Spring is in the air and it seems to do things to people’s heads.  Maybe it’s being cramped up in the barn all winter, or maybe it’s because we start a new show season and much like the start to a pro sport everyone thinks they still have a chance at this point.  With that in mind, The Bullvine decided to take a closer look at some of the sales coming up and find out which consignments caught our attention.

Genomic Giants Sale

April 3^rd – Victoriaville QC Canada – More details and catalog

With over 40 to be offered that have a gPA LPI of over 3,000 or a gPA TPI of over 2,500, there is no question that this sale is going to attract a lot of attention.  In fact there are even three heifers in the sale that have over 4,000 DGV LPIs.  With so many outstanding individuals in this sale, there are sure to be some great buys and many wise investments.  Here are the lots that, on paper, caught our eye.

• T-GEN-AC SUPERSIRE RUTH – Lot 3
  Supersire x Observer x Bolver
  From the same family as the popular TAG sires Domain and new release Determine, at 2619 gTPI and 3757 gLPI Ruth numbers well no matter how you look at it.  She was the #3 gTPI female on the March genomic run and is the #2 Supersire in the breed.  That also makes her the #12 gTPI female in the world.  These high numbers combined with a strong family flush history makes Ruth a money making machine.
• T-GEN-AC MOGUL SHIMMER – Lot 8
  Mogul x Shottbolt x Boliver
  Sure to attract the interest of many, including the A.I. companies, this Mogul is also from the same family – Domain and Determine.  Her DGVs are off the charts at +4179 DGV LPI.  That is 559 points above her gPA LPI.  While I would like to see her dam’s DGVs be higher than her gPAs there is no question that this heifer will be in demand with her extreme fat and the fact that she is the #2 Mogul in the breed.
• EDG CT UNO CINERGY – Lot 1
  Numero Uno x Watson x Justice
  Being in the top 10 gTPI heifers in the world pretty much gives  you a license to print money.  Combine that with the strong family flush history and here is a rare opportunity to get into the genomic powerhouse De-Su breeding at the very top and you have a great package.  Her dam Chart Topper is due in May and looks great at Bryhill (Read more: Bryhill International Genetics: 10 Big Steps To Following Their Dream)
• KERNDTWAY EHRDT DALLAS – Lot 44
  Earnhardt P x Observer x Shottle
  There is no question that polled is hot (Read more: Polled Genetics – Way of the future or passing fad? and $10,000 a dose Polled Semen) and Dallas is a polled heifer believed to be the #4 GTPI Polled heifer in the breed.  While I would love to mate this heifer to some high health and fertility sires, Dallas has strong type numbers and outstanding production that will certainly have her in high demand for sons to service the massive commercial market that many A.I. companies covet.
• T-SPRUCE MOGUL 7260 – Lot 36
  Mogul x Planet x Shottle
  For those of you who don’t think good plus is good enough (Read more: Is Good Plus Good Enough?) this lot may not be for you.  However, as this sale has proven before, it is certainly good enough for the genomic market (Read more: Janardan – The Making of a Genetic Super Star and TAG’s Genomic Power Sale Averages an Outstanding $30,167).  This may be a sleeper lot that if her dam could ever jump up to VG status could prove very profitable. Strong production with solid type helps this heifer to be among the top 10 gTPI *RC in the breed.
• Other lots to watch for
  • EDG MIST UNO MYLIFE – Lot 2 – The #11 gTPI female in the world.
  • LACTOMONT NIKOTA SARGEANT – Lot 6 – DGV LPI over 4,000
  • JOSEY-LLC UNO SANGARIA – Lot 16 – Over 3,000 DGV LPI Red Carrier
  • T-SPRUCE MAYFIELD 7251 – Lot 43 – Could be the #3 *RC polled female in the breed.
  • CLOVIS MOGUL SPECIAL – Lot 71 – DGV LPI over 4,000

Crackholm Spring Fever Sale III

March 29^th – Saint-Hyacinthe QC Canada – More details and catalog

Also in Quebec there will be another outstanding installment of the Spring Fever Sales managed by David Crack Jr.  Crackholm  Holsteins.  Not to be outdone by the Genomic Giants Sale, this sale also has many high genomic females and also features some show-winning animals as well.

