In this issue...

GENOMICS:WHAT WILL CHANGE? pg. 4-5

REAL COWS ON REALDAIRIES: AUSTRALIA REPORTSpg. 6

MAXIMUM GENETICPOTENTIAL: EARLY LIFENUTRITION pg. 8-9

MASTER SERIES™: DELIVERSPROFITABLE, PROVEN GENETICSpg. 12-13

SEMEX HEALTH$MART™SIRES: HEALTHY COWS COSTLESS pg. 15

PREMIER™ DAUGHTERS:FUNCTIONAL, LONG-LASTINGpg. 17

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Page 3 Kerndt Stallion: Impressive Daughters

No Matter How You Break Them Down

Page 4-5 What Will Change? Genomics on Farm

Page 6 Real Cows on Real Dairies: Australia Reports

Page 7 Promate™ Helps Reduce Involuntary Cull Rates

Page 8-9 Attain Maximum Genetic Potential: Part 1: Early Life Calf Nutrition & Management

Page 12-13 Semex Master Series™

Page 14 We Need Cows With Utility Traits:

Ontario’s Hoenhorst Dairy

Page 15 Semex Health$mart™ Sires: Selected to Increase Profits

Page 16 Lencrest On Time Right on Time

Page 17 Premier™ Daughters: Functional Kind That Last

Page 18 Swiss Simmental for Dual Purpose

Balance is a magazine designed to promote dairy genetics, technology and management. Themagazine is published by the Semex Alliance. The Semex Alliance is focused on global leadership inthe genetics marketplace.

Semex Alliance Canadian Partnerships:

Hundreds of thousands of cows worldwide have studcode 200 blood pulsing through their veins. Theirowners, managers, milkers, calf feeders, breeders,caretakers and veterinarians are from all corners ofthe Earth.

Each have their own challenges and managementsystems, but they all share one thing. Each of them tellus that their Semex-sired daughters are the mostprofitable, easy-managing, efficient and durablecows on their operations. Semex daughters are thereal cows working on real dairies.

These daughters did not happen by accident; insteadthey are the result of generations of careful breedingdecisions made by you, the dairyman, and also bySemex’s genetics team. Working together throughour young sire programs worldwide we are

designing the most powerful, profitable and desirable genetics in the world.

As the owner of one of the largest proving programs in the world, Semex hasstrength in numbers. We have over 1,800 bulls tested and housed in six countries onthree continents. Each sire is carefully selected based on our 50+ years of experienceperfecting our Balanced Breeding philosophy. The results of this time-testedphilosophy are evident, with an industry leading nine Millionaire Sires and hundredsof Semex sires being named sires of sons worldwide. This true testament of breedersatisfaction is the greatest possible stamp of approval.

With this great history as our foundation, Semex clients are in the best positionpossible to put our diversified product offering to work for them. From the newesttechnologies of genomics and our Genomax™ product, to the world’s most reliableproven sires, and our time-tested Masters Series™ sires, Semex is poised to offerdairymen everywhere the key to genetic profitability.

Semex truly does work everywhere, and in these competitive times our customersatisfaction has never been higher. Our customers tell us that their Semex cows aretheir favourites. They’re the real cows on real dairies that are low-maintenance, high-producing, long-lasting and profitable.

On the cover: Newly born calf at MtElgin Farm in Guelph, Ontario.Photographer: Ruth Demandt.

Comments or submissions to the editor should be forwarded to Brenda Lee-Turner, Semex Alliance, 130 Stone Road West, Guelph,Ontario, Canada N1G 3Z2. tel: 519-821-5060, fax: 519-821-7225; email: bturner@semex.com

SEMEXX™, Genomax™, Genomaxx™, Repromax™, ProMate™, ReproMix™ , Semex Premier™, Health$mart™ and ai24™are registered trademarks of the Semex Alliance.

The demands of today’s dairyman are ever growing, making itmore and more of a challenge to produce top sires to meet hisgenetic requirements. Semex sires are designed to make nosacrifices on type and production, siring cows that are long-lasting, healthy and productive. Semex’s new release sire0200HO05379 Kerndt Stallion has the potential to meet theseneeds and offer a higher genetic potential. Sired by Semex’s internationally respected Pursuit SeptemberStorm *RC from an Mtoto dam, Stallion has breederappreciation built into his pedigree. His dam produced morethan 60,327 kgs in four lactations and has a lifetime fat andprotein percent of 4.1% and 3.4% respectively. Scored EX-91-2E-USA, she was an outstanding individual and was an idealbull mother. Stallion’s pedigree is filled with multiplegenerations of EX cows that milked extremely hard and havebeen proven breeders in their own right, for both their ownersand for AI organizations. On paper, September Storm x Mtotois a logical, great cross and today we’re seeing this greatmating become reality in this new graduate’s unlimitedpotential. The Stallions are really impressive no matter how you breakthem down. They are cows that breeders are appreciating fortheir production, type, high components, low SCS and overallperformance. With 72% of his first 47 daughters classifiedscoring Good Plus and better, it’s safe to say he is siring cowswith solid type and balance. Stallion daughters are excellent fatproducers, making them very profitable for their owners. Hisdaughters have a wet and dairy look to them, giving theimpression that they will continue to produce wellthroughout their lactations and breedback easily to do the same in theirsecond lactation.What is most impressive about theStallions is their consistent anduniform breeding pattern. Whether

you see five or 25 daughters, this bull’s breeding pattern isimmediately evident. Stallion has combined the strengths ofboth September Storm and Mtoto to breed quality cows thatwill stand the test of time. Wide-chested and deep bodied,Stallion is able to breed cows that are open and angular,having a great amount of dairy strength to them. Strongthrough their loins with a good slope to their rumps, they havethe width through their thurls that makes them very mobile,easy-moving cows. Stallion daughters are extremelycomfortable on their feet and legs, easily standing and moving,keeping them trouble-free and healthy throughout theirlactations. Probably the most consistent trait in this young sire group,however, is their udder quality and depth of centre support.Very silky in their udder texture with a well-defined centreligament, Stallions maintain an ideal teat placement, which willcertainly influence their longevity and related profitability. With 132 registered progeny this sire is expected to continueto calve in more daughters stamped with the same pattern,building on Stallion’s impressive start and propelling hispopularity worldwide. As the Holstein breed continues to look for a new and excitingsire to meet their needs and demands, Stallion arrives ready tosatisfy with the positive traits that will make him both anexcellent mating sire on dairies and by AI centres worldwide.

0200HO05379

Kerndt Stallion

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Mike West, Semex Alliance Product Support Specialist & Sire Analyst

The Stallions are reallyimpressive no matter how youbreak them down. They arecows that breeders areappreciating for theirproduction, type, highcomponents, low SCS andoverall performance.

Wercat Virage StallionGP-84-2YR-CANFerme Ashton Inc., St. Leonard D’Aston, PQ, CanadaPhoto: Frank Robinson

Sylvio Stallion CatouVG-85-2YR-CANFerme Sylvio Inc., Roxton Pond, PQ, CanadaPhoto: Frank Robinson

What Will Change?Dr. Jacques Chesnais, Semex Alliance Senior Geneticist

GENOMICSGenomic evaluations havereplaced traditional geneticevaluations in Canada inAugust 2009. This changeraises a number of questionsfor dairymen including:

• Should genomic evaluationsbe interpreted differentlyfrom the traditional ones?

• Will genomics change thetype of mating sires thatare available?

Understanding genomicevaluations

Genomic evaluations (LPI/TPI) can beinterpreted in the same way astraditional evaluations. The onlydifference is that if an animal isgenotyped, additional information fromits DNA profile is added to its parent,individual or progeny records.

