WINTER 2024
IN THIS EDITION:
This photo is an “oldie but goodie” shared by Premier Distribution and Support Specialist, Anna Whitt Sullivan. While this picture was snapped in 2021 at her TN farm, 2024 has brought a lot of snow and cold to many places across the Premier territory. We applaud the farmers who work hard to care for their animals every day, no matter the weather!
Message from the CEO........................... 2 Cooperative Announcements & News... 3 Farm Feature: Rock Solid Dairy............. 4 All about CowManager®......................... 6
Improve Components and Profitability...................... 9 Trust, but Verify – DTXTM Trial..................................... 10 New Product - FerAppease®...................................... 11 Accelerate Herd Profitability with Genomic Testing.. 12
Beef Early Spring Special......................... 14 ConvertTM Day-One Gel Trail of Success... 15 Protect Your VIPs..................................... 16
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ANNOUNCEMENTS & CO-OP NEWS STRONG PARTNERS ARE THE BEST PARTNERS Mark Carpenter, Chief Executive Officer
At Premier Select Sires we strive to provide our members with the best genetic offerings in the industry, and to deliver those genetics through highly qualified
representatives. It’s no secret that our
Select Sires family of brands have depth that gives you more options based on your individual goals, and as your cooperative and local supplier, we’ve continuously pushed ourselves to be as efficient as possible in providing professional and personal service to your operation when you need it.
Our farmer board has challenged me and my team to maintain competitive pricing on our genetic lines while ensuring that we do everything we can to have local dedicated personnel to serve you. Every focus group, survey, and inquiry to our membership tells us that it is the quality of our employees and their ability to serve you on a regular basis that sets us apart. Quality service has
become an afterthought to many big for-profit corporate businesses. As your cooperative, we respect that you hold us to higher standards and expect us to do better for you.
support of your cooperative’s non-genetic opportunities helps us offset our input costs towards genetics and on-farm service, thus helping us to maintain reasonable prices and personal service.
Our ability to maintain high quality and local access to the products and services you expect of us has become more challenging in the past few years.
You can support your cooperative and help make sure it continues to provide essential on farm products and services to your operation as well as your fellow members. We offer a large portfolio of herd heath products and services that are designed to enhance and protect your genetic investments and help support efforts to serve our members.
Inflationary pressures on labor, fuel, and inputs have greatly increased our cost of service. Because we are owned by our members and are designed to be committed to your success, we operate largely as a pass-through on a cooperative basis and have been able to absorb the expenses. This has come at the cost of slower reinvestment in ourselves and smaller distributions of equity payments to our members. I’m of the opinion that honesty with our owners and partners is the best approach. We are considering price changes and will make those decisions as carefully as we can with your needs in mind. With that said, I do want to
bring your attention to more ways you can support your cooperative and enhance your benefits beyond genetics. Your
Member support of these products not only provides you with high quality solutions, but margins are used to help offset genetic investments, support the local representatives that service your farm, and support industry related events. Strong partners are the best partners! Please talk with your local representative or look at our extensive catalog of high quality and affordable product solutions that can be acquired through your local Premier Cooperative representative. Thank you in advance for giving us another look!
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 1 Stony Mountain Road Tunkhannock, PA 18657
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Responses must be submitted by February 29, 2024
CONGRATS! Congratulations to Charlie Kelly of Carlisle, SC, winner of the Summer 2023 semen straw contest! The semen straw was on page 7, on the pipe near Neil Moye’s hand.
DELEGATE ELECTIONS
2024 DAIRY SIRE EVAUATION DATES
As you know, we are an agricultural cooperative governed by the farmers who own us. Our cooperative bylaws provide for a delegate body, representative of our membership, who will provide support and guidance at the member level. The Premier Select Sires, Inc. Board of Directors nominating committee has proposed delegate nominees for the election to a one-year term for 2024.
Look forward to exciting news and updates during 2024 dairy sire evaluations!
April 2-3 August 13-14 December 3-4
Please take advantage of your privilege and responsibility to vote for our 2024 delegates by February 25, 2024! You’ll find a link to vote on the home page of our website, www.premierselectsires.com. From there you can select your district, read a brief biography of this year’s candidates, and vote for your representatives of choice. If you’d like a paper ballot, please call our office at (800) 227-6417 ext 565.
