Premier Pioneer Winter 2025

WINTER 2025

IN THIS EDITION: Message from the CEO...................................... 2 Polled Genetics................................................. 3 Member Farm Feature: Jones Family Farm...... 4 Select Mating Service®..................................... 6 2025 Scholarship Program............................... 8

NxGEN®.............................................................. 9 Product Talk...................................................... 10 Beef Briefs......................................................... 12 CowManager...................................................... 14 Apparel Sale...................................................... 16

Cover Photo: A curious calf at Jones Family Farm ~ Lester C. Jones & Sons, Inc. Turn to pages 4-5 to read more about the farm!

1

DEEP ROOTS AND STRONG BRANCHES Mark Carpenter, Chief Executive Officer

Your Premier Select

Sires Cooperative not only stands the test of time in a traditional sense but continues to be a leader in genetic and reproductive solutions under the guidance of our farmer board.

There is no doubt that the demands on farmers today have increased at a rate not seen in a generation. You are asked to do more with less in creating high quality protein to feed the planet, all while driving efficiencies to remain profitable to support your families and invest in your future.

At Premier, we are proud of our deep roots and strong relationships with our members.

We value relationships and stand ready to listen to your needs, challenges, and opportunities. We then use our deep roots to allow our branches to grow strong to provide high quality products, services, and consultation that you can trust to help you make the best decisions for your operation and goals.

I still believe that we are in the people

business above all else. In a world that becomes increasingly transactional, Premier Select Sires continues to double down on the relational focus of how we serve our members. We are built on trust and reliability. We have a duty to provide you with industry-leading products and services, but what really sets us apart is the relational priority we put into understanding your goals and introducing the right solutions to help you obtain them.

We are so much more than a genetics provider and I encourage you to take a few moments to explore the broad range of products and services your cooperative provides. Our toolbox is as full as it’s ever been to help you make strategic breeding decisions based on your goals and objectives. The benefits of your cooperative don’t stop there. We have built an offering of industry-leading and proprietary products to enhance and protect your investment to make sure your investment reaches its potential. We have the portfolio to really help our members realize the types of genetic gains that turn into profit for your operation.

our members, I couldn’t be more excited about the future. We continue to be the sought after employer of the best and brightest talent our industry has to offer and as we blend our generational talent, our ability to serve you grows exponentially.

Thank you for making the Premier Select Sires cooperative the leader in our service area. We remain humbled that you continue to give us the opportunity to serve you.

When it comes to the depth of our bench to offer sales, service, and consultation to

CREDIT CARD PAYMENT NOTICE: We always strive to keep your costs low and be equitable in utilizing different payment methods. Effective January 1, 2025, where applicable by state law, customers paying their invoice by credit card will have the exact credit card fee we are charged included in the total payment. Payment by check and direct bank transfers will continue to not have any fees.

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. Communications Dept.

1 Stony Mountain Road Tunkhannock, PA 18657

2

Responses must be submitted by January 31, 2025

CONGRATS! Congratulations to Jonathan Ivan Zook, winner of the Spring/Summer 2024 semen straw contest!

The semen straw was on page 7, in the infographic below the cheese icon.

3

MEMBER FARM FEATURE

JONES FAMILY FARM: LESTER C. JONES & SONS INC. Members of the agriculture industry have a unique knack for blending the old and the new, combining invaluable traditions and principles with modern advancements and technology. Jones Family Farm is no exception, and they excel in producing quality milk in an environmentally-conscious way while supporting three generations of family.

In 1932, Lester C. Jones Sr. and his father,

Carlton, purchased 18 bred heifers for their farm in Burlington County, New Jersey. With a progressive and hardworking mindset, the Jones family and their operation grew.

With the need to expand and support more family members, along with urban pressure, the Jones’ relocated in 1995 to their current location. They now milk 1450 cows and farm 2500 acres in Massey, Maryland, also producing vegetable crops and Wagyu cross beef on the side.

Family members involved in the operation include Lester C. Jones, Jr. (Bucky) and his wife Diane, their three sons Sean (and wife Tammy), Andy, and David; and grandsons Matthew and Ethan. The farm employs about 30 individuals, including the family members.