This increased, additional informationtranslates into a higher reliability for theanimal, male or female, but for a youngsire or heifer that has little phenotypicinformation to begin with, the increasein accuracy can be substantial. If ananimal already has a lot of phenotypicinformation, as with a proven bull, thegenomic profile adds less.

Apart from the above, bull and cowbreeding values will look the same asbefore and the addition of genomicsdoes not change the selection objective.Semex’s Balanced Breeding philosophywill not change with genomics. Whatgenomics will change is the speed at

which we’ll be able to progress fortraits that were previously difficult toimprove upon, such as daughter fertility,some foot and leg traits, and in thefuture, health.

Choosing mating sires

The arrival of genomics means therewill be two products on the market fordairymen to choose from: semen fromproven bulls; and semen from unprovengenotyped bulls.

1. Proven bulls that have gone through traditional progeny testing programs remain the standard when it comes to accuracy and reliability. Currently there is no DNA profile that can replace a proof based on a sufficient number of daughters. Genomics, however, will impact proven bulls in several ways.

When genotyped with the 50,000-marker (50K) panel, proven bullshave slightly higher accuracy forboth Daughter Fertility and HerdLife. This can be seen in this roundof official evaluations in Canada. Itshould provide greater confidenceto producers who wish to select forthese traits.

Additionally, three to four yearsfrom now the genetic merit of allproven sires should jump upsignificantly compared to previousyears. This is because Semex andother AI companies beganpreselecting bulls for genomicsbeginning in 2008. In fact, Semexno longer samples a bull unless he

has been genotyped with the 50Kpanel and found to be superior.

2. A new type of mating sire will beyounger bulls with a DNA profile.These unproven bulls have areliability intermediate between thatof traditional parent averages andproofs.

With the current profile based on50,000 markers, the reliability nearlydoubles compared to that of the parentaverage, reaching 60% to 70% formany traits. Beware about reliabilityfigures; they do not tell the whole story.Even though 70% is close to 90%, areliability of 70% is closer to one of35% than to one of 90% in terms of theamount by which the evaluation candiffer from the true value of the bull, asshown in the table below.

In practice, this means the proofs ofsome genotyped young bulls maychange quite a bit when they getenough daughters. Even if their initialreliability was 70%, some couldbecome significantly below average.

There is another risk with these youngerbulls. The release of official genomicevaluations in Canada was delayedfrom April to August mostly to makesure that younger genotyped bulls areranked correctly compared to provenbulls. The Canadian Dairy Network,developed a new approach to addressthis issue. Without it, many younggenotyped bulls would have been over-evaluated and would have unfairly“swamped” the best proven bulls at thetop of the proof list.

Finally, not all genomic evaluations arecreated equal! Their reliability is verydependent on the number of bulls usedto estimate the effects of the markers inthe panel. The more proven bulls for thisestimation, the more accurate thegenomic predictions.

In Canada and the US, a common poolof more than 4,000 Holstein provenbulls were used to estimate and themarker effects. Genomic evaluationsbased on a smaller number of proven

*In 90% of cases

RELIABILITY CONFIDENCE INTERVAL*Protein (kgs) Conf (points)

Parent Average (PA): 35% 33 6.6Genomics + PA: 60% 26 5.2Genomics + PA: 70% 23 4.5Bull Proof (100 dtrs) 90% 13 2.6Bull Proof (1000 dtrs) 95% 4 0.8

RELIABILITY VS CONFIDENCE INTERVAL

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bulls are expected to be significantlyless accurate, as was found for theJersey and Brown Swiss breeds.

This lower accuracy may or may notbe reflected in reliability valuesdepending on how they arecomputed. Therefore, dairymen wholook at genomic evaluations from anycountry would be well-advised to findout how many bulls the nationalevaluation centre has used to estimatethe marker effects.

On average, unproven genotypedbulls should have a fairly high geneticmerit since they are younger than

proven bulls by about three years.However, given the above, theyshould be used with caution until wehave a year or two of experiencewith them. This does not mean theyshould not be used at all. In myopinion, producers can use them forpart of their herd, but they shouldmake sure they that a single bull isnot overused.

Bulls with only a parent average anda DNA profile are not “proven,” andthe proven bull is still the standard forthe producer who wants to utilize themost stable proofs.

Genomics will change the speed at whichwe’ll be able to progress for traits that were

difficult to improve upon previously...

0200HO02272 WABASH-WAY ARBOR-ET ......................(Shottle x BW Marshall)

0200HO02427 ARDROSS STERLING *RC ....................(Mr Burns *RC x Shottle)

0200HO05645 GEN-I-BEQ SHOTGUN ....................................(Shottle x Storm)

0200HO05663 REGANCREST BALTIMOR ..............................(Shottle x Durham)

0200HO05908 HENDEL BIGSTONE ........................................(Bolton x Oman)

0200HO05929 GEN-I-BEQ BRAWLER ....................................(Baxter x Shottle)

0200HO00547 DE-SU BURNISH ............................................(Baxter x Oman)

0200HO00555 RALMA-RH TRUMPET ..................................(Baxter x Goldwyn)

0200HO02197 COMESTAR LADNER ..............................(Goldwyn x Champion)

0200HO02216 GOLD-N-OAKS GAVIN ....................................(Goldwyn x Ford)

0200HO02331 MR MARVELOUS ..........................................(Toystory x Finley)

0200HO02366 WEST PORT ARRON DOON MITEY P ....(Goldwyn x Sept Storm *RC)

0200HO02438 ERBCREST ROLO ........................................(Baxter x Goldwyn)

0200HO02475 MEMENTO BENEDICT P ................................(Shottle x Oswald)

0200HO03603 GILLETTE STANLEYCUP ......................................(Bolton x Blitz)

0200HO03648 DOMICOLE CHELIOS ..................................(Baxter x Goldwyn)

0200HO05565 REGANCREST LONGTIME............................(Shottle x Stormatic)

0200HO05588 COMESTAR LAUTHORITY ............................(Goldwyn x Igniter)

0200HO05589 DESLACS SHAQUILLE *RC ............................(Shottle x Durham)

0200HO05630 COMESTAR LAVANGUARD ............................(Goldwyn x Titanic)

0200HO05655 DELABERGE SHOCKER ................................(Shottle x Durham)

0200HO05668 REGAN-ALH DRAGON ..................................(Goldwyn x Oman)

0200HO07404 COLARO-ET ..............................................(Roumare x Shottle)

0200HO07405 DURHAM RED..................................(Mr Burns *RC x Goldwyn)

0200HO02205 LA PRESENTATION GARTER ....................(Goldwyn x Forbidden)

0200HO02308 SANDY-VALLEY GLORFINDEL ....................(Buckeye x Lancelot)

0200HO03516 GINARY JACK ..............................................(Goldwyn x Allen)

0200HO03630 DIAMOND-OAK J S NEPTUNE....................(Jet Stream x Titanic)

0200HO05904 KLASSIC BILLBOARD ....................................(Ramos x Shottle)

0200HO09900 O-BEE INDIANA ..............................................(Oman x Titanic)

Semex has been an industryleader in genomic research,and its Genomax™ productrepresents the very bestoptions for dairymen lookingto put tomorrow’s genetics towork today. Many Genomax™sires will appeal to largedairies, as these young sireshave already receivedfavourable genomic resultsand are awaiting their firstcrop daughters. Through a careful selection processSemex offers the best genomic testedyoung sires available today. Thesesires are those that top the rankings,whether you’re looking for LPI or TPI:

• Top Net Merit Bulls• Top TPI bulls• Top LPI bulls• Top Type Bulls• Top Calving Ease bulls • 4-6 Sexed genomic-tested sires,

known as Genomaxx™ siresProductive Life and SCR data isconsidered before being activated as aSemex Genomax™ sire.

