BLITZ Sells A Million Units of Semen
PLAIN CITY, Ohio, Sept. 28, 2006 — Select Sires is proud to announce an outstanding milestone for 7HO5708 Fustead Emory BLITZ-ET as he recently sold his one millionth unit of semen. At 10-years-old, BLITZ becomes the fourth sire in Select Sires’ federation history to achieve this mark, preceded by 7HO4213 Robthom INTEGRITY-ET in 2001, 7HO3707 Paradise-R Cleitus MATHIE*CV in 2000 and 7HO1236 Fisher-Place MANDINGO-Twin in 1992. This achievement can be credited to BLITZ’s high-production ability and customer satisfaction throughout the world.
"BLITZ has strengthened his position as a truly elite sire because of this milestone," said Blaine Crosser, vice president dairy sire product line and sales management for Select Sires. "For a bull to sell a million units of semen, he must be long-lived and a superior semen producer. Most importantly, he must transmit performance traits that are high in demand by dairy producers around the globe."
BLITZ certainly meets these criteria; he is the special kind of bull that transmits traits that never go out of style. BLITZ is an Excellent (94) Gold Medal sire and a true milk master. He continues to rank first among Select’s lineup for Milk at +2,349 (99% Rel.). He is the No. 1 Milk bull in the breed with 99% reliability and he excels in more than just milk production. BLITZ is the No. 1 LPI second-crop bull in Canada, the No. 1 Conformation bull in Canada at 99% Reliability and he can make the fancy kind. The BLITZ daughter, Ra-Rob Blitz Lexus, was named reserve All-American winter calf in 2005 and two second-crop BLITZ daughters have gone Excellent 92 points to date. BLITZ is an outstanding mating for 7HO5157 Regancrest Elton DURHAM-ET*CV daughters. "This combination could create those really special cows," said Charlie Will, manager, Holstein sire selection for Select Sires.
"BLITZ has been popular even in markets that focus on higher components," said Will. "He has transcended every market throughout the world and is making a positive impact." Will purchased BLITZ for Select Sires as part of the premier progeny test program, the Program for Genetic Advancement™ (PGA™) and BLITZ graduated into Select’s active lineup in 2001.
Will began a close working relationship with Brian and Wendy Fust, the breeders of BLITZ, when Nectarlin Billie Bob Mark caught his eye. He suggested Fust consider using 7HO1897 To-Mar BLACKSTAR-ET, who at the time was not yet released, on Billie Bob, BLITZ’s great grandam and 7HO980 Walkway CHIEF MARK daughter. Fust agreed and Will supplied the pre-released BLACKSTAR semen for the mating. That mating went on to produce 11 calves including Fustead B-Star Blossum-ET (EX-90-EX-MS-GMD-DOM). Five bull calves also resulted, all of which went on to graduate into A.I. service as proven sires. Will then mated Blossum’s best daughter, Fustead Tesk Bev (EX-90-EX-MS-GMD-DOM), to 7HO3948 MJR Blackstar EMORY-ET which resulted in the bull BLITZ, now considered EMORY’s greatest son. Tesk Bev was a great milk producer, making 46,000 pounds in one year. "That is a lot today, but that was phenomenal then," adds Will. "At the time, EMORY was siring great conformation. And, this mating had milk and high type on the top side and milk on the bottom side of the pedigree. It’s no surprise that BLITZ turned out to be a high type and high milk sire."
Brian Fust has been extremely pleased with the success of BLITZ and the entire cow family. "Charlie deserves the credit for the whole family," Fust said. "We had a jump on the BLACKSTARs and that’s where it all started." Fust also doesn’t mind the attention they receive because of BLITZ. "It’s very rewarding. It’s so fun talking to people about him; the whole experience has been very positive."
Producing such a popular bull is an accomplishment some breeders only dream about. "A lot of breeders spend a lifetime trying to breed a cow that will make a difference," Will said. "BLITZ is one of those bulls that has made a difference in tens of thousands of herds throughout the world."
Look for BLITZ to produce even greater customer satisfaction as a sire of heifers when his gender SELECTed™ sexed semen enters the market in October.
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.
™Program for Genetic Advancement, PGA and gender SELECTed are trademarks of Select Sires Inc.
Source: 8/06 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Interbull, Canadian Dairy Network and Holstein Association USA.
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