SELECTIONS - Summer 2006
Delivering on a Promise
We tried it, we liked it, and we’ll continue to use it…
For as long as Select Sires has been in business, the promise of sexed semen was just around the corner. At times, sexed semen seemed like a reality and at other times a technology that would never materialize. The promise of more heifers was enough to keep the fire lit and researchers, including those at Select Sires, driving toward the goal.
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| Visual heats are monitored in the heifer pens and breed accordingly. Every heifer is bred to gender SELECTed semen on the first two services and then conventional semen on all other services until they become pregnant. The Myers’ herd has used 12 different gender SELECTed bulls and are excited about the new bulls being added to the lineup. |
After years of research and testing, Select Sires has delivered on the promise of sexed semen under the brand name gender SELECTed™. As the first major A.I. company in North America to release sexed semen, it is our commitment to provide full disclosure of the product’s successes and shortcomings. This information can be used by producers to determine if gender SELECTed semen is right for their dairy operation.
Research has consistently proven the technology used at Select Sires can sex-sort sperm with at least 90 percent purity. A major limitation to commercialization of this technology has been the compromised conception rates obtained with sexed semen, which typically run 70 to 75 percent of that achieved with conventional semen. Although this issue still exists, most producers who pay strict attention to the details of semen handling and timing of inseminations in well-managed virgin heifers are usually pleased with the results.
All things considered, the following producers have experienced success and see gender SELECTed semen as a technology that gives them a clear-cut advantage.
gender SELECTed Semen
Worth the Investment
Ethan Myers, herd manager, Myers Farms Inc., Union Grove, N.C., wasn’t sure sexed semen was something he wanted to try. Then Dr. Ray Nebel, Select Sires senior reproduction and herd-management specialist, encouraged Myers to participate as a test herd for this emerging technology. For Myers, this was an opportunity not to be passed up.
"We were excited to test this promising product," says Myers. "We've been using gender SELECTed semen for over a year now and we can see it is worth the investment. Our conception rate may be lower, but it is still acceptable and we've got more heifers."
Myers and his family milk 840 Holstein cows and have approximately 200 heifers to breed. Ethan's mother and one employee watch for visual heats in the heifer pens and breed accordingly. Every heifer is bred to gender SELECTed semen on the first two services and then conventional semen on all other services until they become pregnant. The Myers’ herd has used 12 different gender SELECTed bulls and are excited about the new bulls being added to the lineup.
"Our goal is to grow from within," states Myers. "We haven't purchased any replacements in the last two years with the hope to never buy another animal again and we would like to do more voluntary culling. We see gender SELECTed semen as a way to achieve these goals."
On the George DeRuyter and Sons Dairy, Sunnyside, Wash., herd manager Jeremy Waterman is responsible for over 1,000-Holstein breeding-age heifers in addition to the 4,200-cow milking string. Currently a professional A.I. technician tail chalks all heifers and visually monitors them for heat. Heifers showing strong physical signs of heat are bred with gender SELECTed semen on the first service and then they are bred with conventional semen on all other services. Heifers showing weak heats or only tail-chalk rubbings are bred with conventional semen.
"Our goal is further expansion and voluntary culling," says Waterman. "With our selection criteria and more heifers in the pens, these goals are attainable."
Waterman takes advantage of the Select Mating Service™ (SMS™) program.
He picks A.I. sires based on top scores for udders and feet and legs. Currently the only gender SELECTed sire in their mating program is 7HO7135 Creek Bwmarshall DAKOTA-ET, but Waterman looks forward to using more gender SELECTed bulls in the future.
"We've been interested in sexed semen for our Jersey herd since we heard about it years ago," says Ron Kutz, owner of Kutz Dairy LLC, Jefferson, Wis. "We couldn't wait to try it."
Kutz currently milks 850 Jersey cows and has approximately 200 breeding-age heifers. He will be the first to tell you that Jersey bull calves aren't worth much, so the advantages of using gender SELECTed semen is worth the cost. On his trial run with the product, the results were poor. Those results didn't deter him and Kutz has since used three more gender SELECTed sires.
"7JE576 O.F. Montana SAWYER-ET worked great and our conception rate is very acceptable," says Kutz. "I'm currently using 9JE202 O.F. Barber ROCKET and 7JE613 Blackys BIG TIME-ET, and can't wait for additional sires to become available."
East Central Select Sires A.I. technician, Steve Kacuba, Beaver Dam, Wis., tail chalks all the heifers and watches for visual signs of heat. On the first two services, Steve breeds the heifers with gender SELECTed semen and any further services uses conventional semen. The gender SELECTed bulls are run through the American Jersey Cattle Association’s mating program, Jersey Mate™, or the SMS program to determine the best mating.
"We don't like buying cattle from multiple herds and trying to transition them to our management style," says Kutz. "We'd prefer to breed, raise and milk our own replacements and gender SELECTed semen is helping us do just that."
gender SELECTed semen is receiving positive results around the country. Well-managed herds that pay close attention to semen handling and heat detection in virgin heifers are reaping the benefits of more heifer calves. If you’re interested in using gender SELECTed semen in your herd, contact your Select Sires representative for a complete list of sires and suggestions on how to use this emerging technology.
™gender SELECTed, Select Mating Service and SMS are trademarks of Select Sires Inc.
™Jersey Mate is a trademark of the American Jersey Cattle Association, Reynoldsburg, Ohio
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