One of the biggest upfront expenses dairy producers face isrearing heifer calves to maturity.

In Australia, on average, it costs a producer $1500 AUS to reara heifer from birth until she is two years of age, when shehistorically calves and joins the milking herd. The longer she thenremains a viable part of the milking herd logically gives hermore time to repay the initial investment.

With the industry having a naturally sharp focus on openingdairy prices in recent weeks, longevity undoubtedly has a subtlebut vital role to play in the bigger picture ofbottom line costs.

Research recently revealed that Canadaleads the world for offering traits that supportlongevity, ahead of the US, Germany, theNetherlands and France, respectively.Canada’s Dairy Network’s (CDN) Brian VanDoormaal confirmed that Canada hasdeliberately responded to the globallongevity challenge.

“In the minds of many people, especiallyproducers, longevity is understandably themost important trait associated with dairyproduction,” Brian said. He says longevity isa reflection of a successful combination ofmany traits and from a genetic perspectivethe ideal is to breed dairy cows that have the genetic potential towithstand voluntary culling.

“And, given that voluntary culling does occur in all dairy herds,which prevents cows from staying in the herd as long as they arephysically able to, perhaps the best measure of longevity in apopulation is the average age of cows that die of natural causessuch as old age,” Brian said.

CDN reports by using the measure of old age, the averageHolstein cow in Canada has the potential to live to 9.1 years ofage, with 6.8 years of productive life (just shy of six productivelactations). Source: Closer Look At Herd Life, Canadian DairyNetwork, May 2009.

“The length of time that a cow remains in the herd reflects herability to meet or surpass the herd owner’s minimumexpectations regarding production levels, components, somaticcell counts, mastitis resistance, conformation, reproductive andcalving performance, disease resistance, temperament andmilking speed, among others.”

“The bottom line is that a cow would normally stay in the herdonly as long as she is perceived by the owner to be profitableand remains above the culling thresholds for these various

criteria.”

In terms of finding daughter longevitymeasures within bull proofs, the RelativeBreeding Values (RBVs) used in Canada forherd life have a breed average of zero and anapproximate range from 85 (undesired) to115 (desired).

The CDN has worked hard to facilitate thoseinterpretations giving five measures of actualdaughter survival on a sire-by-sire basis (listedwith breed averages for comparison andtransparency).

“Of these five measures, those of greatestinterest to producers are the daughter survivalrates to their second, third and fourth calving(which average 70, 50 and 31 percent,

respectively, for the Holstein breed).”

“Genetic evaluations for herd life in Canada provide an easyway to identify superior sires and CDN also provides actualdaughter survival rates for easy interpretation.”

Longevity has been boiled down to genetics, Brian said, becauseit is not a simple trait in itself, but a combination of many traits,individual herd management, voluntary culling by producers andenvironmental factors, like drought.

“For these reasons, a strong focus should be given to the geneticcomparisons across countries, which indicate desired progress inrecent years for most major Holstein populations globally. And,in this, Canada leads the way,” he said.

“It is difficult to make quantitative comparisons betweenAustralian and New Zealand animals with cattle from thenorthern hemisphere because of the environmental andmanagement differences (particularly in New Zealand which hasextreme seasonal calving patterns and gives limited opportunitiesfor cows to get in-calf),” David Mayo, Semex Australia Pty Ltd’sBusiness Development Manager said.

“However, Canadian genetics are recognized in both countriesfor their superior functional type - notably their udders, legs andfeet and their strength and capacity. These are critical traits,which allow cows to function well in every environment.”

Dianna Malcolm, For Semex Australia Pty. Ltd.

Genetic Trend for Longevity in Various Countries

95

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

Year of Birth of Proven Sire

Ave

rage

Gen

etic

Mer

it (R

BV S

cale

)

Canada United States Germany Netherlands France

David Mayo, Semex Australia Pty Ltd’s BusinessDevelopment Manager

“Canadian genetics arerecognized for theirsuperior functional type - notably their

udders, legs and feet andtheir strength and

capacity. These criticaltraits allow cows to

function well in everyenvironment.”

Real Cows On Real Dairies: Australia Reports on Canadian Genetics

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Promate™ HelpsReduce Involuntary Cull RateCam Davis, Semex USA Premier Consultant &

Promate Evaluator

Walt and Ellen Moore (with Walt’s parentsBill and Sally), are the fourth generation tofarm the fertile land in Chester County,Pennsylvania that is known as WalmooreHolsteins, Inc. Recently celebrating 100years of continuous farming on theirfamily’s land, their operation consists of1100 acres over four locations with 750registered milking Holsteins and 550 youngstock.

The milking herd is housed in a 6-rowfreestall barn with sand stalls and flushalleys. This summer they just moved intotheir new milking parlour and treatmentcentre. The parlour is a double-12 rapidexit that is expandable to a double-20.

Owner Walt Moore is a founding memberof Professional Dairy Managers ofPennsylvania (PDMPA), which now boasts200 members. One of the programsinitiated by PDMPA was a summer internprogram. In this program, students fromDelaware Valley College and PennsylvaniaState gain practical experience on dairyfarms. Over the last several years,Walmoore has been host to four differentinterns, two of which have continued in full-time employment.

Walmoore’s herdsperson, Charlene Mowry,

was one of those interns placed throughPDMPA. A graduate from Delaware ValleyCollege, she has been at Walmoore for sixyears and is responsible for all breedingdecisions within her given semen budget.Charlene selects bulls that are positive forfat and protein percentages, +1.5 for bothFLC and UDC and she tries to avoid bullsthat are negative for any type category.

Charlene switched to Semex’s Promate™mating program in August 2005 becauseof Promate™’s ability to addother studs’ bulls into theprogram, and its capacity ofavoiding common faults.

“I like the flexibility inPromate™’s reporting,”Charlene says. “We downloadthe matings directly onto ourcomputer for easy use.”

Since joining the Promate™program the herd hasincreased its emphasis on longevity andtype, while still maintaining the necessaryhigh milk production of 85 pounds per cowon average.

“Even more important, Promate™ hashelped us reduce the involuntary cullingrates by improving our functional type,”comments Charlene. “It’s been great here,dropping the rate from 36% to 25%.”

Although all cows must leave all dairies atsome point, both voluntary and involuntaryculling rates are costly on dairies from coastto coast, with reported national USAaverages hovering around the 33% range.Based on financial and investment reasons,voluntary culling is derived by the expectedreturn an animal may or may not generate

at thedairywhen

compared to her potential replacement.Each dairy is different, but this decisionincludes numerous considerations.

Involuntary culling are those that areremoved from the herd because the dairy isleft with no other choice. These cows areeliminated for issues including reproductiveproblems, chronic mastitis issues, poor feet& legs or other terminal issues. A highinvoluntary culling average can bedetrimental to a herd’s ability to replace

itself, especially when the removaloccurs early within a cow’s career,before the dairy has receivedpayback from their investment inraising her to maturity.

In 2007, University of WisconsinExtension (UWEX) Agents collecteddata from 49 dairy farms, customcalf and heifer growers from acrossWisconsin. This study estimates,under given assumptions includingcalf value and labour costs, that the

average total cost of raising a heifer frombirth to freshening ranged from $1595* to$2935, or an average of $2149 (includinga given value of $500 for the calf she iscarrying). This was a 58% increase in costsover the same study calculated in 1998.

