The Stockman | January 2020

by Melissa McGee Buehler

photos courtesy Schrag 605

If you’ve been in the cattle business long, you know the importance of a quality bull stud or donor collection facility. You also understand that the quality of care given to the cattle is of utmost importance to the owner of the breeding stock. But, not all bull studs are created equally; the Schrag family of Marion, South Dakota, found that out firsthand. In the past, when taking cattle to be collected or flushed, they were not always pleased with the condition and shape of the animals when they returned home. So, when the time came to open 605 Sires + Donors, cattle care was the top priority of the new venture.

About four years ago, Cory & Melissa Schrag saw the need for bull collection services in their area. The Schrags were not new to the sire and donor industry, having owned and operated Dakota Transfers, they provided breeders across South Dakota with embryo transfer and AI services for 15 years. Knowing they wanted things done just right, they sought out John Weston, of Weston Consulting, to guide them in the process of building a bull stud located 35 miles west of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. John was instrumental in designing the facility that makes it easy to provide the high level of cattle care that was required by the Schrags. In January 2017, 605 Sires opened its doors. Then in 2018, they expanded to offer donor services and rebranded themselves ‘605 Sires + Donors’.

605 Sires + Donors offers quality sire and donor services and has become a satellite site for TransOva located in Sioux Center, Iowa. Cory and Melissa manage the billing, scheduling, and housing of the cows, while TransOva provides the donor services. In 2019, they performed approximately 385 In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) collections, producing over 9,000 oocytes. Schrags offer their customers more than just the donor collection. With their herd of recipient cows, customers can purchase confirmed pregnant recips directly from 605 or utilize their connection and access the TransOva recipient herd as well.

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-Cory Schrag, 605 Sires + Donors

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Cory commented, “Customer service and cattle care are top priorities. We have been on both sides of the industry, so it is of utmost importance to us to give each animal the special care that we expect for our own cattle.” Working at 605 Sires + Donors is an experienced staff that provides hands-on, individual care to all the animals housed in the facility.

While cattle are at the 605, they are on the Concept Aid mineral program. “We have seen a nice bump in the fertility of the bulls and cows when collecting semen and embryos by using the Concept Aid Chelated mineral program,” states Cory. To assist customers in all their reproductive needs, including mineral and feed, the Schrags have become dealers for Umbarger Show Feeds, VitaFerm, and BioZyme, as well as, Sullivan Supply.

With a holding capacity of about 105 sires, housing can be provided for the bulls year-round. Semen collection is performed on Mondays and Thursdays by appointment or walk-in. Breeders can also request collection of sexed semen, which is sent and sorted at TransOva. The boarding barn and collection area are designed to focus on the sires’ comfort and safety. The facility has a convenient drive-through, load-out alley that provides for quick and easy loading and unloading of cattle. 605 Sires was designed from the ground up, with the customer in mind. A revolutionary semen inventory database, Your605, allows customers the opportunity to track inventory and sire progress 24/7 by simply logging into their accounts.

605 Sires is a full-service semen collection center that will collect, freeze and store semen on valuable herd sires. With the brand new, state-of-the-art lab, featuring the Computer Assisted Semen Analysis (CASA) system, 605 will ensure customers’ valuable genetics are handled with the utmost care and quality control. The primary focus of the business is on beef cattle, but they also work with some dairy herds as well.

SIRE COLLECTION

SIRE FREEZING

SIRE BOARDING

SCHEDULED WALK-INS

SEMEN STORAGE

SEMEN SHIPPING

FROZEN STORAGE

DONOR BOARDING

IVF COLLECTIONS

ET FLUSHING

EMBRYO TRANSFERS

PREGNANT RECIPS

The operation recently became certified to collect semen for international export and quarantine. They are now certified by the Certified Semen Services National Association of Animal Breeders (CSS NAAB) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) after passing all inspections. For a bull to be cleared for international export, he must be housed a minimum of 100 feet from the other cattle, before passing three phases of health tests. The bulls come into the receiving barn for the first round of testing, then move to the isolation unit, for about 30 days, until they pass their second round of health tests. Once the testing is complete, the sire can be moved to the resident facility while being collected.

605 Sires + Donors is committed to providing the best there is to offer in donor and sire services. Melissa said, “We continually strive to provide great customer service, honest dealings, and superior services in the industry. 605 has a track record of providing semen and donor services in an experienced manner. We pride ourselves in our continual effort to grow with the market and move the livestock industry forward.”

Cory mentioned that their most significant accomplishment in just three years has been collecting some of the top AI sires and National Champion bulls from around the country. They feel honored to be trusted to care for these high-caliber animals while they are at 605. With a lifetime of industry experience, 605 Sires + Donors is committed to earning your business and trust.

In addition to their AI and embryo experience, the Schrags are mainstays of the Shorthorn breed. Cory’s great grandfather, John Schrag, brought over Shorthorns from Russia to build the original herd. Three generations later, Cory and Melissa are still utilizing that foundation breeding productive Shorthorn and Maine-Anjou cattle. Along with their kids, Samantha (21) and Jaxon (17), the Schrags have been competitive in the showing, bringing home many honors over the years. Their cowherd consists of approximately 125 Shorthorn and Maine-Anjou cows, with Artificial Insemination (AI) and Embryo Transfer (ET) serving as a driving force in propagating their top genetics in both breeds. Cory is proud of the fact that they have hosted an annual production sale on the farm since 1987, selling both bulls and females. With the fifth-generation excited to carry on the family’s Shorthorn tradition, the Schrags are enthusiastic about the future of their program and 605 Sires + Donors.

learn more 605sires.com