SELECTIONS - Summer 2006
The Abigails: Gaining Acclaim
The Abigail Family at Canyon Breeze Holsteins, Minersville, Utah, has been gaining international acclaim for their powerful transmitting ability through males and females alike.
Canyon Breeze Holsteins, owned and operated by Steve and Becky Gillins and their son Cory, is home to 500 head, approximately 25 percent registered. Steve gives credit to this awesome family and foundation cow, Clarney WC Mark Abigail (EX-91) for putting his herd on the map. "I was a big fan of 7HO0980 Walkway Chief MARK," Steve says, "He was a bull that sired dairy strength, exactly what the breed needed at the time and still does today."
Gillins used a variety of bulls on Abigail and was extremely pleased with each result. "That is a true testament to the family and their transmitting ability," he said.
Sharing the Spotlight
Abigail produced a great supporting cast of five Excellent daughters and countless Very Good daughters. Granddaughters of Abigail have also faired well, including full sisters and Select Sires bull mothers Canyon-Breeze Em Ashley-ET (EX-94-3E-EX-MS-DOM) and Canyon-Breeze Em August-ET (EX-92-2E-EX-MS-GMD-DOM). Today, 40 descendents from the Abigail line are in the herd, including 10-year-old Ashley.
"The daughters and granddaughters of Abigail are extremely impressive," commented Jeff Ziegler, sire analyst for Select Sires. "They have massive frames, exceptional strength, width end-to-end, and the competitive will to milk in large herd environments, a rare combination in the breed today."
It was Ziegler who traveled to Utah after seeing pictures of the two 7HO3948 MJR Blackstar EMORY-ET daughters. His visit resulted in the acquisition of 7HO6753 CANYON-Breeze Storm Atom-ET, a Storm son from Emory Ashley. As a Super Sampler™, CANYON's sales exceeded 54,000 units, the second highest total in recent history.
Ziegler also contracted two matings. One from a Very Good (87) Bellwood, resulting in 7HO6750 Canyon-BREEZE Lantz Anch-ET, and one from Emory August for a Hershel son which produced February 2006 graduate 7HO7334 Canyon-Breeze Hrl ARTIC-ET.
Upon their release, the group transmitted just as Ziegler expected. "When you look at these three on paper you see a common theme among them," Ziegler explains. "They carry exceptional frame traits and will improve the strength and width of a cow."
The Will to Work
The 120-head registered herd is mixed in with over 380 herd mates in freestall barns. "They have to compete to get noticed just like any other cow in the herd," Gillins added. "There is no pampering or special treatment for this family."
The location of the farm, some 5,550 feet above sea level, mixed with the extreme climate of Southern Utah, is also evidence of the cow family's will to work. "The name of our farm stands true, we get canyon breezes here all year long. They make the summer tolerable but in the fall and winter it gets cold."
Sires from the family share the passion for profitability as family members before them, as confirmed by their USDA proof data.
ARTIC leads the group for milk and protein production with steady fat production, at 94% Reliability. ARTIC sires strength, outstanding udders and correct feet and legs.
BREEZE is a fat leader at Select Sires with high milk and protein production. He sires exceptional feet and legs while improving the frame traits. Breeze is a calving ease sire with a score below breed average for difficult births in heifers.
CANYON is the highest reliability sire of the trio for type and production and an improver of overall production. He is a type enhancer and carries the calving ease label, as well.
Discriminating breeders now have the opportunity to experience everything that CANYON has to offer while producing more heifer calves by choosing gender SELECTed™ CANYON semen.
Making it Work
"These bulls add constitution and width to cows, making them attractive to large herd owners. They also follow the Select Sires philosophy of balanced breeding," Ziegler said. "They are not extreme for any one trait, but instead are strong throughout."
Adding to the success of the family, Ziegler explained, is the integrity at Canyon Breeze. "The integrity at the farm is high. Whether on the phone with Steve, or visiting him in person, you get the facts and nothing more. He knows what he wants, and how to achieve it. He is just a good cow man, and that has a lot to do with the success of this family and the Canyon Breeze prefix."
Writing a New Story
"Because of their extreme strength and width, the Productive Life score on the family may not have always looked the best on paper, but in our commercial herd the family has been extremely long-lived," Gillins testified. Working with the Abigail family for over 16 years, Gillins knows that the element of time treats this family extremely well. "They are nice as 2-year-olds, but they have all transformed into outstanding cows as they have matured," he said. Gillins believes that with the new generation of family members, the Productive Life story will change. And the release of ARTIC is confirming his thoughts as he is dubbed a Herdlife Builder™ with a Productive Life score of +1.3.
The story will not end here. Waiting in the wings are five young bulls from Abigail's family, sired by Ito, Morty, Potter and 7HO6782 Ocean-View ZENITH-TW-ET. Add to that the nine CANYON sons to be sampled by Select in the future, and this family will be sharing genetic success for generations to come.
7HO7334 ARCTIC
+1,627M +36F +46P 94%
+1.43 UDC +1.62T
+1701TPI 90%
7HO6753 CANYON
+1,115M +35F +22P 99%-M
+1.62 D +1.53T
+1414TPI 98%-M
7HO6750 BREEZE
+956M +35F +37P 87%
+2.27 FLC +1.84T
+1529TPI 83%
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| Canyon-Breeze Emory Ashley (EX-94-2E-EX-MS-DOM), dam of 7HO6753 CANYON, pictured at 10 years is still in the herd and proof of the family’s long-lasting strength and power. Photo by Frank Robinson, reversed. |
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| Canyon-Breeze Raiderette, daughter of 7HO6750 BREEZE, is an indication of the pleasing offspring these bulls produce. Photo by Frank Robinson, reversed. |
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