SCHOLARSHIPS
ONLINE PORTAL
Each year, Premier Select Sires awards up to $20,000 to students within the Premier territory through the Premier Future Ag Leaders Scholarship Program.
Did you know you can manage your Premier account online? The Premier Select Sires Portal gives you online access to pay your bill, view monthly transactions, and track historical purchases, credits, and payments.
Applications were due January 31. Look forward to meeting our recipients in an upcoming newsletter!
Visit portal.premierselectsires.com and sign up using your 7-digit Premier account number.
ANNUAL MEETING Premier’s annual meeting will be held virtually on 3/13 at 11 a.m. ET. If you’d like to join the online meeting, please call 570-836-3168 ext. 565 to RSVP!
THANK YOU Thank you for your patronage! As always, if you have questions or feedback for your cooperative, please contact your local representative, your local delegate or board member, or one of our offices!
Your Success Our Passion is a registered trademark of Select Sires Inc.
®
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Juanita and Zane Garber
Farm Feature:
ROCK SOLID DAIRY LLC
Rock Solid Dairy uses genetics, careful management, and industry tools to achieve top-notch production and milk quality. “Operating a successful modern dairy facility with a working environment to enhance family values with honesty and integrity.” Rock Solid Dairy in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania revolves around this mission statement, and its guiding principles have steered the operation to success in many aspects. Rock Solid Dairy is owned by Zane and Juanita Garber. Zane was born and raised on an 80-100 cow dairy in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and while he knew he wanted to work on the family farm, he also had dreams of growing and modernizing the operation. In 2007, he and his wife Juanita purchased a farm in Shippensburg, moved the cows to the new facility, and continued using the Chambersburg facility to raise heifers and care for dry cows. Today, family members and
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employees chip in to help the farm function. Zane describes Juanita as the “backbone of the books,” the secretary, and a set of helping hands in the barn in the mornings. The Garbers’ four children, Micah, Nathan, Jennifer, and James, as well as Zane’s father Marvin, help in varying capacities. Zane’s brother Blaine works full time at the Chambersburg farm raising heifers, caring for dry cows, helping with cropping, and serving as a mechanic. The dairy also employs four milking technicians (one is a part-time feeder) and has a full-time herdsman in training. Zane works closely with his family and employees to ensure that everyone is on the same page with procedures and daily routines. Rock Solid Dairy achieves “rock solid” marks for milk production and quality, and the farm has received awards and recognition for their accomplishments. In 2018 the farm received a Platinum National Dairy Quality Award from the National Mastitis Council, and in 2020 Rock Solid Dairy was named a DFA Member of
Distinction. When asked about his recipe for success, Zane cites tools like strong genetics, cow monitoring, quality feed, comfortable cows, accurate record keeping, DHIA data, and many items from the Premier Select Sires portfolio. Premier is honored to provide many of our services, programs, herd management products, and genetics to help Rock Solid dairy meet its goals. “We always try to keep our ears open for things that could add to our opportunities, and we try to look into those things,” said Zane. “Sometimes it’s easy to want to go with ‘the way we’ve always done things,’ but we know that attitude is not what is going to move us forward.” Rock Solid Dairy has been working with Premier Select Sires (or a preceding cooperative) for 12 years. Area Sales Manager Jeff Benedict provides the semen, liquid nitrogen, and herd management products the Garbers need; Dairy Coordinator Michelle Cornman administers the Select Mating Service® for the farm; and Reproductive Specialist
Stephanie Heslep has provided A.I. training for on-farm employees at Rock Solid. “Garbers strive to use high genetics with good balance,” said Michelle Cornman, Dairy Coordinator for Rock Solid Dairy. “They breed for A2A2, keep a close eye on udders, feet and legs, components, and longevity. They do a nice job raising calves and heifers, which allows the genetics we use on the farm to reach their potential.” “When it comes to our production, I want to be high producing with low SCC,” said Zane. “Quality milk has always been something I aim for. That comes easier with the right cows with the right genetics, and we want to always be moving in the right direction in creating better cows. Michelle does a lot to help us create the cows we want. We’re looking at higher TPI, components, and health traits, but we also want the herd to look good too. We want cows that produce a lot of milk, but we can’t sacrifice good fat and protein to a lot of milk.” Rock Solid’s yearly production summary as of the 12/27/23 test date showed 98.9 pounds of milk,
4.1 percent fat, and 3.1 percent protein.
with Zoetis, into his management strategy.
