breeding cattle, but an RSS’s responsibilities reach beyond just arm service. These highly trained individuals also monitor estrus activity, train farm staff in heat detection, provide daily input on cow health and condition, monitor and execute timed-A.I. protocols, coordinate reproductive analysis activities with Select Reproductive Solutions® specialists, connect farmers with other Premier products and services, manage semen inventory to ensure that the farm’s genetic program stays on track and up to date, and more.

Meet Emily Lewis, a Reproductive Services Specialist in Southern Lebanon and Northwestern Lancaster counties in Pennsylvania. She’s been serving Premier customers as an RSS since February of 2020. Emily chose her career path because she was drawn to the opportunity to help

farmers make genetic decisions for their herds that can continue to improve their operations for generations to come and help them reach their full potential.

Here’s how Emily and other Premier RSSs across our territory serve customers to the best of their ability!

TRAINING & EXPERIENCE

Upon their hiring, Premier RSSs undergo a training process to ensure they are prepared to meet customer expectations for breeding, heat detection, communication, and more. Many of our RSSs bring experience and/or education with them when they are hired, and all RSSs are offered opportunities within the cooperative to continue learning about modern practices and technologies as the A.I. industry evolves.

Emily: I grew up involved in agriculture through my grandfather’s dairy farm, and I was very active in 4-H and FFA. I then attended Delaware Valley University and took part in things like Dairy Challenge

and Center for Dairy Excellence internships before graduating with my Bachelor’s in Animal Science, specializing in Livestock Science and Management. Now, Premier has been wonderful in allowing me opportunities to learn and develop myself, and I want to continue to develop myself personally and professionally so that I can provide my farmers with the best possible service. I also enjoy having other team members ride along with me, as this serves as a great refresher for me and gives me perspective and knowledge on products, new bulls, or just something in my day-to-day.

INDUSTRY-LEADING GENETICS

The Sire Development Team at Select Sires works tirelessly to develop the best genetics for modern herds. The Premier Select Sires team works diligently to help producers in our service area select the best sires for their unique herds.

Emily: My goal with every breeding is to make genetic improvement within the herd. It is good to talk to each producer I serve and

Learn how Premier RSS Emily Lewis and other RSSs across Premier’s territory serve customers to the best of their ability.

SERVICES SPECIALIST?

learn what they are looking for in their cows, what they like or dislike about the cows they are currently milking, and what goals they have for down the road for their operations. This helps me, as the RSS, to help make the best possible animals for the next generation.

PROFESSIONALISM & ATTENTION TO DETAIL

Timeliness, cleanliness, and effective communication are important to RSSs. No two farms are alike, so an RSS’s approach to each farm may be different.

Emily: My goal is to always provide value to the farm and be an asset to their operation. It is important to build relationships and trust. I get to be on most of my farms at least once a week, so that allows me the opportunity to talk with the farmers and troubleshoot any reproductive issues they may be having. This could be anything from taking a feed sample to test for toxins, setting up a meeting with one of our reproductive specialists, or bringing in a product specialist. When I am not breeding, I am checking my inventory and planning for the next order—researching new bulls and picking the best genetics for my farms, taking extra time to talk and check in with my farmers, keeping myself up-todate with the resources Premier provides, and reading about the products Premier has to offer.

PASSION

There are some qualities that can’t be taught, and passion is one of them. Our RSS team has a passion for both cows and people!

Emily: I love getting to work within an industry that I have always been passionate about, and I enjoy partnering with my customers and sharing a common goal of helping the farm succeed. I also work with a great team that I can lean on, and that gives me the confidence to tell my customers that even if I don’t know something in the moment, I know someone who will have the answer, and that I can get back to the customer with the information they need. I feel like I am able to make a difference in the farms I serve, and that is something I want to continue to do.

If an RSS is not available in your area, consider attending a Premier A.I. training course. Learn more at www.premierselectsires.com/training

TRAINING & EXPERIENCE

INDUSTRY-LEADING GENETICS

PASSION

PROFESSIONALISM & ATTENTION TO DETAIL

Photo: Emily Lewis, Reproductive Services Specialist serving Southern Lebanon and Northwestern Lancaster counties in Pennsylvania.