Assuming that each cull cow has anaverage value of $500, we estimate basedon the UWEX study that the cost WalmooreDairy incurs each time to replace that stalldue to an involuntary cull is approximately$1649. As Promate™ helped to increasethe herd’s functional type, the savings seenin reduced replacement costs due to thisinvoluntary culling rate can be estimated atapproximately $136,000 annually.

“I pick the bulls I think should work in ourherd and let Promate™ put them in the rightplaces. It saves me time because theindividual breeding decisions are made andavailable to look up on the computer,” saysCharlene. “We love it!”

Charlene Mowry,Herdsperson, WalmooreHolsteins Inc.

36% Involuntary Cull Rate 25% Involuntary Cull RateMilking Cows 750 Milking Cows 750

# Cows Lost Annually 270 # Cows Lost Annually 187.5

$/Animal to Freshening (incl calf at $500) *$2149 $/Animal to Freshening (incl calf at $500) $2149

Avg Value of Cull Cow $500 Avg Value of Cull Cow $500

Annual Cost to Replace Lost Cows $445,230 Annual Cost to Replace Lost Cows $309,187.50

*All figures in US dollars

Cam Davis, Semex USA Premier Consultant &Promate Evaluator

Investment in future milk production starts with the selectionof an optimal pool of genes for insemination of a dam thatwill hopefully transfer the desired genetic potential to theoffspring. After insemination, the genetic potential is set, butnutrition, management, and health play a key role inensuring that this genetic potential is fully expressed later inlife.

In dairy production, like in any otherbusiness, a careful allocation ofresources and planning is needed toensure optimal production in the future.The first step of this process requiressetting the correct objectives for rearingcalves. This task is a bit morecomplicated than setting the objectivesfor lactating cows because efforts madetoday will have consequences about 2years later and will only generate profitafter a lactation begins. The three mainobjectives that should be considered when raising calvesare:

1. Optimize growth. Achieving a rapid growth anddevelopment may not only result in greater future milkproduction but also will render a calf strong enough to copewith environmental stressors such as diseases or severeweather.

2. Minimize health disorders. Implementing amanagement scheme that not only minimizes costs but alsoreduces risk (which should improve or maintain profitabilityin the long term) is pivotal for adequate calf rearing.Implementing a good health-monitoring scheme is clearlythe most effective way to reduce risk while growing calves.

3. Optimize the transition period from liquid todry feeding. Transition is the period of time during whichcalves adapt from liquid feeding to incrementing proportionsof fibre in the ration. If nutrition, environment, and healthare optimum, this growing phase can result in maximumreturns as animals grow very efficiently.

These objectives can be met with proper management andnutrition. The first action to perform is to ensure that thenewborn calf receives an adequate amount of antibodies tostay healthy. A 40-kg calf needs about 25 g of Ig G(antibodies) to be able to fight infections. To attain this level,a 40-kg calf should be fed at least 105 g of Ig G (due to therelatively poor absorption). This amount can usually beobtained by feeding at least 3 L of high-quality colostrum

within the first 3-4 h after birth and a second dose 12 hlater. High-quality colostrum means that it contains morethan 50 g of Ig G per L (responsible for providing immunityto the calf) or a density greater than 60 mg/ml (can bemeasured with a colostrometer), and that it is notcontaminated with bacteria (both infectious and

environmental). Ideally, bacterial counts inthe colostrum should be less than 50,000bacteria/mL. Hygiene during the collectionand storing of colostrum is thus animportant factor. The most common causeof immunity transfer failure is the use ofcolostrum that has a high bacterial count,insufficient amounts of Ig G, or that it isgiven too late or in inadequate amounts.All these mistakes should be avoided.

Once colostrum has been provided the calfshould be transferred into an individualhutch without possibility of licking other

calves. Ideally, hutches should be straw-bedded daily byhand (to avoid dust). It is very important that the calf is dryat all times. During the liquid-feeding period diarrhea is themost common threat. The most effective method to minimizeits occurrence is cleanliness. Special care is needed to washand clean the nipples, bottles, and water bowls daily, andensure that the animals are clean and dry.

Nutrition at this age should be based on water, whole milkor milk replacer, and a starter. Water should be madeavailable to calves at all times. Milk or milk replacer doesnot reach the rumen (it goes directly into the omasum), andthus only water will provide the necessary moist environmentthat bacteria need to colonize the rumen. Insufficientprovision of water limits starter intake and thus growth.Calves need to consume, in addition to the milk or milkreplacer, 4 to 6 L of water for every kilogram of starter. Milkor milk replacers represent the main source of nutrients forthe young calves. Feeding whole milk is usually non-economical and may pose problems of consistency ofnutrient composition. On the other hand, milk replacers (MR)represent an economic advantage and have a veryconsistent composition. However, they do provide lessenergy to the calf than whole milk, thus growth performancemight be comprised. A good MR should contain 25% crudeprotein and 19% fat. There is a commercial tendency tosubstitute milk protein for vegetable protein in the MR withthe aim of reducing costs, however, digestibility of thesestarters tends to be lower than those with high proportions of

Attaining maximum expression of genetic potential: Part I: Early life calf nutrition and managementAlex Bach, IRTA-Ruminant department, Barcelona, Spain

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Aer insemination, thegenetic potential is set, butnutrition, management,and health play a key role

in ensuring that thisgenetic potential is fullyexpressed later in life.

milk protein, and thus animals tend to grow less andpresent more diarrhea problems.

Typically, MR are fed at a dilution rate of 12.5% (similar tothe solid contents of milk). However, ADG can be doubledby following intensive liquid feeding programs that consiston feeding MR up to a 17% dilution and offering up to 8L/d of MR. This type of program requires, however, agood monitoring of starter intake to ensure that animalsdo not fall back after weaning. Ideally, intensive feedingprograms should use a high-quality MR with 28-30%crude protein and about 15-17% fat. Independently of thefeeding program used, it is important that during coldweather MR are fed at a greater dilution rate (i.e., 15%instead of 12.5%) to provide more energy to calves tocover the increased maintenance requirements.

A good starter should not contain unpalatable ingredients suchas corn gluten feed and should have less than 4 % fat, 30%neutral detergent fibre, and about 22% crude protein. Finally,roughage should not be provided to calves until they areweaned. Providing roughage early in life limits total energyconsumption and thus delays growth. A good quality forage canbe introduced after 2 months of age.

At the age of 49 d, calves should be pre-weaned byreducing the offer of liquid feeding to only one 2-L dose aday, and completely wean them at 56 d. It is expected,that calves would be consuming about 1.5 kg of starter at49 d and 2.5 kg at 56 d, which should ensure that theycould maintain an average daily gain (ADG) above 1kg/d after weaning. There seems to be some indicationthat rapid ADG during the first 2 months of life ispositively correlated with future milk production. A studyconducted by IRTA at Rancho Las Nieves (RLN) in Spainshowed that for every 100 g of ADG during the first 56 dof life, calves would produce an additional 180 kg of milkduring the first lactation. For example, it could beexpected that calves following an intensive liquid feedingprogram gaining about 1 kg /d would produce about900 kg more milk during their first lactation than calvesreared on a traditional system gaining about 500 g/d.

In addition, weaning has usually been associated with amoment of stress. For this reason, it is commonlyrecommended to keep calves in individual hutches one or

Figure 1. Solid feed intake of calves during the pre-weaning week while receiving one daily dose of milk replacer either individually or in groups.