“We just try to focus on doing the right thing at the right time,” said Zane. “We haven’t written down exactly where we want to be in regard to production, or fat and protein, or things like that, because we just want to do the best we can with where we are at any given time. We want to match our goals with the environment we are in. We were excited to hit 105 pounds of milk recently, and that was from the combined efforts of many. We want to work together and try to move forward.”
“Genomics get me excited. I’m finding that they help decision making easier, and they help give me confidence that the decisions I make are the right ones,” said Zane. “I sometimes have a hard time knowing which heifers to sell, and I wanted to move in a direction that provides easy, quick information.”
The Garbers are a part of Select Sires’ NxGEN® program, which is a membership program providing enrolled producers early access to elite genetics. “We’ve found that the initial investment for these higher genetics is well worth it for what you will get out of those genetics,” said Zane. Zane notes that high quality genetics alone aren’t enough to propel the operation forward, and he takes careful steps to ensure that the farm’s management encourages optimal animal performance. “We want to help our animals meet their genetic potential by providing them with quality feed, comfortable beds, etc. I also need to do my part to get them bred back. We wait until 70 days in milk before breeding them back because we’ve found that extending that number a little bit from where we were improves our conception rates. And we use our activity system to make sure we breed them on time during their peak heat.” Rock Solid uses several Premier herd management products such as First Day Formula®, Calf Accellyte, Tri-Purify, and Tri-Start Bolus to help keep their animals healthy. “Jeff is very responsive as my ASM and does a nice job getting us the semen and products we need, when we need them,” said Zane. Zane has begun incorporating genomic testing, which is provided through Premier’s partnership
After starting to use genomic testing, Zane says that he was pleased to find that he’ll be using the information in more ways than he initially anticipated. “We are early in the process, but I am learning to trust the numbers and I can’t wait to see where we can go with the genomic testing. I look forward to seeing how the genomic data can help us hit the next mark without major investments.” “Zane and his family are passionate about the way they operate Rock Solid dairy,” said Jeff Benedict, Premier ASM serving the farm. “The cows are given top-notch care and the farmstead is well kept. They are always looking for ways to improve genetics as well as all aspects of the operation. It’s a pleasure to serve them as their Premier Select Sires representative.” “I’ve learned that I need to leave some areas of the business to someone else, and I need that to be someone I trust,” said Zane. “The people from Premier who work with our farm help me have the information I need in front of me to breed solid cows in an efficient manner. They value that trust. They allow me to work in areas that I am more gifted in rather than studying the bull book. And I appreciate working with Premier as a cooperative because the farmer voices keep the corporate side of things in check.”
To learn more about Rock Solid Dairy, check out this brief video! Scan the QR code to watch.