To learn more about Emily and the role of an RSS, scan this QR code to watch a short video interview with Emily!

Road Trip Southern Creamery

Through investment in diversification, many entrepreneurial producers not only generate additional revenue streams, but can also engage and educate consumers, involve new members in their operation, and provide an outlet for creativity and innovation.

Premier Select Sires has the privilege to serve many diversified dairy and beef operations across our 23-state territory. Join us on a “road trip” as we introduce you to five of those operations in Premier’s southern region.

On the following pages, we’ll highlight a few dairy farms and creameries in the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. You’ll learn about how Premier’s genetics, services, and products help those operations meet their goals as they serve up delicious dairy products to their communities and beyond.

We only wish you could enjoy some samples too…but you’ll have to jump in your car and make a visit for yourself!

Simply Natural Jersey Farm Ayden,NC

Simply Natural is a 200-cow dairy farm and creamery owned and operated by Neil Moye, his wife and children, and his brother and sister-in-law. The family previously only grew row crops, but Neil dipped his toes in the dairy world with two cows and a bucket milker when his children were young. What began as a backyard project has grown to a bustling creamery selling milk, ice cream, and a variety of other products, while offering guided tours for the public to learn all about the dairy and agriculture industries.

Q&A WITH NEIL MOYE

What was it like to start your own dairy farm and creamery?

We’ve always done row crops here, but we were looking for something to go from start to finish with our own product. All the other dairies in our area left years ago, so we began considering bottling our own milk and making ice cream, and having a farm set up so people could see where dairy products come from. In 2009 we made the decision to start building the dairy, and by 2011 we were milking cows. It had been a stressful time…we had never been in the dairy business and had a barn full of heifers that had never been in a barn before, and I remember sitting on the steps one day thinking ‘what have I done?’ In about a month we were able to get used to it all and things started flowing. In October 2014 we started bottling our milk which again was tough starting out. We were trying to get into grocery stores, restaurants, etc., which can be challenging. Our customers were very helpful—they began asking grocery stores to carry our milk, and stores started calling us.

How has your operation evolved since starting?

We thought that milk would be our number one product and ice cream would be a byproduct, but it ended up being the reverse. Ice cream helped us get our name out there. We started with our store on the farm and once our products caught on, we then opened two other Simply Natural stores. There are other businesses that dip our ice cream, and between grocery stores and wholesale customers, we have about 250 places we sell to. We try to give a premium product from start to finish, and we put a lot of care into our cows that transitions into our product line.

What are some of your plans for the future?

We hope to continue expanding our ice cream business, and maybe put in some more stores. We also want to continue our education efforts. Our community has definitely been there for us, and we get a lot of out-of-town customers too. When people leave from here, whether it’s a customer coming to the store, a school group on a tour, etc., we want them to understand where their milk comes from because that is important for the industry.

How does Premier help you reach your goals?

Premier offers us good bulls. We’re always looking to better our herd to stay on the cutting edge of genetics. Some of the key things we look for are productive life, milk, butterfat, udders, and health traits. Premier doesn’t forget about the Jersey people! My son and I learned how to artificially inseminate cattle through Premier, and any time we’ve ever had a problem with repro on the farm, Premier has been there to help and provide guidance.

Simply Natural’s marketing and presentation to the public of quality dairy products is truly ahead of its time. It is always a pleasure to go there and observe how well modern dairying is presented. I work directly with Edmundo Hernandez, the herdsman, and he is very dedicated to building a herd that is genetically and from a health standpoint, topflight.

-Greg Casey, Area Sales Manager for Simply Natural Jersey Farm

Neil Moye

Riverbend Creamery

& Piedmont Jerseys Lincolnton,NC

Piedmont Jerseys and Riverbend Creamery are owned by Corey Lutz. The farm milks

240 cows twice a day in a double-eight herringbone parlor, and farms 400 acres. The farm uses a grazing system, housing all cows on pasture. Family involved on the farm includes Corey, his wife Bridgette (who does the bookwork), daughter Olivia (who handles creamery orders), and son James (who works on the dairy farm).

Q&A WITH COREY LUTZ

What made you decide to diversify?