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Regarding solid feed, texturizedstarters are very common in NorthAmerica; however several studieshave shown no differences betweenpelleted and texturized starters andthere are some studies that evenadvocate for pelleted starters toimprove feed efficiency.

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R E A L C O W S O N

Stone-Ridge Manifold 2 Sire: 0200HO00402 Mainstream Manifold •

Photo by Nic

R E A L D A I R I E S

26182 GP-81-2YR-USA • Stone Ridge Dairy, Mansfield, Illinois, USA

ck Sarbacker

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anchored in stability

�Semex will be utilizing the “Masters Series”

designation to label the sires that meetstringent criteria. Just not any second cropsire will do; the sire will have to be highlyreliable on his genetic information. He will

have daughters in numerous herds anddifferent environments and will have a veryhigh reliability. The proof of that sire will be

relatively unchanged from his firstinformation. In other words, the sire

delivered what was originally promised. �

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Lately a lot of marketing information hastouted Second Crop success by all of theNorth American bull studs. According tothe competition, any bull that has manydaughters now milking and is still in theactive sales lineup is a second cropsuccess.

Is that really second crop success? Not inmy mind. Success implies to me that thedairymen really admire the qualities of thatsire’s daughters and are activelycontinuing to use that sire to create a betterherd. In other words the bull is a “We LikeSire.” Hundreds of dairymen are not onlysatisfied but continue to add that sire’sgenetics to their breeding program to increase profitability andlongevity.

That class of sire has the ability to make uniform daughters thatexcel for certain traits. He has a predictable breeding patternthat you can easily utilize in mating programs to achieve thedesired results. Consistent, reliable, profitable, durable,predictable and superior are the key components of true secondcrop success. The sire must be a source of top genetics forcertain traits as compared to other sires, whether we are talkingabout production, type or management traits.

Semex will be utilizing the Master Series™ designation to labelthe sires that meet these stringent criteria. Just not any secondcrop sire will do. The sire will have to be highly reliable on hisgenetic information. He will have daughters in numerous herdsand different environments and will have a very high reliability.The proof of that sire will be relatively unchanged from his firstinformation. In other words, the sire delivered what waspromised. Looking at a group of sires that includes SeptemberStorm *RC, Morty, Buckeye, Spirte, Samuleo, Lheros and Talent*RC, you can readily see their consistent results.

Comparing them to their marketed contemporaries shows apattern of superiority as they increased their reliability fromaround 82% to over 98%. They stayed true to their pattern morethan other sires of that age that tended to drift downward. Theaverage sire on the United States base was losing about 400lbs/181 kgs of milk, 14 lbs/6.4 kgs of protein, 15 lbs/ 6.8 kgsof fat, about 0.85 for type, 0.85 for udder composite and 0.65for foot and leg composite during this time frame. This groupon average beat those trends for the most important traitssignificantly. In several cases they are now higher for certaintraits than they have ever been.

Taking a look at the individual sires reveals:•Samuelo’s second crop information has included a 41% increase in his LPI

and a 300% increase in his PTA protein

•Buckeye has seen a 30% increase in his FLC and a 24% increase in his PL ranking

•Spirte has seen a 36% increase in PTAT and a 38% increase in PL

•Givenchy has seen a 300% increase in his UDC and a 76% increase in PTAT

•Lheros has seen a 54% increase in UDC and a 23% increase in PTAT

•Derek has seen a 67% increase in PL and a 67% increase in UDC.

•Morty has seen a 5% increase in PTAT and a 6% increase in protein.

•September Storm *RC has shown a 64% increase in FLC and a 19% increase in PTA fat

•Talent *RC has seen an 800% increase in PL and an increase of 11% in UDC

No other stud over this time period can boast ofthe number of sires with the customersatisfaction level as high as this group of sires.Other studs have had a few sires stand theultimate test, but not the number nor thecustomer enthusiasm of the Semex kind. All in this group rank in the elite group of siresfor profit-driven traits that include production,type characteristics or health and fitness traits.Any Master Series™ sire will be an elite sirethat the dairymen who are milking hisdaughters will be using again in their herds, inother words very high customer satisfaction.

Master Series™ sires will be available that appeal to the largestof commercial dairymen or for the keenest of breedersinterested in high classification. They will include premierproduction sires, show-winning sires, sires with longevity, sireswith calving ease, sires high in fertility with fertile daughters, aswell as sires with low daughter health costs. The designation ofsome sires as International Master Series™ may happen in thefuture as well, denoting a sire that has had internationalcustomer satisfaction, profitability and appeal. The Semexprogram has been proven to deliver the balanced resultsnecessary for any size dairy or any dairyman’s goals in thisnew profit driven world.

All of these results occurred because of the extensivecooperation between every employee in the company to makethe Semex progeny test system the best in the world. This levelof confidence would not be possible without the sales peoplewho get the semen in the field and have their customers provideinformation on the good as well as negative points of everysire. Without the genetic staff purchasing the right kind of siresthat are needed for the future, eight years before they areneeded for that future. Without all of the laboratory and barnstaff who provide such a top quality product from healthy siresthat live for many years. Without all of the other supportingdepartments that are necessary to make this success possible.The Semex team is also what makes those special sires eliteenough as to be labeled Master Series™.

So whenever you see the Master Series™ logo in the future ona sire like Lheros, September Storm *RC, Talent *RC, Buckeye,Spirte, Samuelo, Derek, Morty and Givenchy you can feel verycomfortable knowing that the strength of your company and ofthe unbiased superior genetic information means that you canuse this sire enthusiastically in any herd worldwide.

2009 2nd Crop

99% Reliability3,096 Dtrs.

2005 1st Proof

84% Reliability75 Dtrs.

30%Foot & LegComposite

19%Udder

Composite

15%PTAT

9%Milk

YOU WILL BE ABLE TO RELY ON THE

PREDICTABLE PROVENRESULTS OF A

SIRE TO DELIVERPROFITABLE GENETICSTO ANY CUSTOMER.

R-E-W Buckeye0200H004779

Dr. David Selner, Geneticist & Consultant

“We need our cows tolive long and producewell without problems,”Gerrit Wensink ofHoenhorst Farm inInnerkip, Ontario says.“We have no time tobaby the cows. She mustbe trouble-free and shemust work.”

Fifteen years ago GerritWensink, his wifeMargriet and their fourchildren were recentimmigrants to Canadafrom Holland, farming100 acres in Innerkip,Ontario.

Featured in the Fall 1997issue of Semex’s “Alliance” magazine,Gerrit described his breedingphilosophy, “We try to make a livingby milking cows, and I want cows thatmilk and that stand up to free stallconditions in a large herd environment.The more traits you choose for, the lessprogress you make on any single one.It’s simple. It’s nothing fancy.”

In April of 2008 Gerrit moved hismilking herd to a new freestall barnbuilt just behind the older facility, whichis now home to young heifers, bredheifers and dry cows. The new 125’ x365’ facility is every modern dairycow’s dream. It’s outfitted with watermattresses, Lely Discovery mobile barncleaners, 6 Lely robotic milkers and theai24™ Heatime™ detection system.

Today the 350+ cow milking herd isthriving, and the Hoenhorst Farm hasgrown to encompass 525 workingacres. Gerrit’s breeding philosophyremains the same and the results speakfor themselves with a 305 ME of11,787 kgs, a 25% pregnancy rateand a 13.5-month calving interval.

For Gerrit, a Masters of AnimalScience graduate from WageningenUniversity in Holland and an ExecutiveMBA, Masters of BusinessAdministration from the University ofWestern Ontario, all dairying decisionsare based on economic reasoning.Making the move to robotic milkersand the ai24™ heat detection systemand using Semex sires makes economicsense.