A Snapshot of t he Farm
Herd Highlights fro
m 12.27.23 test da
Rock Solid Dairy
te
LLC w Shippensbu
rg, PA w Zane &
Number of Cows Acres farmed:
:
375 (324 cows mi
Calving Interval: 9 month 12-Day Preg Rate: Average Daily Mi lk Production % Fat: % Protein: Rolling Herd Aver
age: Somatic Cell Coun t: Yearly Productio n Summary: Days in Milk: Pounds of Milk:
820 (owned and
12.7 months
lking 3x/day)
rented)
31% 95 lbs 4.6 3.2 30,891 lbs 58,000 156 98.9
% Fat: % Protein:
4.1
Stage of Lactation
1st Lactation:
Juanita Garber
3.1
Profile
(324 cows) 121 cows / 37% 78 cows / 24%
2nd Lactation: 3rd+ Lactation:
125 cows / 39%
Some current sires in Rock Solid Dairy’s breeding lineup 1.11.24 SMS® Report Sire
TPI®
PTAT
UDC
DWP$®
MAST
CFP
DPR
7HO16763 KEANU
3113
1.63
1.35
1103
3.2
173
-0.2
7HO15927 BOLT ACTION
3097
1.43
1.96
937
2.8
165
0.9
7HO16535 RECHARGE
3061
1.29
1.48
1016
0.9
169
0.0
7HO16743 HUGGY
3056
1.61
1.35
1081
3.9
151
0.9
250HO15958 HYPNOTIC
2987
2.15
1.99
1084
3.1
131
0.4
7HO16262 DANMAN
2959
1.33
1.57
1198
2.6
135
0.9
7HO16468 PHOENIX
3180
2.52
2.22
882
0.3
210
-1.9
14HO16413 FREDY
3064
1.80
2.07
1133
3.9
160
-0.6
14HO16316 TUBA
3064
1.02
1.16
1327
2.0
175
0.4
7HO16083 SPINAL TAP
3012
1.58
1.46
1092
3.0
163
-1.1
®Select Mating Service, NxGEN, and First Day Formula are registered trademarks of Select Sires Inc. DWP$ is a registered trademark of Zoetis Inc., its affiliates and/or licensors. TPI is a registered trademark of Holstein Association USA.
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In the following pages, learn about the CowManager® herd monitoring system and see how and why two herds chose to implement CowManager in their unique situations.
ALL ABOUT A cow’s ears are full of data, and the
CowManager herd monitoring system helps you harness that data and turn it into actionable insights regarding the health, fertility, and nutrition of your herd.
A leader in technology. CowManager invented
the first ear sensors for cows, and the system has been a frontrunner in activity monitoring ever since. CowManager’s unique ear sensor, which fits around an RFID tag, measures ear temperature combined with behavior, resulting in more accurate and earlier alerts.
Three available modules. Choose which of the
modules you’d like to implement on your farm, or opt to increase efficiency and profitability with all three!
• Fertility: Increase profit with timely
insemination. Identify peak heats, noncycling cows, pregnant cows, and even potential abortions. Know exactly when a cow is in heat and when to breed. Are you
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CowManager is a registered trademark of Agis Automatisering.
®
ready to maximize your pregnancy rates?
• Health: Get a grip on your cows’
your cows. From there it’s just plug-and-play, and you can get real-time insights via your computer or mobile device.
• Nutrition: 75% of all adult cow disease
CowManager implements continuous system enhancements through over-theair programming, and staff members are available for tech support when you need it. You can also use the Multiview feature to give employees, vets, nutritionists, and other advisors access to selected real-time data.
well-being. Is a cow not eating, not ruminating, or experiencing a change in behavior or a drop in temperature? Get an alert 1 to 2 days before any signs of clinical illness. Or, if a cow is already sick, monitor recovery in detail. events occur in the transition period. CowManager gives you in-depth insights on cow nutrition and wellbeing at an individual and group level. Prevent heat stress and disease, take your feed management to the next level, and get more control to achieve the goals set for your herd.
Easy to use. Your local Premier Select Sires
team can help you download the CowManager system on your computer, install the routers on your farm, activate the sensors, and tag
Whether you have 20 cows or 20,000 cows and are barn or pasture based, CowManager has got you covered. We’ve received positive feedback from all kinds of farms, but for this newsletter we’re sharing two unique testimonials—one from an organic dairy farm and one from a beef operation. Read on to find out more! To learn more about how CowManager could benefit YOUR operation, contact your local Premier Select Sires representative.
ENGELBERT FARMS ORGANIC, LLC Relying on CowManager for heat detection and health alerts on an organic dairy farm.