“Here at Jones Family Farm, we’re constantly striving to do the best we can for the environment, for our cows, and for production,” said Sean Jones, one of the owners and general manager of Jones Family Farm. “Our relationship with Premier Select Sires has been one tool that

4

has helped us to reach a lot of our goals, particularly on the genetic side and making the progress that we’ve had.”

GENETICS When asked about sire selection, Sean said the farm focuses on TPI® and Net Merit $.

Fat, protein, feet and legs, and udders are key as well, and he says they are beginning to dabble in some polled genetics.

Jones Family Farm milks three times per day in a double 20 parallel parlor.

Their production target is seven pounds of combined fat and protein, which they have exceeded during some months. Their butterfat has been as high as 4.5 percent.

“We’re continuing to make gains in production, and I’m convinced that has a lot to do with genetics as we focus on cow families and sire selection. We genomic test all our females through Zoetis to make informed breeding decisions,” said Sean.

“We’re better at nutrition, but the pace at which we’re making progress in genetics is incredible. NxGEN helps with that tremendously.”

NxGEN® Jones’ have been members of NxGEN since its inception. NxGEN is Select Sires’ membership program that provides early access to elite young sire genetics, allowing dairy producers to capture breed-leading genetic trends like never before.

“NxGEN allows us to purchase top quality high genomic sexed semen to use here on the dairy,” said Sean. “We use some beef semen, and a little bit of conventional semen for our IVF program (we do sell some bulls), but otherwise we use all sexed semen. We prefer to keep our heifer inventory high, so we can sell some of our heifers to commercial producers. The NxGEN program is a really good fit for us, and it is incredible how fast genetics can move now.”

SMS® “The group of sires you select dictates your genetic progress, but getting the right semen to the right cow is important.

If you’re going to go through the steps to choose high quality bulls, why not look at the linears to make the best cows?” said Sean.

Jones Family farm has been using Select Mating Service for nearly 20 years. Premier Dairy Coordinator Amber Kirk administers the SMS program for the farm, routinely walking through the cows and using computerized analysis to prevent inbreeding, control recessives and haplotypes, make strides in genetic progress, and promote consistency and longevity in the herd.

“The idea of the program is to help with our linear mating, but the biggest benefit of the SMS program to me is protecting from inbreeding,” said Sean. “We pick our sires to give us high genetic progress, but the SMS program really helps us to mitigate our inbreeding while at the same time looking at the linears to make the correct matings on our cattle.”

Sean feels that the SMS program has helped the farm breed better cows. Jones’ classify all of their cattle, and with their last classification their Breed Age Average % was 104.6 with nine new Excellent cows.

COWMANAGER® Of course, any successful genetic program

relies on a successful reproductive program. In 2014, the Jones’ installed a CowManager system, which is an ear tag activity monitoring system distributed by Premier Select Sires.

“Reproduction is important to us and we want to keep everything steady. We use a heavy timed A.I. program and we added the CowManager system as an extra tool to provide a lot of information for each individual cow,” said Sean.

HERD MANAGEMENT PRODUCTS Jones Family Farm also purchases several products from their Area Sales Manager, Jeff Sutton, including Detect-HerTM tail paint, Uddermint®, Tri-Start Bolus, and breeding supplies.

“It’s convenient that our local Premier rep can bring us these products, and they really work and are helpful for our everyday needs,” said Sean.

The Jones’ began with CowManager on a trial basis, and quickly came to appreciate what the system had to offer. They currently use the Fertility and Health modules of the system.

“Jones Family Farm is a great operation,” said Premier Area Sales Manager Jeff Sutton. “They’re open to feedback and suggestions for improvement. They’re a pleasure to work with.”

“First off, it really helps us in monitoring those fresh cows post calving without having an intense program on each individual cow. It’s very beneficial in picking up heats and identifying sick cows or problem cows. Having that early intervention that is key to a successful treatment,” said Sean. “We’ve been extremely happy with our CowManager system, and it’s just one more tool that allows us to give individual care in the environment of a large herd.”

Talking about future goals, Sean said, “We’re a family operation, and we’re trying to take care of our family and employees.

We’re fortunate to have our resources— cows, crops, land, etc. We’ve been very pleased with the relationship we’ve had with Premier Select Sires for many years to support us in reaching our goals. We take a modern approach to management and look forward to continuing to care for our cattle and land so they continue to provide for us.”