“We’ve decided to trust the ai24™Heatime™ system and that’s it,” saysGerrit. “Now we don’t spend timedoing observations. We’re savingmoney with the switch by putting thePC version in with the cows and theStand Alone with the heifers.”

The 500 collars used on cows andheifers for heat detection have madetheir impact on the herd’s reproductivesuccess. The herd’s average days opennow sits at 122 days, well belowOntario’s average of 142 days. Basedon an approximated average cost of$4.50 US/day (2006 University ofFlorida) for each extra day open past100 days, Gerrit’s savings by this one

cost reduction is $90 US per cow.

Additionally, the herd’s pregnancy rateis now at 25%, up from the 18-20%before ai24™ and Heatime™, provingthat not only are the cows getting bred,but they’re getting bred at the righttime. A predominantly Semex-sired

herd, the 200 stud code boasts animpressive 38% conception rate.

“We need cows that are survivors, withexcellent health including utility traits,mammary systems, calving ease, lowSomatic Cell Count and a will tosurvive,” says Gerrit. “I learned frommy education in genetics that if you tryto select for too many traits you makeno progress. We’ve limited our traits tofocus on production and health,emphasizing somatic cell, calving easeand milking speed because of therobots and we look for no negatives.”

Working within the Semex lineup tofind bulls that meet his requirements isno problem for Gerritt, who viewssemen as his cheapest herdimprovement tool.

“One thing that persists in a herd isgenetic improvement. Your herd’sgenetic potential doesn’t change withdifferent feed or a new building,” hecomments. “We find what we need inthe Semex lineup, focusing on just acouple bulls at a time. Right now wehave a lot of 0200HO05049Morningview Ashlar calves being bornand we’re using 0200HO09804Crockett-Acres Eight and0200HO04779 R-E-W Buckeye on thecows. We enjoy watching the geneticsbuild.”

“As dairies in Ontario and around theworld become more commercial, more

people will value economic traits likefertility, calving ease, milking speedand feet & legs,” says Gerritt. “Ourfocus in selection is shifting. We needto breed for cows that are ‘survivors’that have excellent health and utilitytraits. That is the future.”

We Need Cows With Utility Traits: Hoenhorst FarmBrenda Lee-Turner, Semex Alliance Marketing Communications Specialist

Hoenhorst Farms will be a featured stop on the Precision Dairy Management Conference farmtours held March 2-5, 2010 in Toronto, Ontario.

Gerrit and his favorite cow by Henkeseen Emperor with over55,100 kg 1817F 1695P to date will freshen again this fall withher fourth calf at 6 years of age.

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Removal of animalsfrom the herd, whethervoluntary orinvoluntary, is anexpense most dairymenare looking to reduce.

Culling by definition isthe removal of a cowfrom the dairy due tosale, slaughter, salvageor death. Although allanimals must be leavethe herd at some point, there is a difference in the reasons forremoval. Voluntary culling refers to a decision the dairy makesto remove an animal due to economic reasons such as lowproduction, cow behavior or sale toanother dairy as a milking cow.Involuntary culling refers to removaldue to health issues, leaving the dairyno choice but to remove her.

Replacing that animal and filling herstall is a costly venture. In 2008 De Vries and Olson obtainedDHIA lactation records from 38 states from Dairy RecordsManagement Systems and estimated that the national averagecull rate was approximately 33%. Meaning, roughly 1/3 of allcows on these farms studied left the herd each year.

Dairymen can expect on average that each cull cow has a valueof $500. Determining the loss sustained from the removal ismore difficult, as numerous factors including lactation, stage oflactation, reproduction, etc. play a factor.

In 2007, University of Wisconsin Extension (UWEX) Agentscollected data from 49 dairy farms, custom calf and heifergrowers from across Wisconsin. This study estimates, undergiven assumptions including calf value and labor costs, that theaverage total cost of raising a heifer from birth to fresheningranged from $1595 to $2935, or an average of $2149(including a given value of $500 for the calf she is carrying).

Assuming an average replacement is valued at$2149 less the value of the cull at $500,replacing one stall on a dairy may cost $1649.Looking at varying sizes of dairies with a nationalaverage of 33% cull, the cost to dairies isstaggering.

Increasing the survivability of the herd anddecreasing the involuntary cull rate, therefore, is key toincreasing profitability.

Semex has identified Health$mart™ sires as those that sire themost valuable and profitable cows on the dairy. These siresexcel for qualities that dairies can easily quantify in theirledgers. Dairymen can trust that a Semex Health$mart™ sirewill have a positive financial impact, saving on vet bills,medications and staff time, as well as lost breedings and lostproduction.

The selection criteriafor a Health$mart™sire is based on:

• Health Traits: HerdLife, Somatic CellScore, DaughterCalving Ability,Milking Speed,Daughter Fertility

• Production: Milk, Fat and Protein

• Durability Traits:Final Conformation,Mammary Systemand Feet & Legs

0200HO03435 ARETHUSA SS MERLIN-ET

0200HO00113 CEDARWAL SPIRTE

0200HO01885 CLAYNOOK ANTHONY

0200HO05357 COMESTAR LECLYPSE

0200HO05136 COMESTAR LITTLE ROCK

0200HO05156 COMESTAR LITTORAL

0073HO09945 COMESTAR MANAGER

0200HO09804 CROCKETT-ACRES EIGHT

0200HO09803 CROCKETT-ACRES ENVOY

0200HO05348 DESLACS MALSTROM

0200HO03402 DOMICOLE SIMMS

0200HO01406 EMERALD-ACR-SA T-DEREK

0200HO01946 FREUREHAVEN TALON

0200HO03218 GILLETTE BRILEA FBI

0200HO03280 GILLETTE FINAL CUT

0200HO03421 GLEN-TOCTIN LITANY

0200HO03417 GLEN-VALLEY CONSUL

0200HO03407 GREENLANE SPACESHIP

0200HO01196 HARTLINE TAYLOR

0200HO01715 JEFFREY-WAY TOPLEVEL

0200HO05378 KLOVER-HILL JAVA

0200HO05398 LANGS-TWIN-B FINLEY

0200HO07321 MAGOR BAROQUE ALLEN

0200HO07317 MAGOR BOLIVIA ALLEN

0200HO00402 MAINSTREAM MANIFOLD

0200HO09010 MARYLINE EPIC

0200HO09448 MONUMENT KENETH

0200HO05049 MORNINGVIEW ASHLAR

0200HO00379 MORSAN FRONTRUNNER *RC

0200HO05428 MY-JOHN KARIK

0200HO01888 PETHERTON ROXWELL

0200HO04779 R-E-W BUCKEYE

0200HO09457 REGAN-ENGLAND TEMPTOR

0200HO09468 REGANCREST-DL RAINFALL

0200HO04608 REGANCREST-MR SAMUELO

0200HO05127 REGANCREST-MWS MAGNA

0200HO00133 RIETBEN CHARGE

0200HO01993 SANDY-VALLEY APPLESEED

0200HO09008 SANDY-VALLEY ED

0200HO09603 SANDY-VALLEY TOYOTA

0200HO03427 SPRINGWAY CLEVELAND

0200HO05217 VIEUXSAULE MALICIEUX

0200HO03404 WILLSONA SILAS

A tight dairy economy has leftdairymen worldwide searching foranswers to reduce their expendituresand increase profitability. Looking atherd expenses one can quicklydetermine that health issues have adetrimental effect on a dairy’s ledgers.

