– 1 –

Winter 2013

– 2 – – 3 –

Beyond

Beyond

DISEASE RESISTANT GENETICS

What if you could breed a disease resistant herd?

Semex’s patented Immunity+™ sires

are identi�ed as having a high

immune response capability. With a

25% heritability, this genetically

armors their offspring and gives your

herd the ultimate in disease defense –

genetics!

22%

7%

17% 15%

6%

26%

7%

Feet & Legs

Dairy

Low Production

Reproduction

Injury

Died

Mastitis

Culling Reason

10%

higher thanthird lactation &

older cows

You can expect conception rates in your first lactation cows to be about

4

8

6

10

12

Genetics for Life.

In August we introduced you to Genetics for

Life. At Semex this is more than a campaign

or a new slogan – it represents both where

we’ve been and where we’re going. And, it

is a reflection of what you’ve told us you’re

looking for in your genetic solutions.

For over a decade, Semex has been

supporting immune response research at

the University of Guelph in Canada under

the direction of Dr. Bonnie Mallard, BSc

(Agr), MSc, PhD, Professor Immunogenetics,

Department of Pathobiology. This research

has resulted in a new product at Semex

known as Immunity+™ sires.

With heritability comparable to productivity

traits, Semex’s Immunity+ sires will produce

cattle with a broad based resistance to

the bacterial and viral based pathogens

that cattle are exposed to on a daily basis.

Additionally, their daughters will produce

colostrum that passes on more antibodies

and they will respond better to vaccination

protocols.

“This is an industry first. And, Semex is

proud to exclusively offer a product that will

dramatically change the way our clients look

at developing their own operation’s genetic

strategies,” says Brad Sayles, Semex Vice

President Global Marketing.

We invite you to read more about Immunity+

sires and all more about what Semex has

to offer in this newest edition of Beyond

Borders. And, we hope that you enjoy reading

the Semex story and that like us, you believe

in Genetics for Life.

BEYOND BORDERS IS A MAGAZINE DESIGNED TO PROMOTE DAIRY GENETICS, TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT PUBLISHED BY SEMEX.Comments or submissions to the editor should be forwarded to Brenda Lee-Turner, Semex, 130 Stone Road West, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 3Z2. tel: 519-821-5060, fax: 519-821-7225; email: bturner@semex.comSexxed™, Genomax™, Genomax Plus™, Repromax™, ProMate™, ReproMix™, Premier™, HealthSmart™, ai24™, ShowTime™, .25Plus™, CVG™, Robot Ready™, Calving Ease™ and Immunity+™ are registered trademarks of Semex.

Immunity+™

Chelios

Jersey Success

Brasil

Swissgenetics

First Lactation

15

– 2 – – 3 –

0200HO03766

COOKIECUTTER HEFTY

MAN-O-MAN X GOLDWYN

TM

GPA LPI +3237

0200HO06406

STANTONS EVEREST

OBSERVER X SHOTTLE

TM

TM

StanleycupMischiefMr MarvelousAtticusLavanguard

BrawlerBigstoneLauthorityJordanSterling*RCJett Air

TM

SUCCESSFUL GRADUATES

Genetics for Life is all about

delivering the best possible product

to our clients, and Genomax™ sires

are just that. The rigorous selection

process to select Semex’s Genomax

lineup has resulted in some of the

most in-demand progeny proven bulls

in the world. And, they are proof

positive that Genomax bulls should

be used confidently to maximize

genetic gain.

LEADING GENETICS

GPA LPI +3039

– 4 – – 5 –– 4 –

Jay Shannon, Semex Global Dairy Solutions Manager

Have you ever had cows that just never seemed to get sick? It’s almost as if these cows were invisible. They didn’t get noticed because you never needed to give them extra attention. These cows were exposed to the same environmental conditions as other cows, but they appeared to have an inborn defense system that prevented infection and disease. What distinguished these cows and made them stronger than their herd mates? They had what is called a higher immune response.

It’s fair to say that most, if not all, dairy producers would love to have more healthy cows. Unfortunately, the modern cow operates under an intense set of demands, and a continuous exposure to pathogens makes her more susceptible to disease. The incidence rates of many infectious diseases such as mastitis continue to rise, leading to additional treatment and labour costs, delayed conceptions, reduced production,

discarded milk, more culls and deaths, higher replacement costs and reduced efficiency and profitability. A good herd health and vaccination program is certainly key to achieving a healthy dairy herd, but producers know that genetic selection for a healthy, resilient cow would be a great compliment to these programs.