My kids were interested in coming back to the farm, and we knew the farm wasn’t big enough to sustain us all. Instead of increasing in size, we began researching the idea of processing our own milk. Our grazing system provides the majority of our protein, and we thought up front that the grazing system, and the fact that we’re 100 percent A2A2 would be great for a creamery. There is a good population surrounding us as well. We opened Riverbend Creamery in August of 2021. We currently use 40 percent of our milk, with the remaining 60 percent going to our milk cooperative. We are set up to use 100 percent of our milk and plan to work towards that in the future.

What products do you offer, and how do you sell them?

We offer skim, low fat, whole, and whole chocolate milk, as well as half and half, heavy cream, and eggnog. We have 24 “routine” flavors of ice cream, but a total of 35 flavors including seasonal options. We have our farm store here at the dairy, and also are in about 25 grocery stores, convenience stores, and farmers markets.

How has the community responded to your operation?

The community’s response has been phenomenal. I’ve been blown away by the support we’ve received. We host farm tours April through November, and we do some festivals on the weekends, and it is exciting to see so many people show up.

How does Premier help you reach your goals?

Piedmont Jerseys is always a stop that I look forward to making. The folks there are second to none. Each month I stop in and drop off any semen or calf products they may need. I’m thankful for the relationship I have with Corey…often we start off talking about bulls and end up talking about crops and tractors too.

Servicing Piedmont has helped expand my knowledge on Jersey genetics. Each month when new bulls come out, I quickly start researching to see if any of them will work at Piedmont. Often, finding bulls to suit Piedmont’s preferences helps me identify sires that make great options for other farms as well. Piedmont is known for their high-type show genetics and looking across their cow herd, it is loaded with consistency!

- Henry Mitchell, Area Sales Manager for Piedmont Jerseys

I let the team at Premier Select Sires know what I want, and they show me the bulls that fit my criteria so I can choose the ones I want to use. We’re a little different since we’re not a large, commercial-type dairy. Volume is not quite as important. We look for type, added strength and stature, udder indexes, and longevity. All sires must be A2A2, and we want good butterfat. Cow families are important to us too, and we look at the dam and granddam scores. We prefer at least an 85-point dam or granddam. We want our five- and six-year-old cows to score well, and a lot of those in our herd are Excellent. I enjoy looking at good cows, and Premier certainly helps with that! LEARN

Corey Lutz

Hickory Hill Milk

Edgefield,SC

Hickory Hill is a fourth-generation dairy farm owned by the Dorn family. The farm milks 130 cows with two robotic units they installed in 2020, and farms about 750 acres. Bottling for 15 years, Hickory Hill markets non-homogenized, low-temp vat pasteurized whole milk, chocolate milk, and buttermilk. We interviewed owner Watson Dorn, his son Daniel Dorn, and herd manager Joel Black.

Q&A WITH THE HICKORY HILL MILK TEAM

What made you decide to diversify, and what challenges did you face?

Watson: We came to a point on our operation that we needed to grow, exit, or diversify. We found that the mechanical part of processing was the easy part, and building sales was the challenge. For example, when we first got started, our milk wasn’t selling at a local grocery store, so I said, “I’m going to bring you a cow.” And I didn’t bring a calf…I brought a full-grown cow to the grocery store parking lot for people to get pictures and to talk to them. With education and effort, we gained customers. From there, we were able to start talking to distributors, schools, and restaurants, and we now sell milk in the tri-state area from Savannah to Charlotte. We also open the farm for tours in the spring and fall, and Tuesday nights in October we have live music, BBQ, a corn maze, etc. and average about 1,200 people each night.

How do you differentiate your product in the marketplace?

Watson: All milk is good for you, but ours is a little different because it is non-homogenized and low-temp pasteurized. We needed to educate consumers on why these processing choices are beneficial. The cream line does not mean the milk is bad, and without homogenization, the fat and sugar in our milk are left in their natural states for easier digestion. With low-temp pasteurization, we are keeping a lot of beneficial bacteria that can be lost in traditional or high-temp pasteurization. We think it tastes good too! We average about a 4.1 – 4.2 percent butterfat.

What does the future look like for your operation?