# COWS $ LOST/YR1 $1,64950 $82,450100 $164,900250 $412,250500 $824,5001000 $1,649,0002000 $3,298,000

COST OF 33% CULL RATES

*All figures in US dollars.

RIGHT ON TIMESemex’s Lencrest On Time Takes Jersey Centre Stage

Harley Nicholson, Jersey Program Manager

For several years milking females in the branch of theDuncan Belle family headed by her EX-94-CAN 2*granddaughter Piedmont Declo Belle, have dominated thehighest positions on Canada’s LPI list. In August 2009, 15of the top 22 positions in the Top 100 LPI list were occupiedby Declo Belle and her family members. Declo Belle ranked#3 with numerous daughters, granddaughters and even agreat granddaughter holding Canada’s highest positions.

Jersey breeders worldwide were excited in April 2008, asDeclo Belle’s first AI sampled son, 0200JE00423 LencrestBlackstone graduated with an LPI that placed him at the topof the breed in Canada. Just 16 months later, PiedmontDeclo Belle has again demonstrated her potent transmittingabilities with the emergence of her second AI proven son,0200JE00430 Lencrest On Time by veteran Semex sire,SHF Centurion Sultan, as the new breed leader with aphenomenal LPI of +1853, 100 points ahead of his closestrival!

How Is On Time related to the famous DuncanBelle?

On Time is out of the current #1 LPI cow in Canada,Piedmont Declo Belle Ex-94-2*. To date six sons of DecloBelle have been sampled through Semex’ progeny testprograms. Declo Belle’s best record was as follows:5-03 305d 11,238 548 4.88% 433 3.85% kgs. She hasproduced in three lactations 34,286 kg M, 1845 kg F(5.4%) 1393 kg P (4.1%).

She was All-Canadian Junior 3 Yr Old in 2003, placing 1stJr 3 Yr Old and Intermediate Champion at the Royal WinterFair and Honorable Mention Grand Champion thatyear. Two years later she was Nom. All-Canadian 5 Yr Old.

Declo Belle is sired by Barbs MBSB Declo and was fromRock Ella Brook Belle Ex-93. Brook Belle was sired by MollyBrook Brass Major and out of the famous Duncan Belle EX-20* and had the following best record: 4-05 322d 9113 527 5.8% 368 4.0% kg.

On Time’s Breeding Pattern

Since May 2009, On Time has been Semex’s most heavilyused Jersey mating sire. His daughters are sharp, dairy andvery angular. They are above average in stature and showintermediate strength and width of front end. A number ofdaughters exhibit the same style that made On Time’s damand great grandam, very successful show cows.

Bone quality in the leg is very desireable, with tendencytowards being more straight than set. Feet show adequatedepth of heel and strong pasterns. Rumps show good width,leaving lots of room for rear udders.

Mammary systems are perhaps On Time’s greatest strength.He sires high, wide rear attachments, and leaves snug foreattachments considering the level of production of hisdaughters. Teat size, shape and placement are alldesireable. Milking speed and temperament are aboutaverage, however On Time can be counted on to improveSomatic Cell Scores.

On Time should mate well with daughters of the followingsires: Senior, Counciller, Minister, Danish bloodlines,Renaissance bloodlines, and daughters and

granddaughters of Avery, Sambo, Hallmark and Jace.

Whether your breeding goals are highproduction, sound conformation for alengthy herd life, show winning type or

all three, On Time has arrived and he is“on the money” when it comes todelivering the traits that suit the most

discriminating of breeding programs.

Silverdene On Time Evangelina VG-85-2YR-CANPhotos by Frank Robinson

Silverdene On Time Pixie VG-85-2YR-CAN

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“I’m very satisfied with the Premier™program, so I’ve signed up for the SilverLevel,” Marc comments. “I’m convinced thebulls work for us, and the help andprofessionalism that the Semex staff providesis awesome. They help with all daughterphotos, making it easier for us when we takesome of these daughters to the local fair!” 17

David and Mina Covert of Prattsburg, New Yorkbegan dairy farming in the spring of 1977 withjust 30 cows. Over the years they’ve grown theiroperation to 1,036 milking cows and 2500acres of crops.

Today, Damin Farms LLC includes David andMina, as well as their three children, spousesand grandchildren. Daughter Keri and herhusband Marc Clemons are in charge of thecows and heifers, making all management,genetic and nutritional decisions.

Marc began working on the farm when he wasjust 13, and with 24 years of experience he’sbecome a driving force on the dairy. The 1000+cows are now milked 3x/day and are boastingan impressive herd average of 11,099 3.5%392 3.0 328 kgs and a 30% conception rate.

A partner in Semex’s young sire program,Premier™, since April 2004, Marc is proud ofthe results in his herd.

“I think Semex does an excellent job selectingthe bulls that they sample,” Marc says. “I amimpressed with the number of bulls I have usedthat Semex has returned to their active line-up.”

Bulls used at Damin through Semex’s young sireprograms include 0200HO01818 Blue-Haven-Ltd Brick, 0200HO05217 Vieuxsaule Malicieuxand 0200HO03315 Braedale Pagewire.Marc’s Malicieux daughters have been widelypublicized with Damin-Acres Malicieux 1214VG-86-EX-MS-3YR-USA and Keri-Co Malicieux1212 GP-84-3YR-USA being featured inMalicieux advertising around the world.

Important to Marc is his herd’s longevity and thedurability built in by using Semex Premier™Young Sires.

“We’re happy with the sound, functionaldaughters we’ve bred with Semex,” commentsMarc. “Most of these daughters haveoutstanding longevity, lasting for severallactations. This is important because we knowthat Semex is helping us grow the herdinternally. We don’t have to go looking forreplacements”

“For cows to last for us they have to have goodudders, and exceptional feet & legs to take themback and forth to the parlour.”

“We have more Semex sired daughters thanany other in their third and fourth lactations,”Marc comments. “They last.”

A comment heard more and more fromSemex’s partner herds, Semex youngsires are selected to provide dairies withlong-lasting profitable daughters… Thereal kind of cows that work on realdairies.

“Our number one goal is to provide ourclients in the USA and worldwide with thesires they need to increase theirprofitability,” says Pierre Laliberte, SemexSenior Vice-President, Global Genetics &Research.

“We offer a wide variety of bloodlinesthat emphasize health, production andfunctional traits, making Semex’s youngsire program very attractive to anydairyman. Our USA program is key toour global program and it continues togrow and provide the world with thehighly reliable and profitable sires Semexand the USA are both known for.”

A Premier™ partner for five years, Marcsays that his Semex sired daughters are

very functional, long-lasting cows andcredits the program for providing himexcellent incentives to purchase provensemen.

Utilizing these semen credits has openedthe door for Marc to use Semex’s provensire lineup, an important benefit in today’stough economic and dairy climates.Proven sire 0200HO01584 Diamond-Oak Frosty is making his mark, with 18milking daughters at Damin Farms LLC.

“When I went to buy him I had threereasons for buying him,” says Marc.“First, I liked his pedigree. Second, myneighbor had one that had been picturedand I really liked the looks of her. Third,he was on special at the time and he’s afertile, Repromax™ sire!”

Recently Marc reaffirmed his commitmentto Semex and its proving program byjoining the Semex Premier™ Club as aSilver Level Member.