Engelbert Farms Organic LLC is a 240-
cow dairy farm in Nichols, New York. This family farm has been in operation since 1911, and the Engelbert family transitioned to farming organically in 1981. In 1984, Engelbert Farms was certified by the New York Organic Farmers (NOFA-NY) and became the first certified organic dairy farm in the United States. The farm is a member of the CROPP Cooperative and started shipping milk to Organic Valley in August 2001. Engelbert also uses some of their milk to make their own cheese, which is processed at a neighboring farm and marketed at the Engelbert Farm Store that is in town, just down the road from the farm. Engelbert Farms Organic is a family affair. Brothers John and Joe Engelbert run the dairy farm. Lisa Engelbert (mother of John and Joe) manages the Engelbert Farm Store. Father Kevin Engelbert and uncle Mort Engelbert actively work on farm as well. In addition to the family, the farm employs seven part-time employees and one full-time employee. “Overall, we want to be profitable while generally increasing our efficiencies in all aspects—cows, equipment, and more,” said John.
Joe and John Engelbert
In accordance with that goal, the Engelberts installed a CowManager herd monitoring system in 2020. “We installed our CowManager system because we were limited on time for visual heat detection. We really liked the idea of tags instead of collars and thought that CowManager would be a good fit for us,” said John. “The CowManager system has become
our most reliable full-time employee!” Every mature animal on the dairy farm has a CowManager sensor, and heifers are given a sensor as they enter the milking herd. Engelberts have given four farm employees access to the CowManager app, and those individuals receive data and notifications regarding individual cows in the herd. The Engelberts opt to use two of the three available CowManager modules—Fertility and Health. Both brothers have been pleased with the improvements these tools have enabled the farm to make. “As an organic dairy, we don’t administer synch shots. A lot of conception rate depends on knowing the proper time,” said Joe. “John does most of the breeding and can breed in the morning or afternoon depending on what
the CowManager alerts are telling us. Our conception rates have gotten up to about 63% with the system and the data we’re able to get from it.”
“It’s not a guessing game of when to breed cows, we’re catching silent heats, and we’re not having to walk through the cows or ask the milkers to watch for heats,” said John. “We’re just more aware of the cows in general. It’s definitely been worth the investment, and we’ve recommended CowManager to others.” Although the brothers cite the Fertility module as their favorite due to the timeliness of service it allows them to achieve, they say the Health module “just about pays for the system by helping save money on treatments and lost productivity.”
“The heath alerts allow us to get eyes on sick cows quickly—usually about 24 hours before we would be able to know they are sick just from looking at them,” said Joe. “We can save money catching things like metabolic issues or bad quarters much earlier. John was a bigger believer in the system than I was at first, but once we got about a year in…wow! CowManager really works for us and fits into our grazing system well.” Joe said the installation process was fairly simple, and they were able to tag all of the cows during one morning milking. “It took some practice to learn the charts and timing of everything, but we caught on fairly quickly and anytime we’ve needed help we’ve been able to email or text CowManager or Premier for support,” said Joe. The Engelberts work with Premier Select Sires Area Sales Manager Jeff VanPatten, who assists with sire selection. The farm has also worked with Kristy Temple, Premier Reproductive Service Manager, and John Jacobs, A.I. trainer who taught John how to breed cattle. “Our goal is to keep improving our genetics, and the Premier team helps us do that.” said John.
More on CowManager >>>>>
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GRONINGER HOMESTEAD
Unconventional and loving it...implementing CowManager with a beef herd. When the Groninger family started farming
in central Pennsylvania in 1797, the same year that John Adams was sworn in as the second President of the United States, it was probably assumed that the farm would grow and change as necessity dictated. But do you think those founding members would have guessed that 226 years later, the cattle would be black-hided, and sporting ear tags that record their every move? It’s likely that Don Groninger and Jeff Berry didn’t envision this modern-day situation either! Don is the current caretaker of the Groninger Homestead, and while he treasures the days he can spend on the 90-acre farm in Juniata County, he also is working on a 50+ year commitment to education as the Chairperson of Mathematics at Middlesex College in New Jersey. As you can imagine, keeping the farm healthy and thriving is difficult to do long-distance, so he employed the help of former landscaper, Jeff Berry. “In the past, Jeff worked on the farm part time, and in doing so, convinced me that he was a farmer at heart. Since I have no children of my own, he became the logical choice of partners,” Don explained. And the partnership has been working well for over ten years.