NxGEN, SMS, and Select Mating Service are registered trademarks of Select Sires Inc. TPI is a registered trademark of Holstein Association USA. CowManager is a registered trademark of Agis Automatisering. Uddermint is a registered trademark of Teisen Products Limited, Redditch, England TMDetect-Her is a trademark of and manufactured by H&W Products, Salem, Ohio. ®

To learn more about Jones Family Farm, scan this QR code to watch a brief video featuring Sean Jones, one of the owners and general manager of the farm!

Photos: General Manager Sean Jones with Premier Area Sales Manager Jeff Sutton; cows sporting their CowManager tags at Jones Family Farm.

5

PROGRAM FEATURE

For 50 years, dedicated Select Mating Service® (SMS®) consultants have used research, computerized analysis, and cow knowledge to build better herds around the world. The program includes a combination of cow-based linear evaluation, pedigree mating, and walk-through genetic evaluation to help producers reach their genetic herd goals.

SMS genetic consultants, known at Premier Select Sires as dairy coordinators, are available throughout the cooperative’s territory.

Read on for some insights about the program from our dairy coordinators themselves!

Q. A.

Q. A.

6

Q. A.

What education or experience prepared you for your role as an SMS specialist?

Q. A.

What does a typical week as an SMS specialist look like?

What are some of the benefits the SMS program can offer herds?

Amber Kirk, Dairy Coordinator from PA The SMS program offers numerous benefits to herds. Our mating guides take the guesswork out of breeding the ideal cow while controlling inbreeding, haplotypes, and recessives. SMS consultants also help to select bulls and provide industry knowledge that helps our customers achieve their goals. We are another set of eyes in the barn and on the data, allowing us to make knowledgeable suggestions to improve dairy operations.

How does the SMS program benefit herds both large and small?

Daphne Lang, Dairy Coordinator from PA SMS was designed to help our customers build a more uniform herd to fit their operation, no matter the size. SMS gives herds the ability to customize their matings to achieve greater genetic progress towards their breeding goals.

This includes creating mating groups within a herd, utilizing pedigree, linear, or genomic data, ranking females, and implementing a breeding strategy. The SMS report outlines the farm’s genetic plan, which saves the herd owner, herdsperson, or technician time on every breeding. The flexibility, along with the time savings, benefit herds of all types and sizes.

Erin Morrissey, Dairy Coordinator from MA I graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor’s degree in animal science.

After graduating from college, I worked as the reproduction specialist on a dairy farm in Wisconsin, before beginning my career with Premier Select Sires. Growing up, I participated in dairy judging, which gave me a great base knowledge when I began linear scoring cattle for matings. I have also participated in programs such as the North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge and Young Dairy Leaders Institute, which helped me to develop a multitude of interpersonal and leadership skills.

Eric Schultz, Dairy Coordinator from NY My typical week as a dairy coordinator includes a mixture of time in the office and in the field. I will normally spend Monday in the office to get any herds mated that need finished from the prior week. I also use Mondays to text or call farms or sales reps for the week’s appointments.

Tuesday through Friday are for SMS herd visits as scheduled. If any of our Area Sales Managers visit mating herds that want to change bulls, I can also update those herds for them remotely in most cases. On occasion I also help the Holstein classifiers doing SETS for young sire daughters in the larger herds in my area.

TALK TO YOUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE ABOUT THE SMS PROGRAM TODAY!

Q. A.

No two customers are alike. How do you meet the needs of a diverse customer base?

Mike Swartley, Dairy Coordinator from PA It’s true that no two customers are the same, but there are some things that most are interested in such as total CFP, lower SCS, higher MAS, and solid DPR/CCR. However, determining what those ideals actually mean to each producer starts with asking questions. I talk with the producers to find out the direction they want to take their herd to reach their operational goals.

Some producers prefer to choose their own group of bulls. Others decide in conjunction with me or the Area Sales Manager as we discuss their criteria and come up with sire options together.

Still others have me select the bulls based on their criteria and the opportunities I see with their cows. With each return visit to the farm, bull selection can be adjusted to continue to meet their goals.

Q. A.

What makes your role as an SMS specialist rewarding?

Q. A.

As a young person choosing a career in A.I., how do you feel your role as an SMS specialist might help shape the future of the dairy industry?

How do you incorporate other Premier programs into your work as an SMS specialist?