Unfortunately, current genetic traits have a very limited impact on dairy cow health with few, if any, being a definitive selection for health. Traits such as Productive Life/Herd Life and Somatic Cell Score (SCS) are good indicative traits, but not pure health traits. It’s also important to remember that health traits have only a 2-10% heritability, making them extremely difficult to improve genetically. Additionally, disease diagnosis and data collection is inconsistent, making proofs for individual disease traits difficult.

DISEASE RESISTANT GENETICS

– 4 – – 5 –

Over 15 years ago Semex recognized that dairy producers needed a more broad-based approach to disease resistance. Seeking a way to genetically improve the overall immunity of dairy cows, Semex invested in research for high immune response (HIR) technology under the direction of Dr. Bonnie Mallard, Professor of Immunology in the Department of Pathobiology, at the University of Guelph in Canada.

Now, Semex has acquired the exclusive rights to test our sires for their overall immune response. This new and innovative technology has resulted in Immunity+™ sires, a new, patented product line. These sires have a high immune response, meaning they have a more robust immune response that fights both viral and bacterial diseases. This higher immunity boost is passed on to their daughters and as a result, these daughters have a greater ability to resist disease and remain healthy contributors to the herd.

By using Immunity+ sires, producers can start to incrementally reduce the disease incidence in their herds with each generation. This is achievable because immune response is highly heritable. Research has shown that immune response, as measured under the HIR technology, has a heritability of 25%. This heritability is comparable to other genetic traits such as milk production and conformation, and is far higher than the heritability of current health traits.

Immune response is controlled and directed by a complex network of over 2,000 genes. The acquired immune response encompasses two distinct measures of immune response, the cell-mediated immune response; and the antibody-mediated immune response. Together, they provide a balanced defense against both viral and bacterial diseases.

In the research conducted at the University of Guelph, females from a number of herds had their immune response tested and then compared with disease incidence data. Cows with a high immune response had a lower disease incidence. In a large Florida herd, high immune response cows had 27% fewer cases of mastitis, 17% fewer cases of metritis and 32% fewer cases of retained placentas compared to herd average. In all the herds tested, the high immune response cows had 19-30% fewer

incidences of those diseases compared to their herd’s average. It is predicted that high immune response cows should also possess added protection against a wide range of other viral and bacterial diseases such as neospora, tuberculosis and digital dermatitis to name a few. Preliminary research shows that a high cell-mediated immune response is associated with the mycobacterial pathogens that cause Johne’s disease.

In addition, high immune response cows have been shown to have a more robust response to commercial vaccines. This helps to improve the vaccines’ effectiveness and places even more value on a comprehensive herd health and vaccination program. In another University of Guelph study, the high immune response cows produced higher quality colostrum compared to average or low cows. This means that high immune response cows not only pass on their high immunity genes to their offspring, but they also provide added protection to their calves through higher quality colostrum.

The net economic benefit of a high immune response cow is $124/cow/year over the herd’s average cows. When trying to define the advantage that Immunity+ bulls provide to their daughters, we must account for the fact that 50% of the daughters’ genes are received from the sire, and the trait is 25% heritable. By applying these factors with known principles of genetic transmission, daughters of Immunity+ sires are expected to have 4-8% less incidence of disease. This enables dairy producers to begin to reverse the

negative trends of disease incidence and to start building a path to a healthier herd. On average, Immunity+ sires will pass on $80 of extra profit to their daughters in addition to the economic value coming from their other genetic traits.

In December 2012, Semex released nine proven Immunity+ Holstein bulls and 32 Genomax™ Immunity+ Holstein bulls. In the Jersey breed, there was one proven Immunity+ bull and five Genomax Immunity+ bulls. It is not surprising to see that these bulls also excel in traditional health traits such as Herd Life, SCS, Daughter Fertility and Daughter Calving Ability.

– 5 –

Semex solutions target fertility, health and longevity to build a profitable herd for our clients.Semex’s dairy solutions and genetic sales tools are managed by Semex’s Global Dairy Solutions Manager, Jay Shannon. Contact Jay at: jshannon@semex.com © 2012

25%

Building a stronger herd

HERITABILITY

NO IMPROVEMENT

DAUGHTERS OF IMMUNITY+™ SIRES ARE EXPECTED TO HAVE

HAS BEEN MADE TO STOP THE GROWING INCIDENCE OF DISEASE IN THE GLOBAL DAIRY CATTLE POPULATION.

