Select Sires

SELECTIONS - Summer 2005
Exciting Times at Your Cooperative

By David Thorbahn, general manager, Select Sires Inc.

Select Sires is known for Consistent Results™ in industry-leading genetics, programs and services. We strive to meet your herd's diverse needs through our Select Reproductive Solutions™ (SRS™) portfolio of reproductive services, which consists of an entire series of reproductive programs, services and education customized to meet your herd’s diverse needs. In addition, we are currently working to help you build for your future in several areas, including a sexed-semen trial, crossbreeding sires, and genetic markers. We hope this research results in useful tools to improve your operation's productivity and profitability.

New Additions

I am very excited that industry-leading reproductive physiologist Dr. Ray Nebel will lead the expansion of the herd-consulting portion of the SRS portfolio. Our focus is to expand our leadership in assisting herds of all sizes to maximize reproductive efficiency. One recently introduced tool to reach this goal is our exclusive Infovets Dairy Production Medicine and Management CD. Ask your Select Sires representative how you can bring technical dairy information to your fingertips with this program.

Crossbreeding

Select and its partners are the leader in providing sires for crossbreeding. Many of our competitors will add “me too” European breeds that failed or have never been tested in side-by-side tests for productivity, longevity and type. Research conducted by the University of Minnesota has shown Swedish Red and Montbeliarde as the superior European breeds for crossbreeding. You can purchase them directly from Select Sires.

Gender SELECTed Sires

We are in the process of researching sexed semen, and presently have 5,000 doses of semen in our research herds nationwide. If the research on fertility is successful, we could bring Gender SELECTed Sires™ to you as early as the fall of 2005. We know the gender selection is fairly reliable at approximately 90 percent; however, to ensure we are providing you with the highest-quality product possible, we must verify the fertility prior to any major introduction of sexed semen.

Exploring Genetic Markers

I am pleased to announce that Select Sires is partnering with leading animal-health company, Merial, to research, develop and provide innovative dairy genetic marker technology. Select’s genetics and service and Merial’s IGENITY™ DNA Tests and Services create a strong partnership to advance molecular genetics. This partnership will not only result in powerful genetic tools that add to our industry-leading lineup of sires, but will also help increase genetic progress, resulting in higher-producing, longer-lasting cows for you. Your Select representative will keep you posted on new developments in this area.

Our Customers

As I travel the country, I consistently hear how you, our owners, are pleased with the very solid returns you receive from your cooperative. I hope you are also pleased that your cooperative stays on the leading edge of technology. As your employees, we appreciate the opportunity to serve you and are proud to share with you that this is truly an exciting time at your cooperative: the Select Sires Federation.

™Consistent Results, Select Reproductive Solutions, SRS and Gender SELECTed Sires are trademarks of Select Sires Inc.
™IGENITY is a trademark of Merial, Duluth, GA

Return to SELECTIONS Table of Contents

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