Michelle Cornman, Dairy Coordinator from PA As producers have become more conscious about the number of heifers they create each year, they want to ensure they are creating the heifers out of their best cows. The multitude of programs Premier offers assists in the decision making process for their operations.

Our partnership with Zoetis for genomic testing has made it easier to identify the superior genetics on their farms and determine which animals should receive sexed semen or beef semen. Once these heifers and cows have been identified, our calculators to determine genetic strategies have been invaluable to not only manage heifer inventories but also semen needs for future purchases.

NxGEN gives producers access to our elite genetics to create replacement heifers.

ProfitSOURCE® helps make sure they are making the most profit out of beef calves created. ®

Finally, SRS® as well as CowManager® help monitor reproduction in herds to make sure whatever strategy that is chosen is successful.

Select Mating Service, SMS, Select Reproductive Solutions, SRS, NxGEN, and ProfitSOURCE are registered trademarks of Select Sires Inc. CowManager is a registered trademark of Agis Automatisering. TMgender SELECTED is a trademark of Select Sires Inc. All gender SELECTED semen is processed using UltraplusTM technology. Ultraplus is a trademark of STGen LLC.

®

It is very rewarding to have customers tell you how you have helped to improve their herd with production and type. It’s nice to hear them tell you that it makes their job simpler to just look at the recommendations and not have to worry about inbreeding. It is also rewarding to be able to look at young animals and see the improvements taking place in the herd.

George Sebright, Dairy Coordinator from PA As an SMS specialist, I feel our role helps shape the future by helping our member owners make the best cows for their barn across Premier and our other cooperatives. There are so many cows in our population that have most likely been influenced by the SMS program at one point or another in their pedigree. Our customers put a lot of faith in us to make sure we are setting them up to have a profitable herd for many generations to come. Since starting my role in September 2024, I have found so many moments that make me realize how lucky I am to be working in this role with the rest of the Premier team.

In summary, I have to know the bull data well, along with the goals of each producer, to select the best bulls to get the results the customer is looking for. Everyone still wants the best bulls for the money, whatever that is, and it is my goal to provide that value!

Q. A.

Shelley Sharpe, Dairy Coordinator from NC

Q. A.

How have you seen SMS evolve over the years?

What do you predict is in store for the future?

Jerry Emerich, Dairy Coordinator from NY SMS began as a corrective type improvement program only, but over time it has evolved to incorporate pedigree information for inbreeding control. It has added production and management traits for more balanced genetic improvement, and it has incorporated DNA information to give us a more complete picture of an animal’s genetic value. SMS has also evolved to allow someone to more easily group animals within a herd into different breeding strategies, such as gender SELECTEDTM, conventional, and beef semen.

In the future, I predict that there will be further collaboration between the SMS and SRS programs to offer a complete herd management service program. Thinking outside the box, the day may come where technology evolves and cameras can scan an animal when it enters the parlor or a robotic milking system to measure a cow for conformation traits rather than having a SMS consultant score each animal. Who knows!

I do believe it is still important to look at cattle from a corrective conformation standpoint to ensure they are “built right” in order to make the most profitable animals.

7

2025 PREMIER FUTURE AG LEADERS SCHOLARSHIP Premier Select Sires will award up to $20,000 to students within the Premier territory through the 2025 Premier Future Ag Leaders Scholarship Program. Two exemplary students will receive $2,500 scholarships through either the Johnny Daniel Memorial Scholarship or the Wayne Dudley Scholarship. Several other students will receive scholarships of $750 to $1,000 in value.

Scholarship application forms are available under the “News” tab of www.premierselectsires.com, by calling (570) 836-3168, or by emailing office@premierselect.com.

Completed scholarship applications are due January 31, 2025.

Eligible students include high school seniors through college seniors presently enrolled or planning to enroll in an undergraduate agriculturerelated major. The student or his/her parent or guardian must reside in the Premier membership area and must be an active Premier customer in good standing. Previous scholarship winners remain eligible during subsequent award years; however, a student can only receive a $2,500 scholarship once in his/her school career.

The Premier Future Ag Leaders

“I would like to thank the Premier Select Sires board of directors for honoring me with this scholarship. I’ve studied Dairy Production and Management at SUNY Cobleskill, I look forward to continuing the family farm with a focus on sustainability and efficiency.”