Production Traits 25-35%Conformation Traits 15-40%

Immune Response 25%Longevity 8-10%

Calving Ease Traits 6-7%Daughter Fertility 4-7%

Disease Incidence 2-10%

HERITABILITY

DISEASE RESISTANT GENETICS

1996 2001 2007

4 to 8%less

disease

$ 80 per daughteradded pro�t

Including mastitis, metritis, ketosis and retained placenta.

Early indications show a desired response to Johnes as well.

In addition to the $ value of the genetics for

other traits.

Immunity+ sires are only possible due to Semex’s investment in this innovative and exciting new technology that will forever change dairy cattle selection for health. Genetics for Life is this investment and it is how we are helping to develop long-lasting, profitable herds and lifelong partnerships. Immunity+ is Genetics for Life.

– 6 – – 7 –

Russell Gammon, Semex Jersey Program Manager

– 6 –

– 6 – – 7 –

Semex’s Jersey program is Genetics for Life. Listening and talking to Jersey breeders worldwide, we understand their diversified needs. Genetics for Life is all about meeting these needs and helping to build a long-lasting and profitable Jersey cow. Our entire program and its offerings are built around this need and we’re proud to offer our Jersey product to dairymen worldwide.

Genomax™ Releases HEALTHSMART™ SIRE: SOPRANOIn a breed hungrily searching for outcross genetics to the industry’s dominant female lines steps one of Semex’s newest Genomax bulls, 0200JE00521 Wilsonview Soprano. A HealthSmart sire, this early son of Danish health and fertility superstar DJ Zuma has the top numbers the modern dairyman is looking for with an ultra-low US EFI of 3.6, a leading DPR of 1.6, Cheese Merit dollars of $690 pushing the top of the charts, a PL rating of 5.4 and a highly desirable 2.83 for SCS. He’s from the famed Wilsonview herd in Oregon, bringing over 1000 pounds of milk and over 100 combined pounds of fat and protein! He also has a highly attractive JUI rating of 3.51 with a VG-86-2YR dam backed by generations of milky EX cows.

SHOW TIME™ SIRE: KOOP For those striving for show ring success, Semex’s 0200JE00507 Tower Vue Koop arrives at just the right time to make correct

and appealing progeny. Again a high level outcross at 4.5 EFI with over 2.1 for type, naturally, this bull will sire super udders as foreseen by his current JUI of 5.62! By Tequila, Koop hails from the world-renowned ‘K’ family at Avonlea Genetics, with three generations of EX Royal Winter Fair International Futurity Champions backing his 94% show-winning Connection dam.

Jersey Immunity+™One of the most exciting advancements in technology to impact the global dairy breeding industry in decades is the arrival of Semex’s Immunity+™ sires in December 2012. The great news for current Semex customers is that two of the top 30 sires in the USA, [Genomax sires 0200JE00180 Ertl Mantra and 0200JE00183 Sunset Canyon David (also a Repromax & HealthSmart sire)] have both earned this lofty designation. They are joined by two other great outcross Genomax sires, 0200JE00370 Gabys Chronicle (also a HealthSmart sire) and 0200JE00379 Chilli Chavez, as well as 0200JE00373 Dutch Hollow Valente as leading Immunity + sires. For more information on Immunity+ see pages 4-5 in this issue of Beyond Borders.

Semex Polled™ GeneticsSemex has become rightfully known as a leading source of polled Jersey genetics. Early 2013 additions to the super popular team of HealthSmart sires include 0200JE00212 Orthridge Da Bomb-P and 0200JE00499 Dutch Hollow Vintage-P, as well as the Violet family’s scion, 0200JE00205 All Lynns Vapour-P.

This makes Semex home to three of the breed’s top five polled young sires for GJPI. Now that’s Genetics for Life!

DIVERSITY FUELING SUCCESSFUL JERSEY GENOMAX™ PROGRAM

– 7 –

WITH POLLED GENETICS,

IMMUNITY+ AND OUR

LEADING GENOMAX

PROGRAM ALONG WITH

OUR GLOBAL SELECTION

PROGRAM, SEMEX

JERSEYS REALLY DO

OFFER OUR CUSTOMERS

GENETICS FOR LIFE.