Daniel: We want to keep our operation as a family farm and continue interacting with consumers. It has also been neat to implement new technology on the farm, which is more my wheelhouse. Things progress generationally, but some things stay the same as well. Dad’s learned a lot from experience and we plan to use that in addition to new technology such as our robots to keep moving forward.

How does Premier help you reach your goals?

Watson: We appreciate working with Premier as a cooperative because the farmer still calls the shots and we can maintain our values. Genetics are important and Premier has been a great partner for us to bring in bulls that work for us.

Joel: Hickory Hill has used Premier Select Sires for a long time, and I trusted and used them back when I had my own herd. They furnish us with good sires with the type, production, and longevity we’re looking for. Udders, feet and legs, and productive life are important to me, and teat placement matters for the robots as well. We use mostly young sires and they have a lot of great sires to choose from.

The Dorns are an extremely respected family in the dairy industry. I work very closely with Herd Manager Joel Black for sire selection. After each proof, we sit down in the office and find the right bulls for their program. Hickory Hill always wants to make sure that the sire of choice has enough type to make them look like milk cows. We’ve worked to make sure that all sires will work in the robots and to make sure the teat placement is like it should be.

The Dorns always tell me, ‘If you are in our area on a Thursday, feel free to drop in for lunch!’ That is the type of relationship I, and Premier, have with Hickory Hill. Every time I plan to go to Hickory Hill, I know the cooler needs to be in the van so I can bring chocolate milk back home!

- Henry Mitchell, Area Sales Manager for Hickory Hill

LEARN MORE ABOUT HICKORY HILL FARM BY SCANNING THE QR CODE TO WATCH A BRIEF VIDEO!

Left to right: Daniel Dorn, Joel Black, Watson Dorn

Milky Way Farm

Starr,SC

Milky Way Farm is a 105-cow Registered Jersey farm managed by L.D. Peeler (third generation), Davis Peeler (fourth generation) and Iris Peeler Barham (fourth generation). Cows are milked by two DeLaval 300 robotic units, which were installed in 2021. Milky Way bottles 100 percent of the farm’s all A2 milk for customers and retailers across South Carolina. We talked with L.D. and Iris to learn more about the farm and creamery!

Q&A WITH THE MILKY WAY FARM TEAM

What makes your products special?

Our raw products include whole milk, buttermilk, and cream. Our low-temp pasteurized and non-homogenized products include whole milk, chocolate milk, and seasonal flavored milk. We genomically test all our calves through the partnership with Premier and Zoetis for two reasons: to ensure they are A2 for milk branding and to provide vital genetic data to assist with genetic decisions in our mating program. We do everything we can to create a high quality end product. We don’t “steal” cream from our milk because we want to maximize flavor and texture. For our chocolate and seasonal flavored milks, we carefully select flavors and determine the best way to mix ingredients into the milk for the best end products. Davis is the “chef,” and our kids help us as taste testers…kids always tell you the truth, especially if they don’t like something! Some of our flavors include Tiger Fuel (orange cream), Holly’s Kiss (cookies and cream), Cinnamoo (like milk after eating a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch), Pucket’s Brew (mocha), Riley’s Root Beer Float, and Strawberry.

How do genetics impact your herd?

It’s no secret that we have a little “insider loop” with Brad, and he handles matings and bull selections [Iris’s husband, Brad Barham, is Premier’s Southern Region Sales Manager]. Genetically, we focus on moderating traits for the robot system, and the RobotPRO® designation is helpful for that. We strive for high-producing, healthy, A2 animals. As a management practice, we genotype all of our calves before they are weaned, and that helps us monitor progress. When it comes to selecting “lower end” cows to breed to beef, we have tough decisions to make because we are so pleased with where our herd is today. We have strict breeding criteria and the Select Sires Jersey program offers us a great selection of bulls.

What are your plans moving forward?

At this point we’re not interested in growing in terms of land or number of cattle, so we will need to be creative. We’re considering agritourism in the future, but for right now we have a lot in the works for the next few years with construction in our facilities. We’re excited to implement changes in our barn while continuing to market our milk! In addition to our milk marketing, we have developed a direct to consumer beef market. We grow and finish Jersey x Red Angus calves and sell them directly to our milk customers as halves and wholes. This sector of our business continues to grow with repeat customers. We also enjoy employing and mentoring local young adults, and we plan to continue that program as well.

