Select Sires

SELECTIONS - Fall 2004
Manage Your Complete
Breeding Program With SMS

As a professional dairy producer, you understand that the future of your herd rests on the mating decisions you make today.

But, how many times have you struggled with those decisions, either because you were avoiding inbreeding or recessives, or you just didn’t have time to compare bull after bull after bull?

For more than 30 years, Select Mating Service™ (SMS™ ) has worked with thousands of dairy producers around the world to help them meet their reproductive goals. How can SMS help you?

How Does SMS Work?

Select Mating Service was developed in 1973 to help meet the type and production goals of busy producers. Although the methods have changed, the goal is still the same – serving the customer.

SMS is a computer-based mating program that combines technology with the "cow sense" of expert SMS professionals to produce mating decisions that meet specific breeding goals.

When an SMS evaluator comes to your dairy, he or she will work with you to determine your goals, then will individually mate cows. Customized reports can be generated in minutes, allowing you to use the results immediately.

SMS evaluators are some of the most experienced in the industry. In addition to performing more than 3.5 million matings a year, they also go through annual training to stay up-to-date on herd management software, evaluation techniques, and other industry trends. This level of experience has established SMS as the most widely accepted mating program in the world.

SMS: Not Just for Cows

On the average, 30 to 40 percent of all herd replacements that come into your milk string eventually come from first calf heifers. Since you can't afford to overlook the importance of a mating plan for this elite group, SMS II Pedigree Mate combines the best genetics with corrective matings that are based on each heifer’s parentage. The program uses the heifer’s sire and maternal grandsire, plus her dam’s linear breakdown, if her dam has been evaluated. SMS II takes this information and formulates an estimated linear for each heifer, much like a Parent Average (PA). Sire recommendations are based on the maximum percent of calving ease and the number of bulls you prefer.

The Bottom Line

Just as many dairy producers use high reliability in a criteria in selecting bulls, they use this same concept with a mating program. That’s why they trust Select Mating Service to help them meet their breeding goals, whether it be managing inbreeding and recessives, improving type or production, or all of the above. Contact your Select Sires representative to see what SMS can do for you.

Why is SMS right for you?

SMS manages inbreeding at an acceptable level.
SMS prohibits matings of known recessive genes in the pedigree.
Computer matings stress the traits important to longevity.
SMS is a flexible program that allows producer control to fit your management system.
SMS uses experienced genetic consultants that offer advice and accurately evaluate cows to identify and correct weaknesses in future matings.
SMS is a program that has the ability to send reports instantly via E-mail or add reports to on-farm management programs (PC Dart, Dairy Comp 305, etc.)
SMS can pull pedigrees from both cows and heifers either from your testing center or on-farm management program (if available) for mating purposes.
SMS reports show the weighted genetic advantages for production, health and type traits of the selected mating sires.
SMS is a time-tested program with results that speak for themselves.

™Select Mating Service and SMS are trademarks of Select Sires Inc.

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