Select Sires Expanding PGA to Enhance Leadership and Meet Demand
PLAIN CITY, Ohio, May 24, 2005 — Select Sires has announced the expansion of their premier progeny-test system, the Program for Genetic Advancement™ (PGA™). For over three decades sires resulting from this elite program have impacted dairy breed improvement with Consistent Results™. Once again, the May 2005 sire summaries indicate that Select Sires is the genetic leader in the A.I. industry. Across all four major dairy breeds, proven bulls from Select Sires rank No. 1 for key genetic traits as indicated by their respective breed associations, and each is a graduate of Select’s young sire progeny-test programs.
"For 30 years PGA has set the industry standard when it comes to producing highly reliable proofs on sires that impact their respective breeds generation after generation. Names like ELEVATION, BLACKSTAR, BW MARSHALL, DURHAM, SOONER, BERRETTA, PROPHET, and PENDER remind us of the many Select sires that have made a positive impact on breed improvement," says David Thorbahn, general manager, Select Sires. "It’s highly-probable that the day will come when industry leaders will look back on the Select Sires bulls that are the production and type leaders in the May 2005 summary and add these sires to this prestigious list of genetic giants."
Thorbahn adds, "Select Sires’ sales have exploded over the last five years in the United States. One driver of this growth has been the outstanding results of the PGA program. It is that consistent growth that has led Select Sires’ farmer directed board to recommend expansion of the PGA. Select Sires is inviting owners of well-managed herds to join the 4,050 cooperator herds already in the program to share in the success and benefits of this leading progeny-test program."
Holstein Leaders across Traits and Countries
In February 2005, Select Sires made A.I. history with two different PGA graduates topping performance lists in two countries. 7HO6417 O-Bee MANfred Justice-ET*TV was
No. 1 on the Holstein Association USA’s Top-100 TPI list and 7HO5708 Fustead Emory BLITZ-ET*TV ranked first on Canada’s prestigious Top-100 Lifetime Profit Index (LPI). Again in May, these two Select sires accomplished the same genetic feat.
O MAN graduated from the PGA two years ago as the best proven sire on Holstein’s Top-100 list for Type-Production Index (TPI™). Since that time, he has never relinquished his
No. 1 position in the breed. Currently at +1971TPI (95% Rel.), he again is the breed’s highest-ranking sire for profitability at +729 Net Merit Dollars (NM$) and +775 Cheese Merit Dollars (CM$). O MAN is the only proven sire with a service-sire calving-ease index of 3 percent difficult births in heifers, making him an excellent cross on virgin heifers.
Meanwhile, BLITZ remains the top bull in Canada with a +2498LPI and a milk proof of +3589 EBV-kg (99% Rel.). He initially gained notoriety in Canada with his first official summary in November 2004 when he placed tenth on the LPI list. In February 2005, this Excellent (94) 7HO3948 MJR Blackstar EMORY-ET son became the first bull ever to rank first for LPI, milk yield, and type conformation following a single Canadian sire summary.
When 7HO6682 B-Hiddenhills Mar MARMAX-ET*RC, TV graduated from the PGA SUPER SAMPLER™ program in February 2004, he was the first and today is still the only proven son of the highly recognized sire 7HO5375 Mara-Thon BW MARSHALL. Today he remains No. 1 among red sires and red carriers for both production (+1,958M, 97% Rel.) and TPI (+1626). He also is the best among those carrying the red gene for protein yield at +49 and Fluid Merit Dollars at +394FM$.
7HO5841 Sikkema-Star-W HI METRO-ET*CV is an Excellent (96) 7HO3257 HIGHLIGHT Mr Mark Cinder-ET son that established himself as a type specialist shortly after his PGA release. He continues to rank first with a +2.90 PTA for Type (97% Rel.). In addition, HI METRO has been recognized with the Superior Type Sire Award in May 2005 by Holstein Canada.
No. 1 Jersey Sires Both Sides of the Border
Released as the second-high proven sire three months ago, 7JE622 Ferreira Lemvig PIRANHA-ET now is the No. 1 Jersey sire in the United States at +249 Jersey Performance
Index™ (89% Rel.). Another ISDK Fyn LEMVIG son, 7JE620 Sunset Canyon MAXIMUS-ET is the breed’s top sire for three values ... +113F, +502NM$, and +565CM$ (89% Rel.).
North of the border, 7JE442 Rock Ella PARAMOUNT-ET is a customer-satisfaction sire at 99% Rel. A son of 7JE254 Mason Boomer Sooner BERRETTA, this former PGA sire debuted in second place among Canadian Jersey sires in November and elevated to the No. 1 spot in May with a +1918LPI.
Top Brown Swiss and Guernsey, Too!
A balanced PGA graduate, 7BS750 Hilltop Acres En DYNASTY ET*TM dominates the breed with his No. 1 ranking for both production (+1,569M, 86% Rel.-M) and type (+0.9T, 75% Rel.-M). He also ranks sixth for Production-Type Index (PTI) at +175.
Once again 7GU366 Trotacre Enhancer LEWIS-ET is the lead-off Guernsey sire, outdistancing the rest with his +191PTI (83% Rel.), 30 index points ahead of the next sire. He also is first for NM$ (+344), FM$ (+377), and PTA Type (+1.8, 81% Rel.).
Select Sires Enrolling Qualified Herds in PGA
Producers can obtain details about qualifications for enrollment and benefits of participation in PGA by visiting selectsires.com. Contact your local representative to learn more about milking progeny from the next generation of proven genetic leaders from Select Sires.
Based in Plain City, Ohio, Select Sires Inc., is North America’s largest A.I. organization and is comprised of 10 farmer-owned and -controlled cooperatives. As the industry leader, it provides highly fertile semen as well as excellence in service and programs to achieve its basic objective of supplying dairy and beef producers with North America’s best genetics at a reasonable price.
™Type-Production Index and TPI are trademarks of Holstein Association USA
™Jersey Performace Index and JPI are trademarks of American Jersey Cattle Association
™Program for Genetic Advancement, PGA, Consistent Results, SUPER SAMPLER are trademarks of Select Sires Inc.
7JE622 Piranha and 7GU366 Lewis are products of Select’s cooperation with breed association programs
Source: 5/05 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Interbull, Canadian Dairy Network, National Association of Animal Breeders and breed associations
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