Select Sires’ Evaluators Received Advanced Training in Serving Customers
PLAIN CITY, Ohio, June 28, 2006 — For more than three decades, Select Sires’ Select Mating Service™ (SMS™) program has operated for the purpose of serving the customer. With more than 3 million corrective matings annually in 36 countries, SMS is the most widely accepted mating system in the world. Professional SMS evaluators work with herd managers to understand breeding objectives, evaluate each animal individually and use research and computerized analysis to develop matings, all while meeting the breeder’s philosophy and goals. Each year SMS evaluators meet to discuss new technologies, recent trends and view progeny of current and potential Select sires, all with the customer in mind. NorthStar Cooperative Inc., Lansing, Mich., coordinated this year’s conference which was held in Wisconsin.
"This year’s conference stands out as one of the best ever. In each and every herd we saw young cows with near-perfect udders and feet and legs, plus we had the privilege to meet outstanding dairy producers that are proud of their breeding programs," said Lon Peters, vice president dairy sire products and services for Select Sires. "The ability to see these daughters is extremely valuable in providing this staff of genetic consultants the knowledge that can enhance their ability to assist dairy producers around the world to breed better cows."
The first day of the conference included educational seminars presented by Select’s sire department and marketing staff, as well as Ron Long, consultant from Merial Limited. Topics included helping customers understand and use programs like IGENITY® testing, Select Reproductive Solutions™ (SRS™) and the Program for Genetic Advancement™ (PGA™). Attendees also discussed SMS technology updates and upcoming changes in genetic evaluations. In addition, SMS evaluators shared information about what they are seeing on today’s dairies and daughters of Select Sires’ potential graduates, as well as second-crop bulls.
The following three days involved sessions focused on discussing specific linear traits as well as unity within traits. During the farm tour, more than 70 SMS evaluators from seven different countries viewed Select-sired daughters on 23 different Wisconsin farms, which included JI-MMY Dairy Farm., Edgar; Miltrim Farms Inc., Athens; Dic-Wisco Farms Inc., Dorchester; Badger Holsteins of Unity LLC, Unity; Liquid Coin Dairy LLC, Milladore; Sandy-Valley Farms, Scandinavia; Wilstar Holsteins, Poy Sippi; Emerald Acres, DePere; Wayside Dairy LLC, Greenleaf; Blue Royal Farms, Reedsville; Union Valley Dairy LLC, Manitowoc; Soaring Edge Dairy LLC, Newton; Hanke Farms, Sheboygan Falls; Sabofarm Holsteins, Green Bay; Green Valley Dairy LLC, Krakow; Horsens Homestead, Cecil; Park-View Dairy Farm, Pulaski; Merlin and Peggy Rohm, Seymour; United Meadows Dairy, Wrightstown; New Horizons Dairy LLC, DePere; Ran-Rose Holsteins, Reedsville; D & R Fischer Dairy, Reedsville and Stencil Farms Inc., Denmark.
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.
®IGENITY is a registered trademark of Merial Limited
™Select Mating Service, SMS, Select Reproductive Solutions, SRS, Program for Genetic Advancement and PGA are all trademarks of Select Sires Inc.
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