How does Premier help you reach your goals?

Premier offers complete service with not only the genetics we need, but also liquid nitrogen, products, and more. Our local rep, Henry Mitchell, is just an awesome guy. He communicates very well, asks us in advance what we need, and we send him that list. He helps us get the products we need, whether it is A.I. supplies or herd management products. We regularly use the Tri-Start Jr.+ paste, and we are trialing AccelAIRate. We just appreciate all the communication and effort that Premier Select Sires does to make sure that we are successful in our unique niche market here in South Carolina.

At Milky Way, I work very closely with Brad and Iris on both the Jersey genetics and calf products. I also had the opportunity to help Milky Way grow their beef business. For cows they do not want replacements from, I enjoy finding beef bulls that will help expand their profitability through beef on dairy. Milky Way has become like family to not only me, but to my wife as well, and Milky Way sells milk at the farm store that my wife manages. -

Henry Mitchell, Area Sales Manager for Milky Way

Left to right: Iris Peeler Barham; L.D. Peeler, Jr.; Davis Peeler

Mountain Fresh Creamery

Glo-Crest Dairy is a 100-cow dairy farm owned by Scott and Jennifer Glover. Scott, a fourth-generation farmer, grew up working alongside his grandfather, father, and uncle. He and Jennifer started Glo-Crest Dairy in 2000 and then opened Mountain Fresh Creamery in 2011 to process and market whole, low fat, and chocolate milk; buttermilk and cream; and ice cream. Their award-winning milk is vat pasteurized and non-homogenized. The Glovers also offer farm tours and welcome about 7,000 to 8,000 people to the farm each year to learn about the dairy industry.

Q&A WITH SCOTT GLOVER

What made you decide to diversify?

We wanted to add some value to what we were doing. We’ve always stressed quality and we could make a few extra cents for that, but we thought, ‘why not put our high-quality milk in a jug and put our name on it?’ We have a larger population around our farm, and we felt it was an opportunity worth pursuing. We also provide tours of the farm and creamery, and that helps us to tell our story and it helps people understand the dairy industry, and we can go against the negative media the industry sometimes receives. My wife has done a really great job with our social media and marketing efforts, and our community has been very supportive.

What were some challenges getting started with the creamery?

Competition is always a challenge when you get started with something new like this. Also, we had to educate consumers about a non-homogenized product and what that means…what the cream line is, and how a non-homogenized milk can be easier to digest for people who previously thought they were lactose intolerant. Now, we are in about 115 wholesale outlets, and we get lots of traffic to our retail store, which is along a busy highway in Clermont.

What are your goals moving forward?

For our herd, we want to focus on outside grazing so we can cut our feed costs as we care for our cows and focus on the creamery. We want to maintain consistency and quality in products. We also plan to continue advocating for dairy through our tours and educational efforts. We don’t just push our products—many of the people who come to our tours don’t even have access to buy our products outside of their visit—but we want them to be good consumers of dairy regardless. We want to give folks a positive image of dairy.

How

does Premier help you reach your goals?

Here at the dairy, we put a big emphasis on genetics. We breed for A2A2, we breed for health genetics, and we want trouble-free cows that can manage going and getting their own groceries. We also use some of Premier’s herd management products and especially like the BioFresh® Boluses for fresh cows and any cows that are off feed. We’ve used Select Sires here for the whole 25 years that we’ve been in the dairy business, and they have been good to work with. I look to them to serve our best interest.

With Glo-Crest/Mountain Fresh Creamery, I work with Scott to pick bulls. I also make sure the farm is never running short of the supplies they use from us such as breeding supplies, BioFresh® Boluses, or First Day Formula® Colostrum Replacer. Scott is a pleasure to work with and he is very open to suggestions. I recently transferred from serving primarily large operations in Florida to serving operations of all sizes in Georgia, so I look forward to getting to know Scott and his operation even more so I can continue identifying the best combination of Premier’s offerings to meet the farm’s specific goals.

LEARN MORE ABOUT GLO-CREST DAIRY & MOUNTAIN FRESH CREAMERY BY SCANNING THE QR CODE TO WATCH A BRIEF VIDEO!