Marc & Keri Clemons with Malicieux Daughter

Premier™ Daughters: Functional Kind That LastCam Davis, Semex USA Premier Consultant & Promate Evaluator

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� DOUCINE: Aldor Daughter

SWISS SIMMENTAL FOR DUAL PURPOSEHans Moser, Swissgenetics

� ALDOR: Successful Dual Purpose Bull

� 2008 Eurpean Champ Dtr Group from Switzerland

Switzerland is the home of theworld famous Simmental breed.Originating in the SimmentalValley in the Swiss Alps, thisrobust, productive breed isdesigned for both milk productionand beef. These popularSimmentals have been exportedaround the globe for hundreds ofyears, but in the past few decadesthe majority of Simmental exportshave been in the form of frozensemen. Swissgenetics is proud tohave been a large part of this,showcasing our large lineup ofSwiss Simmental bulls worldwide.

Production System

The majority of Swiss Simmentalslive on pasture, producing milk fromgrazing pasture and roughage. Formany generations most of theproduction has been semi-intensive,with some breeders intensivelyselecting and pushing production.This diversity has allowed for theSwiss Simmental to be very efficientproducers with successesworldwide.

Production

The genetic potential of the SwissSimmental breed is remarkable. Thehighest purebred Simmental herdsfor milk production in Switzerlandperform over 8,000 kg of milk in a305 day lactation with 4.2% fat and3.5% protein, while farms withlower production intensity and fullypasture-based systems are able toget 6,000 kg per cow. Additionallythe beef performance of the malesis tremendous, with Simmentalcalves being highly demanded fortheir quality meat.

Selection Criteria

Swissgenetics runs a Simmentalprogram with a very balancedselection goal: 35% of the TotalMerit Index is for milk production;25% for functionality; 20% for beefproduction; and 20% for type. Onlybulls showing a well-balancedprofile for all the important traitsare marketed as proven sires. Thesecomplete proof charts allowbreeders to select the right geneticsbased on their individual selectioncriteria.

Worldwide Markets

Swissgenetics exports SwissSimmental semen to all continentsworldwide, with heavy usage inboth Eastern Europe and LatinAmerica. Our customers are notonly the purebred breeders, butalso the crossbreeding enthusiast.These dairies have variedmanagement systems, but all reportthey are happy with their results,encouraging Swissgenetics tocontinue marketing our Simmentalsworldwide.For more information pleasecontact your local Semexdistributor or visit us atwww.swissgenetics.com � Swiss Simmental in Mexico

STRENGTHS OF SWISS SIMMENTAL

Efficient milk production on pastureHigh protein percentageMales have great beef marketabilityHealthy udders with excellent textureClean and strong feet & legsExhibit fertility, longevity & durabilityExhibit longevity & durabilityWork well in frigid & tropical climates

� Swiss Simmental: Pasture Proven

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two more weeks after weaning. However, this practice isexpensive, as individual housing carries greater labour andbedding costs. A study conducted by IRTA in RLN todetermine the effects on performance of moving the calvesfrom individual hutches to super hutches (in groups of 6-8animals) immediately after weaning or moving them oneweek after weaning showed that weaning and moving theanimals directly to super hutches improved ADG.

Furthermore, a second study aimed at evaluatingperformance and incidence of disease of moving calves ingroups before weaning concluded that the best practice towean calves is to move them in groups at 49 d of age, andthen pre-wean them while calves are kept in groups byfeeding MR (or whole milk) in troughs that all calves canaccess simultaneously.

This study showed that when calves are pre-weaned ingroups, starter consumption is greater during the first weekwhen MR is cut to one daily offer compared with calves thatare pre-weaned in individual hutches (Fig. 1). Moreimportant, the study showed that calves weaned in groupshad a lower number of respiratory episodes than thoseweaned individually. It is important that MR is offered in atrough (no nipples) to avoid inter-sucking.

With a proper nutrition scheme for the transition, calves caneasily grow about 1.2-1.3 kg/d and do it very efficiently(about 40%) resulting in the most profitable developmentstage that calves or heifers will undergo during their entiregrowing period. It is recommended to start the transitionwith the same starter the animals were weaned on, and thenchange them to ration that will progressively increase the

proportion of fibre through the inclusion of forage, startingwith about a 5% and finishing by the age of 4 months with a15% forage inclusion level. These forage increments shouldbe implemented weekly.

Transition calves, however, frequently experience respiratoryupsets that may compromise performance. During thetransition, ensuring a good air quality is important. It is

common for this type of animal to be housed in smallcovered pens called super-hutches. Air quality can beimproved by appropriate air turn-over and clean bedding.Straw bedding should be added frequently and it ispreferable to do it by hand rather than using blowers andalike to minimize dust and thus diminish the irritation of therespiratory tract. Air quality can also be modulated bystocking density.

Figure 2 shows how the incidence of respiratory problemsincreases as animal density increases. It is thus important toavoid over-crowding of transition calves. Respiratoryproblems may have profound consequences on calfperformance and can even end with death. However, thelong-term effects of respiratory problems can be effectivelyminimized if detected promptly and treated properly.Therefore, allocating the necessary time to check the healthstatus of calves at least once a day and rapidly treating theanimals for respiratory problems should minimize furtherconsequences of the disease.

Summary

The nutrition and management that calves receive early inlife may have important consequences on future milkproduction. Providing adequate amounts of good qualitycolostrum and keeping the calves clean, dry and healthy isthe first step to success. Calves need to drink large amountsof water daily, and forage should not be offered untilreaching 2 months of age. Attaining rapid growth duringthe first 2 months of life is being correlated with greater milkproduction in the future. In addition, calves that grow fasterwill be stronger to cope with environmental threats (climateand diseases). An effective method to minimize stressassociated with weaning and foster solid feed intake consistsof grouping calves in small groups (about 8 animals) rightbefore reducing liquid feeding to once a day and weaningthe animals while in groups.

Figure 2. Incidence of respiratory afflictions of transition calves kept in groups of 5, 6 or 7.

Con’d from pg 9. Attaining maximum expression of genetic potential: Part I: Early life calf nutrition and management

With over 1,800 bulls tested and housed by Semex in six countries onthree continents, no other AI cooperative can boast a larger testingprogram. Semex’s strength however, is not just in its numbers. Instead, itspower resides in the 50 years it has invested in perfecting its ownbreeding program.

Dedicated, knowledgeable and careful breeding decisions based onSemex’s Balanced Breeding philosophy have resulted in an industryleading nine Millionaire Sires and hundreds of Semex sires being namedsires of sons worldwide. A true testament to breeder satisfaction, nocompliment is greater and no stamp of approval is more pronouncedthan seeing Semex sires dominate profitable bloodlines from coast tocoast and around the world.

With a great history as Semex’s foundation, its geneticprograms and research & development arms are setting thepace for the entire dairy industry. Driving technologiesand partnering with organizations such as the USDA,from its initial studies and research in the world ofgenomics, leaves Semex’s clients in the bestpossible position to put this new technology towork.

Looking to increase profitability and createsolutions on the dairy, Semex’s research anddevelopment arm, L’Alliance Boviteq (LAB),is diligently working to utilize the newesttechnologies available. These projects areaimed at increasing fertility, implementingnew technologies and making AI moreefficient and profitable for all by:

• Enhancing the fertility of Semex’s sexedsemen, SEMEXX™

• Implementing more bio-secure frozenand fresh semen extenders

• Searching for fertility proteins asmarkers and additives

• Redefining the “gold standard” ofsemen with new technologies

• Maximizing every Semex sire’sproduction with individual bull focusedprojects

global power at your

fingertips

90 bulls in UK and Europe69 bulls in Australia1,727 bulls in Canada and the United States

1,886 bulls owned, sampled & housed by Semex in 6 Countries on 3 Continents