– 8 – – 9 –

As a Genomax™ sire, Chelios was extremely

popular being an early Baxter son from one of

the most popular Goldwyn daughters of her

time, Domicole G W Shelive VG-87 5*.

Now, with over 180 daughters in his proof,

Chelios ranks as one of Semex’s top PTAT sires

at +3.32 and +14 Conformation – making him

one of the highest graduates in both LPI and

TPI systems.

Graduating as a Repromax™ and Calving Ease™

sire, Chelios ranks extremely high for fertility,

and his daughters have fewer difficult births

and fewer stillbirths, giving both the cow and

the calf a better start.

THE PEDIGREEDam: Domicole G W Shelive VG-87 5*

2nd Dam: Sunnylodge Allen Shelly VG-87 4*

1 Superior Lactation Award

3rd Dam: Sunnylodge Rudolph Scariet EX-92-3E 10*

2 Super 3 Awards

4 Superior Lactation Awards

4th Dam: Sunnylodge Jed Sheryl VG-89 10*

2 Superior Lactation Awards

5th Dam: Sunnylodge Prelude Spottie VG-87 18*

2 Superior Lactation Awards

1998 Holstein Canada Cow of the Year

Dam of Sunnylodge Linjet

IN THE FIELDIn the field, dairymen are telling us that

they like their Chelios daughters and that

they’re excited to see more daughters

calving in.

And, it’s easy to see

why they like them so

much, they’re easy-

keeping and aggressive

enough to thrive

in many different

environments from

traditional tie-stall to

free-stall set ups.

“The daughters are

good milk producers,”

says Barry Mooney, EastGen Progeny

Anaylst. “But, dairymen especially

like the way their lactations hold on

in persistency. They’re gaining dollars

through high component percentages.”

Not only are they contributing in the

bulk tank, but these cows are structurally

correct, which will keep them in their

herds longer.

“They are very correct with tremendous,

open dairy frames,” says Mooney. “They’ve

got a deep and strong rib structure.”

“They’re long with healthy, well-attached

udders. They’ve got a strong bone in

the leg that supports easy locomotion,

and their rumps are long and flat,” says

Mooney. “They’re very functional and are

often some of the largest two-year-olds in

their herds.”

With the components and

structure to be profitable,

Mooney believes Chelios

daughters will contribute

for a long time.

“I really believe the added

dollars achieved through

their high component milk

as well as their dairy frames,

capacity, feet & legs and

strong mammary systems will see Chelios

daughters being very profitable dairy

cows within many different management

styles.”

Brenda Lee-Turner, Semex Marketing Communications Specialist

– 8 –

GENOMAX™ GRADUATE SUCCESS:

0200HO03648 DOMICOLE CHELIOSGenetics for Life is all about delivering the best possible product to our clients, and Genomax™ graduate Chelios is just that.

“Dairymen especially like the way their

lactations hold on in

persistency.”

– 8 – – 9 –– 9 –

NEW GENOMAX™ GRADUATE

0200HO03648

DOMICOLE CHELIOS

BAXTER x GOLDWYN

ENNVIEW CHELIOS SILLY GP-84-2YR-CAN (VICKI FLETCHER) BRACKLEYFARM CHELIOS CHEERIO (CYBIL FISHER)

HOW TO USE HIMSemex Sire Analyst Mike West has seen dozens of Chelios

daughters and offers the following best use practices for this hot,

new bull.

“Because of his very uniform breeding pattern, Chelios is able to

be effective on a variety of matings. When used on shallow-bodied

cows that lack angularity he will be able to make his largest

contribution,” says West.

“He will also work well on those cows that need improvement in

overall mammary systems, particularly in fore udder strength. He

will mate well on cows lacking in components, boosting fat and

protein levels. He should be used on cows that are wider through

their back ends, particularly in their pin width. And he will work

well on cows that are lower in their pin setting.”

– 9 –

– 10 – – 11 –

According to the Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the world will need to produce 65-70% more food by the year 2050 in order to be able to feed its population. At Semex, Genetics for Life is our commitment to the research & development, the long-lasting and profitable herds and the lifelong partnerships that will be a major factor in meeting this challenge.