“We’ve always been 100% A.I., hoping to build a herd with premium genetics. Don and I value calving ease and docility as extremely important traits for us. We handle these cattle quite often, but since we put the
CowManager system in, we handle them more efficiently. We breed them at specific times to maximize fertility and our conception rate has definitely improved! Now we know when the ultimate time for insemination is without having to watch and record heats. It’s like having an extra set of employees around here!”
Jeff Berry
Don and Jeff purchased both the Health and Activity modules within CowManager, and really like the data they are getting back on the herd. “The system is very easy to learn for sure. It took about a month for all of the cows to start showing up on the lists, but now it’s working so smoothly. We have a rotational grazing operation, but the herd spends a good deal of time in the new barn. I believe that’s the look of the future for beef production, in Pennsylvania at least. Without unlimited acres to use for grazing, more and more farms will have to operate under full or partial confinement systems. And that’s where CowManager really helps!”
The newly formed partnership set goals of having 120 brood cows on the farm, and selling beef as finished steers, seedstock, and through private freezer beef sales. The old dairy barn and small barnyard would be a limiting factor in achieving these goals, so in 2020, they broke ground on a new and improved facility. The barn has bedded packs on each side, with easy access to pastures, a working chute system, and room for equipment/feed storage.
Jeff also praises the system for keeping an eye on the herd when he’s not there. With over 450 additional acres tilled, he spends time working ground and CowManager enables him to do that while also keeping an eye on the herd.
“When our angus herd was in its infancy, Matt Hauck from Premier Select Sires was our technician,” explained Jeff. “We learned to rely on his service and his recommendations. He’s a phenomenal guy and so when he mentioned the CowManager system, we decided to look into it. It sounded like something that would benefit our herd and our year-round calving system, so we penciled it out and decided we could make it work.”
I’m thankful to catch and breed more cows at optimal times in their cycle.”
Groninger Homestead installed their CowManager system in February of 2023,
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and haven’t looked back.
“The more information CowManager gets in through the ear tags, the more data it spits out. This makes it so much easier for me to have a good handle on what’s going on with the herd. The system is truly cattle-driven, and
Jeff and Don work with Premier Area Sales Manager Mike Kline on bull selection for their Angus cattle. “We’ve been selecting on calving ease, but have started looking more at the Select Sires sire search tool to incorporate things like marbling and ribeye. We’re also starting to work with some industry partners to get carcass data on our finished animals. Mike has helped us start using bulls like OPTIMUM, STEP UP, FIREPROOF and ELEVATE for the coming year.” Jeff mentioned that great genetics have helped them finish cattle faster than ever, and they’re currently seeing a 4.2 pound average daily gain on their steers. “We have a calf-to-finish operation here, along with cultivating seed stock, and as we keep expanding, we need to have tools that will help us manage our cattle and our space efficiently. CowManager has really become an added set of hands in optimizing herd output!” One of the best things about modern-day agriculture is the multitude of ways it can change and adapt…and continue to thrive. This is a story that showcases just that— being unconventional, yet successful and inspiring! Groninger Homestead might not be the typical family farm of central Pennsylvania, but 226 years after it started, it’s still going strong with an original family member at the helm with his partner and future caretaker... and some shiny orange ear tags that are helping out, too!