Alex Empet Empet Farms in Kingsley, PA 2024 recipient of the $2,500 Johnny Daniel Memorial Scholarship

8

Scholarship Program provides financial support to eligible college undergraduates in agricultural majors.

The program provides additional return to the cooperative’s member-owners by supporting the next generation of young people desiring to study and work in the agriculture industry. The Premier Select Sires, Inc. board of directors has made a commitment to providing money to support this scholarship program on an ongoing annual basis.

APPLY TODAY!

“I’m thankful to Premier for not only the service we’ve been provided as a family farm for decades, but also for opportunities like the scholarship and externship programs that have allowed me to excel in my college career. I’ve attended Penn State, majoring in Animal Science and minoring in Ag Business Management. I’m very appreciative of the support I’ve received from Premier. I want to see that paid forward and I am proud to now work for Premier as a Sales Support Specialist!”

Paige Peiffer Boxed-In Acres in Lebanon, PA 2024 recipient of the $2500 Wayne Dudley Scholarship

9

PRODUCT TALK BIG Calf Powder A daily dose of CONVERT BIG Calf Powder keeps calves healthier from birth to weaning, resulting in fewer transition challenges.

Defend & Protect for a lifetime

REDUCED SCOURS IMPROVED LUNG HEALTH* INCREASED GROWTH INCREASED APPETITES REDUCED MORTALITY *New York field study

The egg-based pathogen focused proteins are a key feature of the CONVERT Calf Program and accomplish numerous goals.

GOAL: Attach to pathogenic bacteria and viruses to prevent digestive tract destruction and inflammation Peer-reviewed research found that egg-based specialized proteins have a stronger binding to pathogens than colostrum-derived antibodies1.

GOAL: Survive low pH conditions and protein-digesting enzymes to effectively restrict pathogenic bacteria and viruses throughout the digestive tract.

Published research indicates that egg-based specialized proteins are more resistant to low pH (abomasum) and protein-digesting enzymes than colostrum-derived antobodies2.

Contact your Premier representative for research on the egg-based specialized proteins and for creating your personalized CONVERT Calf Program with the Agrarian family of products.

1Poult. Sci. 72(1993):2361-2365; Human Vacc. 15(2019):264-275. 2Amer. J. Vet. Res. 54(1993):867-872; J. Vet Med. Sci. 58(1996):365-367.

FerAppease made it a lot simpler for us to get these calves to #1, not walk and bawl as much in the 100-degree heat in July, and #2, get them to start a new ration that they’d never seen before.

TESTIMONIAL BY: DR. BROCK HANEL VETERINARIAN & RANCHER COURTLAND, KS

10

“

“

We started using FerAppease over the summer when my 8-year-old boy decided we should buy some calves. Kansas was really dry in our area, and they were selling a whole bunch of 250-pound bawling calves right off the cow that normally wouldn’t get sold until fall…they were already stressed out from the time of the drought and from weaning at 250 pounds.

Watch the full testimonial here!

Ask your Premier rep for more details on how FerAppease can help prevent stress and its effects in your dairy or beef cattle throughout their life stages.

BioFresh is a registered trademark Agrarian Marketing Corporation®. First Day Formula is a registered trademark of Select Sires Inc. FerAppease is a registered trademark of FERA Diagnostics and Biologicals. ™Convert is a ® trademark of Select Sires Inc. Ca3 BioFresh Bolus, BioFresh Bolus, and Convert are manufactured for Agrarian Solutions , a registered trademark of Agrarian Marketing Corporation, Middlebury, IN. ®

GREAT FIRST IMPRESSIONS

You never get a second chance to make

a great first impression. Your cows undoubtedly want to make an excellent impression with good health and production when they transition into lactation after calving. But they need our help!

Jeff Hostetter, Product Manager

Good management, cow comfort, and nutrition, both pre and post freshening, are the foundation of a successful transition for fresh cows. Key protocols are also essential to support her through the most vulnerable stage of the lactation cycle. Supplemental calcium at calving has been proven to bridge the gap in calcium supply between calving and the calcium supplied from her diet after her feed intake has ramped up post calving.

