Select Sires

SELECTIONS - Summer 2004
Customers Have The Right to Choose

By David Thorbahn, general manager and executive vice president

I recently returned from a herd visit in central Pennsylvania. This 1,261- cow Holstein herd averaged between 76 and 82 pounds of milk in the tank over the past six months. The herd had an average days open of 127 days.

Make no mistake about it, the traditional U.S. breeds genetic programs are successful, highly profitable and the best that you will find in the world. This said, why is Select Sires now marketing the finest Swedish-Red, Norwegian-Red and Montbeliarde sires for crossbreeding? The answer is simple: we have customers who desire this product, and by supplying these bulls Select Sires is placed in a position to educate customers on the pros and cons of crossbreeding.

The decision to crossbreed is yours, and we respect that position. And, while crossbreeding is a controversial issue, it can be a viable option for producers developing a profitable herd of cattle. Rarely has there been one breed or product that fits all types and sizes of farms. While no one today can say that one method is more profitable than another, there are some known benefits and drawbacks that we can apply from what we've learned from crossbreeding cattle and other species. Unfortunately there is very little recent quality data comparing individual breeds to allow producers to make well-informed decisions.

While crossbreeding gurus will tell you the positives of crossbreeding (better fertility, easier calving and greater calf live-ability) and crossbreeding "naysayers" will tell you the downfalls (less consistency, lower production, poorer udders, and poor second and third generation cattle); carrying the product puts Select Sires in a leadership position to be completely unbiased and provide the facts as they are available. To do so, Select is producing an educational piece to provide you with the most current information. In addition, we support university crossbreeding research studies to help answer questions for producers.

It is Select's desire to provide the highest quality crossbreeding options available for producers. In addition to the traditional six domestic dairy breeds, Select now offers a few other options. Swedish Red cattle are consistent for phenotype and have been bred for increased reproductive performance and lower somatic cell score (SCS). Montbeliardes add additional capacity, strength, and substance with feet and leg improvement and increased body condition during peak production when compared with other crossbreeding options. Dairy strength, udder quality, low SCS, and increased reproductive performance are the selection goals of Norwegian Red genetics.

In addition to being the leader in crossbreeding, Select Sires will continue to grow and develop its industry-leading genetic programs in the Holstein, Jersey, Guernsey, Brown Swiss, Ayrshire and Milking Shorthorn programs as well as our outstanding customer service programs. Regardless of your breed or program preference, Select Sires will serve you with the finest quality genetic products and service from industry-leading professionals.

Norwegian Red x Holstein Cross

Montbeliarde x Holstein Cross

Three-Way Cross: Swedish Red x Jolstein-Jersey Cross

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Select Sires Inc., 11740 U.S. 42 North, Plain City, Ohio 43064 / Phone: (614) 873-4683 Fax: (614) 873-5751