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TRUST, BUT VERIFY
DTXTM Research Trial Validates What We’ve Known for Years by Jeff Hostetter, Product Manager
Premier Select Sires has always
focused on helping our customers get the most cows pregnant with the best genetics possible. We’ve made great strides genetically in cow fertility over the last ten years with the ability to measure and improve DPR, Cow Conception Rate, and Heifer Conception Rate. At the same time, we know that many environmental factors affect cow fertility including cow comfort, heat stress, transition health, and most importantly nutrition. That’s why we’ve partnered with Agrarian Solutions for many years to provide feed additives that mitigate the negative impact of mycotoxins on reproduction. Time tested results in thousands of herds have proven that DTX, BioCycleTM, and BioCycle PlusTM improve herd health and reproductive results. However, we wanted to take our level of belief in DTX and put it to the ultimate test: a third-party, controlled research trial that demonstrates the value of DTX beyond a shadow of a doubt. We hired an experienced and independent group of veterinarians, Dairy Health Management Services, to run a trial for us on lactating cows for the first 150 days in milk. They set up and ran
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the trial on a large, well-managed herd over the course of 10 months from August 29, 2022 to May 28, 2023. This allowed us to obtain a large amount of data with extremely reliable results (Table 1). This herd had DON levels averaging 1566 ppb and Zearalenone levels averaging 147 ppb over the course of the trial period. In spite of these relatively low levels, the DTX fed cows
averaged 2.5 lbs more milk in 2nd and greater lactation cows (Figure 2). Milk production alone showed a 3.5:1 return on investment when feeding DTX. In addition, cows fed DTX had a
final pregnancy percent that was 6.1 percent higher than the control group (Table 3). We can confidently say that DTX
is now the most researched and well-vetted mycotoxin control product available today. Please talk with your Premier Sales Representative or nutritionist today to find out how DTX can fit into your nutrition program.
™Select DTX, Select BioCycle, and Select BioCycle Plus are trademarks of Select Sires Inc. and are manufactured by Agrarian Marketing Corporation® a registered trademark of Agrarian Marketing Corporation, Middlebury, IN.
®FerAppease is a registered trademark of FERA Diagnostics and Biologicals. Products listed on these pages are merely distributed by Select Sires Inc. and manufactured or processed by the company indicated. All claims, representations, and warranties, expressed or implied, are made only by the manufacturer and not by Select Sires Inc.
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Did you know that your local cooperative partners with Zoetis to offer genomic testing? Learn how Singing Brook Farms in Imler, PA uses genomic testing to accelerate herd profitability…and how you can too! Singing Brook Farms in Imler, PA has been
genomically testing heifers through Premier’s partnership with Zoetis for about three years. The farm, which milks 290 cows, first started using the genomic testing service to get a handle on heifer inventory. “Farmers put a lot of investment in heifers, and if they were going to put that money in the bank or stock market, they’d think about it first. Similarly, we wanted genomic information up front to hone in on our heifer program and make the best decisions we could,” said Greta Snider Halahan, herd manager for Singing Brook. Halahan says that the farm’s strategy has evolved as more genomic data has been collected. When they first began testing, their breeding program consisted of primarily conventional semen, and the genomic information helped them with heifer selection. As they started using sexed semen and Angus semen in their breeding program, they now use the genomic data for both heifer selection and sire selection.
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“We put a large emphasis on type and health traits. As we go forward, I can look at individual traits to find the best possible matings for the heifers we are testing. Even though some traits might not be as heritable, the genomic data gives me better information to work with. I won’t improve what I don’t pay attention to,” said Halahan, “For example, if DPR is behind, I’m going to pay attention to and breed for that. I know that management plays a role, but we’re using the data for those actual breeding decisions. I’m getting more active in what I think ‘works.’” Halahan says that the genomic data has been helpful in very practical ways too. Singing Brook uses the data as a benchmarking tool. Additionally, due to gaps between several herdsmen, some of the calves had been swapped in the records. Genomics allowed the farm to identify and correct those instances. Halahan is excited to continue gathering data on the herd so she can continue to make informed, impactful decisions.