Ca3 BioFresh® Boluses bridge the calcium

gap with three non-caustic calcium sources and 50,000 IU of vitamin D. The result is increased levels of blood calcium and improved liver function, both vital to a smooth transition.

function by providing L-form Lactobacillus, microbial sugars and specialized proteins.

BioFresh Microbial Bolus triggers a digestive response from its yeast and enzymes and boosts a cow’s immune system at the highest stress period in a typical lactation – freshening.

BioFresh Microbial Bolus is also beneficial to sick and off-feed cows, as it provides necessary nutritional requirements; and can be used as a supplement for treated cows in combating high somatic cell counts. Research done at Southern Illinois University showed that administering BioFresh Microbial Bolus for three consecutive days resulted in a drop in SCC of 200,000 cells (P=.0001).

By implementing the one-two punch of BioFresh and Ca3, you can help your cows create a great first impression that turns into a healthy, productive, and profitable lactation!

This gap in feed intake can also be minimized by enhancing rumen function at this critical time. Ideal for fresh cows, BioFresh Microbial Bolus supplies critical vitamins and minerals to supplement a cow’s variable intake, and aids in immune

EXTENDED COLOSTRUM FEEDING How much colostrum should your producers be feeding and for how long?

Extended colostrum feeding is a hot topic among industry professionals. They are focusing on what it is, how it works, and the lifetime benefits that it offers.

Studies show that feeding calves colostrum beyond day one can have a positive impact on calf health by reducing disease duration, prevalence, and calf mortality.

Below are the suggested protocols for extended feeding of maternal colostrum:

Recommended IgG level:

First Day Formula is 30% IgG:

• Feed 2-4 grams of IgG's per calf/day for 7-10 days.

• Therefore, feed 6-12 grams per calf/day.

• 6-12 grams= 2-3 teaspoons of First Day Formula per head/day for 7-10 days.

For more information on extended colostrum feeding, check out this article from Progressive Dairy!

First Day Formula® Colostrum Replacer First Day Formula CR is a colostrum replacer or supplement for newborn dairy and beef calves. It contains 100% dried natural bovine colostrum and is fortified with essential bioavailable vitamins and chelated trace minerals.

• Easy mixing • Contains 150 grams of IgG’s per 500 gram feeding

These products 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.

11

BEEF BRIEFS

12

A.I. DRIVES PROFITABILITY

WHAT ARE THE REPRODUCTIVE DRIVERS OF PROFITABILITY IN BEEF HERDS? 1. Number of calves weaned over lifetime: How many years does she conceive, calve and wean a calf before being culled? Over how many years can the cost of developing the cow be depreciated?

2. Age and weight of calves weaned: Does she conceive early in the breeding season as a heifer and continue to calve early as a cow? Early calving cows will wean older and heavier calves.

3. Quality of calves weaned: How much value do her calves capture based on health, growth, performance, carcass merit, visual appearance, etc.?

ESTRUS SYNCHRONIZATION AND TIMED A.I. CAN IMPROVE YOUR HERD IN EVERY ONE OF THESE AREAS! PROVEN DRIVERS OF PROFITABILITY: • Heifers who calved during the first 21-day period with their first calf remained in the herd longer than heifers who calved later. Early calving heifers also wean a heavier calf in each of their first six calving seasons. (Cushman et al., 2013) • Early born A.I. heifer calves as potential replacements have: o Greater weaning and pre-breeding weights o Greater number of heifers cycling prior to breeding season o Greater pregnancy rates in first breeding season o Potential improvements in breed back as two year olds • Early born A.I. steer calves have: o Greater weaning weights o Greater percentage choice or better o Greater carcass value (better carcass weight and marbling score) (Larson and Funston, 2009; Funston et al., 2011)

TIPS FOR USE OF gender SELECTED™ (SEXED) SEMEN: • Thaw semen in a clean and regulated warm water bath (95°-98°F) for 45 seconds.

• Pay close attention when handling thawed straws of sexed semen to ensure you maintain 95°-98°F temperature until the semen can be deposited in the female.

• Thawed sexed semen should be deposited in the female within five minutes.

• It is strongly encouraged to apply estrus detection aids to help monitor heat activity and only use sexed semen in those females that display estrus.

• Sexed semen may remain fertile for a shorter period of time in the female following A.I. Therefore, A.I. should be performed approximately 18-22 hours after the start of standing heat behavior.1 This is slightly later than the time recommended when using conventional (non-sexed) semen.