- Lindsey Redish, Area Sales Manager for Glo-Crest

Scott Glover

ABBOTT & DUCKETT LAUNCH NEW HIGH-TYPE SIRE LINEUP

SHOWBOX SIRES LLC, a new genetic venture backed by trusted industry leaders, will be collaborating with Select Sires and Semex to bring a high-type, show-focused sire development program to dairy breeders.

The team at Showbox Sires includes Tim and Sharyn Abbott and Mike and Julie Duckett. Both couples have had tremendous success in the industry and have combined their experiences and sheer passion for genetics to launch this new venture. Showbox Sires will leverage the industry’s many tools, including genomic evaluations as well as pedigrees that are proven winners on the tanbark. At this time, Showbox Sires will offer elite Holstein and Red & White genetics with tentative plans to release the first sire in late 2023.

“Whether you want to improve your herd, compete at the county fair or exhibit a winner at national shows, Showbox Sires is built from families that have done just that! Our vision is to acquire and develop bulls to meet the needs of any passionate dairy breeder,” said Tim Abbott, Showbox Sires LLC. “The team at Showbox Sires is thrilled

to work with two companies that have set the pace for high-type cattle through industryleading genetics over the past several decades: Select Sires and Semex. We believe our thought process and goals are closely aligned, and we look forward to working with their teams to bring our product to this sector of the global market.”

COOPERATIVE COLLABORATION

All bulls from Showbox Sires will be branded with a single, unique NAAB identifier. While Select Sires and Semex are the program’s exclusive marketing and distribution channels, no individual sire will be marketed by both companies. Select Sires and Semex will house the sires assigned to their lineup and carry out collection, processing and distribution. It is expected that both conventional and sexed semen will be available for these sires.

“We’re excited to work with the Abbotts, the Ducketts and their amazing cows and cow families,” said Brad Sayles, chief operating officer, Semex. “Their long, successful track

record, and the deep passion for the future of their enterprise, make this cooperative effort a logical option for both A.I. organizations. Semex and Select Sires share a common foundation of farmer ownership and the common goal of meeting our clients’ genetic needs. Adding this relationship further enhances our mutual histories of excellence.”

“As farmer-owned organizations, Select Sires and Semex uphold customer success and genetic transparency to the highest degree,” said Jeff Ziegler, vice president of dairy cattle breeding, Select Sires Inc. “Partnering with experts in the field to grow our offering and continually exceed the expectations of our farmer-owners is paramount. We are grateful to work with Tim and Sharyn and Mike and Julie to afford our farmer-owners the benefit of their expertise and professionalism.”

TO ORDER SHOWBOX SIRES GENETICS

A unique website to promote Showbox Sires is currently under construction. To order semen, please contact your local Premier Select Sires representative.

HITTING A GRAND SLAM WITH SUNY COBLESKILL

SUNY Cobleskill’s dairy program, in partnership with Premier Select Sires and Select Sires Inc., produced a bull calf that was genomically tested and ranked number three on the global Jersey Performance Index™ (JPI™) list. The calf initially had a JPI of +181, ranking him within the top ten globally. His JPI then increased to +197, earning him his number three spot.

“This really was a win-win-win for the school, Premier Select Sires, and Select Sires Inc.,” said Jim Wood, Premier Area Sales Manager serving SUNY Cobleskill. “We knew there was potential to create some great calves because they were coming out of some highend animals, but to rank this high was a great surprise for everyone involved, and the kids think it is the neatest thing.”

Wood has been working with SUNY Cobleskill’s dairy program for many years, but until recently, the program only focused on Holstein cattle. Thomas Poltynski, Director of Farm Entrepreneurial Operations at SUNY Cobleskill, said that the organization now has plans to install two robotic milking units, and have a robot for each a 50-head Holstein herd and a 50-head Jersey herd.

“Our goal is to transition to the robots in the next few years,” said Poltynski. “When we decided to create a Jersey herd, we did not want to buy Jerseys due to biosecurity risks. Jim Wood mentioned embryos as an option to get better genetics without the biosecurity concerns.”