“We now have heifers freshening with their second calf that I have genomic information on, and as I get more data, it becomes more and more useful. For example, if we can get the heifer data back before the dam is ready to breed again, I can decide if I want another heifer out of that dam,” said Halahan. “We’re breeding for longevity. Once you have done the work in collecting the genomic data, it takes a little while to see if the numbers hold true. In the next 18-24 months we’ll see some of our animals in their second lactation, how they breed back, and how they freshen the second time. We are excited to see how the decisions we made based on the genomic data pay off in the future.” The genomic testing ties right in with some of the other Premier programs and services that Singing Brook uses. Michelle Cornman, Dairy Coordinator and Select Mating Service specialist for Singing Brook, uses the genomic data to set up a custom mating program for the farm. “Michelle is awesome. She understands what my vision is and that we’re looking for
GENOMIC TESTING Q&A with Michelle Cornman, Dairy Coordinator
Greta Snider Halahan a balance of health and type traits,” said Halahan. “The genomics help Michelle make even more informed matings. It’s even a fun surprise when our matings sometimes surpass parent averages.” Singing Brook also recently began using the NxGEN® program, Select Sires’ membership program providing early access to the stud’s most elite genetics. Halahan said that genomics help her decide exactly how she wants to use the NxGEN sires, and the data will allow her to see how she likes the NxGEN calves right off the bat. Halahan said it is amazing to see the role genomics have played in Select Sires breeding elite sires, and she feels that same technology can help take dairy herds to the next level. “Some people are reluctant to trust genomics. I would say that they’re placing their mistrust in the wrong thing. A cow’s numbers are what they are. The discrepancies come in at where those numbers are significant and how you use the information you have. Having that data, and then comparing it to real life data down the road, is really exciting for me,” said Halahan. Halahan sees genomics playing a large role in Singing Brook’s strategy moving forward.
Genomics have been one of the primary “shapers of my strategy and overall I have been pleased with the results—both of the genomic results and the physical performance!
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Michelle Cornman
Q: What usually makes farmers decide to use genomic testing? A: Many producers begin testing because they are generating excess heifers and want to determine which heifers to sell. Others test to determine which females to breed to sexed semen and which ones to breed to beef. Another reason is to verify that heifers are being properly identified at birth.
Q: Do they ever find more usefulness in it than they anticipated? A: Yes! Often, if they find a trend for a trait in the herd, they may change management practices or sire selection to help do a better job managing that trait.
Q: How does genomic testing coincide with the SMS® program? A: Testing helps evaluators do a better job with ranking of cattle for sexed and beef matings. It also helps to identify trends within the herd to do a better job with sire selection and matings.
Q: How can genomic testing help farmers accelerate herd profitability? A: By identifying and focusing on genetically superior females within the herd, producers
can better utilize their resources for these animals to fulfill their genetic potential. They also can earlier eliminate cattle that will not be profitable.
ASK YOUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE HOW GENOMIC TESTING COULD ACCELERATE YOUR HERD’S PROFITABILITY TODAY! Select Mating Service, SMS, and NxGEN are registered trademarks of Select Sires Inc.
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Day-One Calf Gel
A Trail of Success Contact your Premier rep to order today!
Something we’ve come to rely on.
Kyle Mayberry
“We have been using CONVERT Calf Gel for the past four years on calves, lambs and stressed animals and love the product! Its ability to get microbiomes started right and promote animal health is something we’ve come to rely on as we strive to keep our herds and flocks healthy. We also use CONVERT frequently in times of stress and illness, to give solid supportive care to our livestock.” BILTMORE LIVESTOCK • ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA
CONVERT is very essential.
Jacob Moore
We give every calf born on our farm a tube of CONVERT after we have made sure it has gotten colostrum. We want every calf to have the best start to life it can get. So that is why we let nature do its part, then give CONVERT after that. Since our Select Sires rep told us about this product three years ago, we have seen better overall health and they perform better from day one until day 205. CONVERT is very essential to our calving program. It’s the first thing we grab when a new calf arrives.” FOUR MOORE FARMS • ROGERSVILLE, TENNESSEE
The healthiest set of calves I’ve ever had.
Tim Adams
“In 2023 I made the commitment to give CONVERT to every single calf, and this year’s calf crops has been the healthiest I’ve ever had. Vaccinating and including DTX in the mineral, along with giving CONVERT to every calf has made a tremendous difference. We didn’t treat a single calf for respiratory or scours this year!”
REDUCED SCOURS INCREASED APPETITES INCREASED GROWTH RATES REDUCED MORTALITY
TA RANCH • WAKEFIELD, KANSAS
CONVERT™ is a trademark of Select Sires Inc. It is manufactured by Agrarian Solutions LLC, Nappanee, IN. Product listed is merely distributed by Select Sires Inc. and manufactured or processed by the company indicated. All claims, representations, and warranties, expressed or implied, are made only by the manufacturer and not by Select Sires Inc.
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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.
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