Brasil stands in a position to lead this

supply due to the fact that is has enormous

crop land expansion capacity, that it holds

leading technology in crops like soybeans

and that it is one of the world’s largest

producers of meat and poultry. With cattle

and crop production scattered all over the

country, agriculture is responsible for a

large part the country’s export market.

Still, where milk production is concerned,

Brasil struggles, averaging less than 2,000

kgs/cow/year from its nearly 10 million

dairy cows.

This situation is changing quickly however,

with the introduction of new technologies,

the more professional producers staying

in the business and the widespread

adaptation of the tropical dairy breed in

various parts of the country.

Also, higher internal demand for milk

products over the past decade has pushed

productivity up. That, along with a

more stable economy and higher living

standards have led to the increase in the

country’s per capita dairy consumption.

Brasil is a country with continental size. It is the fifth largest country in the world, with 8.5 million square kilometers of land, and it also has the world’s fifth largest populations at over 193 million people.

With its size and extension, Brasil enjoys a great variety of climates and soil qualities. Because of the distinct climatic differences between the southern, central and northern regions, there is also a distinct pattern in the type of dairy cattle raised in these different parts of the country.

Predominantly Holstein and Jersey farms are found in Brasil’s south, while the popular Girolando (Holstein x Zebu cross) is spread over the central and northern parts of the country. A large portion of Brasil’s 32 billion litres of milk produced (the fifth largest producer in the world)

comes from these Girolando cattle.

SEMEX BEYOND BORDERS: BRASIL

Dr. Claudio Aragon, Semex Brasil, Dairy Director

– 10 –

Otton FIV da Palma – One of Semex’s star Gyr bulls

Typical Girolando (cross between Holstein and

Milking Gyr) Cow

REM Ricket is one of the main Nelore (Zebu)

bulls in the industry

160,00

150,00

140,00

130,00

120,00

110,00

100,00

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Brasil Dairy Product Per Capita ConsumptionSource: MilkPoint 2010

– 10 – – 11 –

Brasil has over 200 million head of cattle, but still has a low artificial insemination rate of 12%. This is an enormous opportunity for growth, and Semex is a major player in this AI market expansion.

With unequalled dairy bull power and state of the art programs, Semex has been growing at rates of over 35% per year in Brasil.

The country’s southern states, with mostly Holstein and Jersey herds, are highly productive and employ modern technologies. This market demands high quality products, with programs and services making the difference. Again, Semex is in great position to service this market. Programs like Repromax™ are largely praised, with exceptional results in these high-producing commercial herds.

The expansion of the dairy market towards the central and northern parts of Brasil has made the Girolando breed extremely popular. With compositions that vary from half bloods (Holstein x Milking Gyr), 5/8 and 3/4 Holsteins, this breed is becoming more and more important. These cows have the capacity to supply dairy products in areas that are dominated by warm and humid climate, and a more pasture based farming system.

Over the last two decades, important genetic programs have been initiated and sire-proving programs are in place now that will help sort the best bulls within this population. This has tremendously enhanced the quality of the cattle, resulting in animals that are more persistent in their lactations and produce more milk per hectare of land, but still maintain the necessary traits that resist ticks and tolerate warmer climates. The advancements this breed has made genetically over the years is notorious, and it is safe to say that Girolando is amongst the best tropical breeds in the world.

Semex has been investing heavily in the breed over the past few years. Selecting high quality Milking Gyr as the foundation, we are helping to produce some of the best Girolando in the country. Many of these Semex-sired cows even turn out to be bull mothers for the next generation.

With the recent acquisition of the artificial insemination stud Tairana, Semex is now in the position to provide these genetics nationally, while also exporting these high quality genetics to other tropical climates around the world. The Tairana facility and staff are second to none and produce semen complying with the Semex’s strict Gold Standard™.

Tairana AI Stud – Open spaces for high quality Tropical breeds Tairana houses Zebu beef bulls and dairy Zebu bulls (Gyr, Girolando and Guzera). With a capacity to hold close to 200 bulls, Tairana is rapidly becoming one of the most modern facilities for semen technology.

One of the star bulls in the stud is a Milking Gyr that is sired by the number one Gyr bull for production out of one of the most respected cows in the breed, Otton FIV da Palma.

The Milking Gyr market is responsible for over 730,000 doses sold per year, while the Girolando bulls sell over 400,000 doses, representing a 40% growth per year in each of the last three years.