Wood began working with Herby Lutz, Dairy Sire Analyst for Select Sires Inc., to allow SUNY Cobleskill to purchase embryos from

Select Sires’ Jersey Aggressive Reproductive Technologies™ (JART™) program. The school began with female sexed embryos, but experienced lower than desired pregnancy rates in the herd.

“Prior to this effort we had done limited work with embryos in our Holstein herd,” said Poltynski. “We decided to switch to using conventional embryos, and to our surprise and excitement, this bull came out of the first batch!”

7JE2236 Cobleskill S-S-I Bestball 753-ET was born January 18, 2023. The calf’s sire and maternal grand sire are both exciting Jersey sires from the Select Sires lineup: 7JE2007 JX BESTBALL {5} and 7JE1758 JX THRASHER {6}, respectively. Select Sires purchased the bull calf from SUNY Cobleskill and brought it to the Select Sires Calf Campus in April.

“It’s really cool when things like this work out, and it excites a lot of young people and an institution that is establishing a Jersey herd in their dairy program,” said Lutz. “We look forward to putting in more Jersey embryos at SUNY Cobleskill to help them grow their new Jersey herd, to go along with their Holstein herd that is a great Select Sires herd.”

Select Sires asked the students of SUNY Cobleskill’s dairy program to name the bull calf. The students pooled a list of three names and presented them to SUNY Cobleskill’s president, Dr. Marian Terenzio, to make the final decision. The official name of the calf will be 7JE2236 JX Cobleskill S-S-I Best GRANDSLAM {6} -ET.

“I’m going to steal some words from Jim and

Herby…we hit a home run with this calf,” said Poltynski. “It was our first time with conventional Jersey embryos. To get a bull with those numbers is impressive.”

Poltynski said that some of the program’s first Jersey embryo females are now pregnant to Select Sires bulls, including two that are due in July that were bred to 14JE2069 JX DIVE {6} and 614JE2114 URI. He and the students look forward to the barn renovations over the next three years so they can continue improving the herd’s genetics and implementing the robotic milking system. Poltynski said he looks forward to continuing the college’s relationship with Premier Select Sires and Select Sires Inc.

“Premier and Select Sires have been great partners for us at SUNY Cobleskill,” said Poltynski. “Jim has always been willing to serve as a guest speaker for our dairy classes or the Dairy Cattle Club, and Premier teaches artificial insemination courses on campus. We’ve also had several students serve as interns at Premier. We look forward to working with Premier moving forward.”

SUNY Cobleskill is very near and dear to Wood’s heart, as he graduated from the college in 1982 and has worked with the SUNY Cobleskill dairy program for many years since.

“This school and program have done a lot for my job and my family,” said Wood. “When things like this bull calf happen, it makes you wonder why you’d ever want to retire. It really makes things fun and exciting,” said Wood.

™Jersey Performance Index and JPI are trademarks of the American Jersey Cattle Association. Jersey Aggressive Reproductive Technologies and JART are trademarks of Select Sires Inc.

BEEF BRIEFS: Herd Highlight

BAXLEY FAMILY FARMS, LLC

“Now’s the time to get ready!”

That statement, posted in the January 2023 Baxley Family Farm Sale Catalog, is pretty fitting for nearly every endeavor the Baxley family pursues. From farming, to cattle ranching, to a successful produce stand, the Baxleys operate on a solid principle of doing the work today to be ready for tomorrow.

We could focus on the farming operation that’s grown from Lloyd’s grandfather’s tobacco farm to the over 1300 acres of corn, soybeans and tobacco that Lloyd and his sons (Joshua and Jessie) farm today. We could talk about the Black Mingo Produce stand that Miss Connie manages, that serves up homegrown strawberries, onion, cucumbers, watermelon, as well as pork from a friend’s farm and more. We could talk about the direct-market beef program they’ve established, which not only sells meat in their Black Mingo Produce storefront, but also offers direct sales “on the hoof” so that when cattle go on the rail, customers deal directly with the butcher.

GEORGETOWN, SC

But for now, we’re focusing on the 200 head of mama cows that the Baxleys run. Lloyd explained that they’ve been using A.I. for over 40 years, and the basis of their herd goes back to some legendary sires such as EXT, 6807 and Freightliner. But today, you’ll find daughters of 7AN517 COUNSELOR, 7AN395 FORTRESS, 14AN502 TAHOE and 7AN466 RAINFALL in the pastures as well as 7SM93 BIG TIMBER, 7SM91 MAIN EVENT and 7SM104 BROAD RANGE daughters. They are also excited about the 7AN735 GIBSON and 7SM113 HIGHLIFE progeny coming on.