• Manage expectations: The use of sexed semen could result in conception rates below that of conventional semen. A recent meta-analysis in Nature2 indicated that frozen-thawed sexed semen achieves 83 percent of conventional semen pregnancy rates (i.e. if you typically achieve 55 percent with conventional semen, you may achieve 46 percent with sexed semen).

Thomas et al. 2014. Delayed insemination of nonestrous cows improves pregnancy rates when using sex-sorted semen in timed artificial insemination of suckled beef cows. Journal of Animal Science. Vol 92, Issue 4: 1747-1752.

1

Reese et al. 2021. The reproductive success of bovine sperm after sex-sorting: a meta-analysis. Nature Scientific Reports.

11: 17366.

2

13

COWMANAGER CowManager believes that a successful farmer is a prepared farmer. Whether you have 20 or 20,000 cows, the CowManager activity system provides real time data and actionable insights so you can provide individualized care to your cows.

THE MODULES CowManager allows you to opt in to the modules that will best meet your needs on farm.

The Health Module monitors changes in eating, rumination, behavior, and temperature. Receive an alert one to two days before clinical signs of illness, monitor recovery in detail, and enjoy savings in cost, antibiotics, and labor.

The Fertility Module can help producers increase profits with timely insemination. Maximize pregnancy rates by identifying peak heats, noncycling cows, pregnant cows, and even potential abortions.

The Transition and Nutrition Module helps alert producers to cows at higher risk for transition diseases like metritis and ketosis, enabling proactive care. It also sends alerts for heat stress, group

SORT MY COW

health issues, group stress, and low feed intake, allowing you to adjust your feed strategy and management.

WHAT’S NEW? CowManager continues to forge ahead, seeking new ways to help dairy farmers improve efficiency. The following items are currently or will soon be available for Premier producers to utilize!

Lifetime Monitoring. CowManager is

excited to offer Lifetime Monitoring with the introduction of the Youngstock Monitor. This tool allows you to monitor the crucial development stages of your youngstock, improving calf health and welfare while laying the foundation for a strong, productive herd. The lightweight ear sensors are built to last, offering a seamless and continuous monitoring solution tailored to your farm and each cow’s age.

Stay on top of your herd’s lifecycle— from calf to cow—with the lifetime monitoring system, ensuring optimal health and growth.

Sort My Cow. It’s no secret that quality labor is getting more expensive and harder to find and hire. Sort my Cow helps you solve this challenge. It can reduce labor and lock-up times,

leading to improved cow welfare and increased efficiency and profits.

More than just a sorting gate, Sort my Cow is a service that seamlessly integrates with the CowManager monitoring system. It works by receiving alerts from CowManager ear sensors, allowing you to easily divert cows who signal an alert and need attention, all while maintaining smooth cow flow and minimizing stress and disruption to the rest of the herd.

CowManager App. CowManager is

also working on a new and improved app designed to help you seamlessly navigate the many tools offered through the CowManager system. It will include MyCowManager, a dedicated space within the app for customers to get in touch with CowManager, access and update company information, pay invoices, view their product portfolio, and place and track orders.

Talk to your local Premier representative about how CowManager can help you reach new levels of efficiency, whether you’re interested in installing CowManager for the first time, or upgrading your current system!

The most sophisticated ear sensor monitoring technology now can be used with the newest sorting technology ­— exceeding your need for labor savings, technology integration and operational efficiency.

SCAN QR GET SORTED

14

FROM CALF TO COW

LIFETIME MONITORING. MAXIMIZE PERFORMANCE. Monitor your herd's health and productivity from calf to cow with our lifetime ear sensors. They provide real-time data to detect diseases early and tailor treatment by age, allowing you to address health, fertility, transition, and nutrition issues anytime. Our lifetime ear sensors follow your herd from birth throughout every life phase.

SCAN NOW By combining Artificial Intelligence with ever-evolving algorithms, you receive accurate, comprehensive, and manageable information.

This allows you to take proactive action. Our new, durable sensors come with a lifetime warranty, and we provide you with local support whenever you need it. We manage the tech so you can focus on what truly matters—your cows!

AHEAD OF THE HERD TOGETHER

www.cowmanager.com

CowManager is a registered trademark of Agis Automatisering.

®

15

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.

16