“The potential for the Zebu dairy breed to supply milk production in tropical climates is a reality,” says Claudio Aragon, Semex Brasil’s Dairy Director.

“Brasil has top genetics in these breeds and is working hard to develop genetic programs that will truly express the superior portion of the population. Semex is a major player in this field and holds true to the promise of Genetics for Life by providing what the customer wants and needs.”

Considering the enormous beef market in Brasil and the fact that the Zebu market has been responsible for over 2.9 million doses of semen sold in 2011, Semex has been focusing on building one of the most respected beef Zebu lineups in the country. This top production Zebu lineup has captured the commercial beef market’s attention in Brasil and also worldwide. Those countries that require resistant, high performing, pasture based genetics are very interested in Brasil’s 40 year history in selecting for Zebu genetics.“Semex’s investments in a modern collection facility,

its desire to expand the bull power in the Tropical breeds and its search for top genetics is part of its commitment to Genetics for Life.”

TM

TM

TM

TMPolled

Red & White

Show Time

Master Series

Robot Ready

TM

TMRepromix

Calving Ease TM

Built for Automation

Elite Show Sires

Time Tested Sires

TM

TM

TM

TMPolled

Red & White

Semex Tropical

Show Time

Master Series

Robot Ready

TM

TM TM

High Fertility Pooled SemenTMRepromix

Calving Ease TM

Built for Automation

Elite Show Sires

Time Tested Sires

TM

TM

TM

TMPolled

Red & White

Show Time

Master Series

Robot Ready

TM

High Fertility Pooled SemenTMRepromix

Calving Ease TM

Genomax PlusTM

Genomax-Repromax-Calving EaseGenomax PlusTM Genomax PlusTM

Genomax-Repromax-Calving Ease

Semex Tropical TMSemex Tropical

– 11 –

– 12 – – 13 –

A Case For Measurement Sometimes overlooked, these cows have different needs than the rest of the lactating herd. They are still growing and maturing, making their nutritional needs much different than their older herd mates. Also, they are often smaller cows and exist lower on the herd’s pecking order, making them more vulnerable to competition for both bunk and stall space.

When their unique needs are not met, their performance declines, leading to lower milk production, lower conception rates and increased health issues. These reasons alone build a strong case for measuring their performance separate from the rest of the herd.

ReproductionFrom a reproductive standpoint, first lactation cows must have better reproductive performance than the rest of their herd mates. This includes better overall pregnancy and conception rates, with pregnancy rates being 5% higher than their second, third and greater lactation contemporaries.

Most of this advantage in pregnancy rate is due to better conception rates. You can expect conception rates in your first lactation cows to be about 10% higher than third lactation and older cows.

If their pregnancy and conception rates are the same, or even below the average of the older cows, you need to assess why these younger cows are underperforming.

Milk YieldsAnother way to measure your first lactation cows’ performance is by taking a look at 305 milk yields by age at first calving. This will show you any trends in performance, with your best average 305 milk yields coming from your targeted average age of first calving.

For example, say your targeted calving age is 24 months. Then, your highest yielding group of first lactation cows should be animals calving in at about 24 months. If they’re not amongst the best performing first lactation cows, then a management or nutrition adjustment is needed.

Let’s take a look at the example herd from the Northeast United States in Figure 1. In this particular herd, calving begins at approximately 21 months of age, with the bulk of the calving concluded by 24 months. Although the projected 305 milk yield is trending slightly downward with age of first calving, the overall performance of this group of cows is quite good, with no major declines in milk yield.

Also, when you look at the average conception rates, this group looks like they are performing well. But, looking at averages can sometimes lead to missed opportunities to improve and become more profitable. When you look at the conception by age at first calving, you can see that it would be worth investigating why the 21 month old first calving heifers are not performing up to par. In this situation, we would recommend checking the criteria used to select when heifers start to be bred, as well as the body condition score of this group to see how they’re doing in the barn.