“We have a mixed herd of SimAngus and Angus cattle, and have worked with Premier Beef’s Henry Mitchell, and his wife Amarillo, for a while now. We cannot say enough good about them! Since Henry has been with us, we’ve had phenomenal conception rates (77-79%!). He’s good with the cows, and has really taken hold of our timed A.I. projects. We do use higher genomics and spend a good amount of time looking at the numbers before we decide on which bulls to use. The speed at which you can make significant herd improvement is so great. We get to watch them explode

in growth. It’s exciting, especially when you know where you’ve been and where you are now…wow!”

Part of that “looking at the numbers” process includes a strong focus on disposition, phenotype (they really like good udders), substance (REA and Marb) and good feet and hair shedding.

“It’s really all about the mama cow. I like to keep some depth in them and not have them too extreme. We have a lot of heat in South Carolina, and we have to feed a lot of feed that’s wet forage, so they need capacity to be able to handle it. Cattle utilize cover crops and crop refuse for growth, while increasing the fertility of our crop land. It’s a win-win situation. Calves are usually 600-700 pounds at weaning. With the heat, humidity, and minimal feed input, we are asking a lot from our cows, but we feel confident that our genetics should get that job done. We get to see the proof of our decision making as we harvest animals for our customers, and we develop the same type of animals for our production sale as we do for our freezers.”

If they are passionate about their cattle and their land, Lloyd & Connie are equally energized by their obvious connection and love of people.

“One of the coolest things we have the opportunity to experience is that social media has made the world a lot smaller. We have made friends with so many people in the cattle industry, and we consider them family. On the consumer side, we will have customers come to the sale just to see what an auction is all about! It’s a privilege to interact with people at the farm store and realize just how little they know about where their food comes from. We like to tell our story of sustainable agriculture, that our cows graze a new crop, clean it up, and put fertilizer on it. We’re using resources that are already made for us because cows really are the best recyclers! It’s a story they can truly resonate with and that’s good for all of us.”

More than anything, Lloyd and Connie, as well as their sons, have appreciated the help they’ve received along the way to grow all of their farming enterprises. From nutritionists to vets to A.I. sales reps, their gracious,

southern nature is so genuine. Even if you pick up an old sale catalog, you’ll notice how many people they thank through the listing of sale animals.

“It definitely takes a team to be successful and we are surrounded with great people. As we plan to increase our herd size in the future, we’ll need a great team more than ever to get that done.”

Georgetown, South Carolina, isn’t on the most direct route to vacation spots on the Carolina coast, but for the folks who have made the trip to see the cattle and meet the people from Baxley Family Farms, it’s been worth it and then some. You won’t find a more genuine family that’s working on improvements today to make the cattle and farming industries better for tomorrow.

PHOTO CAPTIONS (clockwise): Members of the Baxley family; a great pasture photo at Baxley Family Farms; a daughter of 7SM104 BROAD RANGE; fresh beef for sale at the Black Mingo Produce store; produce available for sale at the store; a beautiful sunset on the farm.

“

The speed at which you can make significant herd improvement [with A.I.] is so great. We get to watch them explode in growth. It’s exciting, especially when you know where you’ve been and where you are now...wow!

PREMIER SELECT SIRES, INC.

1 Stony Mountain Road

Tunkhannock, PA 18657

Our Mission

TO SERVE AS A TRUSTED PARTNER WITH BEEF AND DAIRY PRODUCERS, BUILDING THEIR SUCCESS THROUGH INDUSTRY-LEADING GENETICS, EFFECTIVE HERD MANAGEMENT PRODUCTS, VALUABLE SERVICES, AND EXPERIENCE-BASED INSIGHTS FROM KNOWLEDGEABLE, PASSIONATE EMPLOYEES.

LET’S MAKE THEM ALL #1 COWS

Until September 30, 2023, we are offering two promos for new and existing customers. Contact your Premier representative for more information!