FOCUS ON THE FIRST LACTATION

Mark Carson, MSc., BSc. Agr., EastGen, Reproductive Strategy Manager

– 12 –

AGE AT FIRST CALVING % OF CALVES PROJECTED 305 DAY MILK YIELD CONCEPTION (%)

21 19 11,277 kg 31%22 43 11,112 kg 46%23 34 10,990 kg 44%24 8 10,815 kg 46%

Total 100 11,049 kg 42%

Figure 1: Projected 305 Milk Yields & Conception Rates By Age At First Calving At A Northeast United States Dairy

– 12 – – 13 –

Why Do They Retire? Another important part of performance monitoring is analyzing the reasons that some cows’ lactating careers end during first lactation. Two important numbers need to be measured when looking at culling data: 1) Reason for cull; 2) Days in milk in which the cull took place.

Take a look at some first lactation cull data from this same example herd in Figure 2. When you look at this data, some management priorities immediately jump out.

At the top of the list, is the percentage of culls related to feet & legs. This shows that the farm needs to assess hoof and genetic management of feet & legs. Environment and management factors such as time spent standing in the free stall barn, exposure to diseases and nutrition should all be considered.

As well, looking at this report should lead to a good discussion on which sires should be selected as corrective matings in the future.

The other culling reason that sticks out for this herd is ‘died’. When looking at cows categorized as ‘died’, the biggest question that needs to be answered is when in the lactation did these cows die? If they are leaving early in lactation (before 90 days in milk), then you should take a deeper look at how your first lactation cows are doing through their transition periods.

One item to look at in particular is calving ease. Monitoring the calving ease performance should be a critical part of your transition cow management program. Investigating milk yields, conception rates and health by calving ease can give you useful insight into calving management.

If you’re having too many hard calvings, then sire and body condition scores need to be examined. If you notice that your unassisted calvings are doing poorer than calvings that were assisted, you need to examine the surveillance of your calving pen and timing of intervention.

– 13 –

22%

7%

17% 15%

6%

26%

7%

Feet & Legs

Dairy

Low Production

Reproduction

Injury

Died

Mastitis

Culling Reason

10%

higher thanthird lactation &

older cows

You can expect conception rates in your first lactation cows to be about

Figure 2: Stated Reasons for First Lactation Cows Leaving The Herd For A Northeast United States Dairy

– 15 –– 14 –

Learn more about Immunity+

www.semex.com

DISEASE RESISTANT GENETICS

REVOLUTIONIZE YOUR HERD FOR HEALTH

What if you could breed

disease resistant animals for

your herd?

By selecting Immunity+ sires, with

naturally high immune response,

you can improve your overall

herd’s health.

Daughters of Immunity+ sires have

less disease and provide additional

benefits which improve overall herd

health and increased longevity.

At Semex, we are working on

revolutionary solutions for your

bottom line.

– 15 –

For complete information please visit www.swissgenetics.com

BRUNA 2012 - EUROPEAN BROWN SWISS CHAMPIONSHIP AND WORLD CONGRESS

Beeli’s Jongleur Jessy, European Champion, Grand Champion BRUNA 2012 & Best Udder of Show

Swissgenetics’ daughter display, including daughters of NELGOR, ASTRO, FANTASTIC and WERMONT

Schibraho Jet Jelena, Junior Champion Bruna 2012

Winning Swiss Country group with Agio Apen, Sesam Gina and Jongleur Jessy

The BRUNA 2012 European Brown Swiss Championship and World Congress was held from December 6-8, 2012 and was a great success. The show’s quality was at a level that was never seen before for the Brown Swiss breed, and with over 5,000 visitors from 18 countries attending, the event was an extreme success for both Swiss breeders and Swissgenetics.

The Swiss cow dominance was evident, as these cows won 15 out of 16 milking classes. An impressive 57% of all animals shown were sired by a Swissgenetics bull, with JONGLEUR and GLENN leading the way.

Pictured is Beeli’s Jongleur Jessy, the new European Champion and Best Uddered Cow of the Show. Jessy is a first crop daughter of JONGLEUR, the sire of 28 animals at the show and Jessy’s son, JESSYS-JOE, is at Swissgenetics. Also pictured is the Junior Champion, Schibraho Jet Jelena who is a daughter of JET, a half-brother to JONGLEUR. Switzerland also won the nation’s competition with three cows, all sired by a Swissgenetics bull.

Swissgenetics presented a daughter display including daughters of popular bulls such as NELGOR, ASTRO, FANTASTIC and WERMONT, as well as daughters of the new bull WILLI and second crop daughters of ALIBABA, BIG-BOY and JONGLEUR.

Swissgenetics thanks the organization and all participating breeders for making this event to such a success. We are proud to say we have been part of it!

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