• DE-SU 1912 – Lot 1
  Mogul x Oman x Ramos
  Similar to the Genomic Giants Sale, lot 1 in the Crackholm Spring Fever Sale III is right from the heart of the De-Su program.  This heifer is a sister to the former #1 gTPI heifer in the world, De-Su 1438 sired by Shamrock.  Their dam Clear-Echo M-O-M 2150 is the #5 gTPI cow on the locator list (12/12). This rare opportunity will not go unnoticed as she sells ready to flush and her outstanding components combined with strong type will make her in demand the world over. Also selling in the sale (lot 5) is the Peoti sister to EDG CT UNO CINERGY lot 1 in the Genomic Giants Sale who has a DGV LPI of 3855, which is 200 points over her gPA LPI.
• WELCOME MOGUL PATTS – Lot 6
  Mogul x Bookem x Jose
  This heifer really is the complete package.  Her gPA TPI of +2479 combined with a gPA LPI of +3651 makes her attractive no matter what base you are looking at her from.  What really makes her stand out is her DGV LPI of 4069, making her one of the rare few over 4,000 since CDN introduced its new regression formula.  Her dam is fresh and looks good at Welcome-Stock farms. This heifer is higher than her pa’s in every major category.
• CLEAR-ECHO MCCUTCHEN 2820 – Lot 3
  Mccutchen x Man-O-Man x Lauden
  Coming in as the #1 LPI Mccutchen in the world will certainly attract attention.  This fancy Oct 2012 is also within 2 months of the oldest McCutchens, something not to be lost on many looking to get ahead in the genomic race.  While this heifer does have outstanding DGVs, you may want to make sure that you protect her on health and fertility in each mating as her sire stack and genomic test indicate this is her biggest area for improvement.
• LOOKOUT PESCE M HONEY – Lot 8
  Mayfield x Man-O-Man x Shottle
  Honey’s dam COOKIECUTTER MOM HUE who recently scored VG-88-2YR could very well be the #1 LPI cow, or at least a top 10 LPI cow in Canada come this next round.  This Mayfield daughter has outstanding numbers including a DGV Conformation of +21.  Combine that with a family that has proven to flush well and is in demand and you have an outstanding money making machine.  Also selling are her AltaSuplex, Cobra and Epic sisters.
• WELCOME-TEL OBSERV SAINT – Lot 12
  Observer x Socrates x Boliver
  For those of you looking for something that is already milking there is Observ Saint.  From the same family as Super, Obersv Saint is a potential top 50 LPI cow in Canada.  She is fresh since January and gave 38.2 kg of 5.5%F and 3.0%P on her first test.  She has balanced breeding values, but you may want to protect her on type especially rump and dairy strength, as both her sire stack and genomic test indicate this.
• CRACKHOLM WIND HAILEY & CRACKHOLM WIND HELLO – Lot 23 & 24
  Windhammer x Baxter x Hailey
  Adding a little spice to the genomic mix are many family members of the great RF GOLDWYN HAILEY EX-97, 2012 World Dairy Expo and Royal Winter Fair Supreme Champion.  Highlighting the bunch are Wind Hailey and Wind Hello, the Windhammer daughters from the VG-86-2YR daughter of Hailey.  Given the type potency this family has proven to produce (read more.  Dominate Expo Quebec) combined with the Windhammer these heifers are sure to be impressive.

Vente Nationale de Printemps

April 3^rd – Victoriaville Quebec – More details and catalog

Held in conjunction with the Quebec Spring Show, the Vente Nationale de Printemps is certainly a sale you will not want to miss.

• SUMMERLIZ MAN O MAN LAUSYA – Lot 1
  Man-O-Man x Shottle x Champion
  This VG-2yr sells fresh since August 13.  This heifer has the potential to be a top 100 gLPI cow and comes from a family that has flushed well in the past.  While she may not be a top 10 gLPI cow, she will certainly be a great seed animal in any breeding program.
• CALBRETT NUMERO UNO BRIN – Lot 8A
  Numero Uno x Superstition x Talent
  Brin’s Dam,  Rainyridge Super Beth *RC VG-86-CAN 2yr, is the #2 *RC CTPI Cow in North America and the #3 DGV LPI *RC cow in Canada.  Combine that with the fact that Beth’s dam is none other than the great Rainyridge Talent Barbara EX-95 (Read more: Lasting Legacy -  A Tribute to Rainyridge Talent Barbara) and you have one extremely marketable package.
• MS MOVIESTAR MOGUL MIMI – Lot 16
  Mogul x Planet x Shottle
  With an extremely popular sire stack, Mimi is a sister to the hot new release sire MR MOVIESTAR MODEL from Jetstream Genetics.  The Productive Life, Health Trait blood lines of the Wesswood-HC Rudy Missy family pours the best into this heifer that is extremely balanced.  Add to that a family that flushes extremely well and you have a money making machine.
• LOOKOUT PESCE MOGUL HAPPY & LOOKOUT PESCE HONEY – Lot 11a and 11b
  Mayfield x Man-O-Man x Shottle
  Honey is a full sister to lot 8 at the Crackholm sale, so you will certainly have the opportunity to see just what these heifers are worth before sale day.  With the highest LPI heifer from Hue selling for $130,000 at the 2012 Planet Holstein Sale (Read more: The Planet Explodes at World Dairy Expo – 2012 Planet Holstein Sale Recap) and Hue herself selling for $200,000 at the Sale of Stars (Read more: Genomic Stars Shine at Sale of Stars) this is certainly a family that is in demand.
• JOLICAP MOGUL WIKITA – Lot 14
  Mogul x Observer x Shottle
  This heifer is the complete package and her 2^nd dam UFM-DUBS SHERAY EX-USA is the former #1 CTPI cow in the breed.  This heifer has outstanding balance to her index and offers an outstanding opportunity to build around that as the family has proven to flush well.
• RAYON D’OR SHAW EMILIA – Lot 19A
  Shaw x Shottle x Justice
  Talk about combining two of the hottest genomic families in the world.  On the paternal side you have the great Ammon-Peachy Shauna VG-87-2yr (Read more: Ammon-Peachy Shauna: 2012 Golden Dam Finalist and Charting the right course at Seagull Bay Dairy) and maternal side you have WABASH-WAY-I SHOTTLE EMBER VG-86 1^st Calf, dam of MR LOOKOUT P ENFORCER +3837 gPA LPI and MR LOOKOUT P EMBARGO +3467 gPA LPI.
• Other lots to watch for:
  • MS APPLES UNO ADELE – Lot 3 – Uno from KHW REGIMENT APPLE-RED
  • T-GEN-AC LAYNE RUSSIA – Lot 20 – Super Layne from the same family as Domain.
  • LOOKOUT PESCE PNDE KARMA – Lot 25 – Epic from MS C-HAVEN OMAN KOOL the extremely promising Man-O-Man daughter now housed at Bulterview Genetics.
  • STE ODILE MODEL CRISTAL – Lot 32 – Sudan Cri x from #1 GLPI Cow in Canada, LES091 BAXTER MODEL RUBIS VG-87.
  • JACOBS GOLDWYN CHARM – Lot 40 – Full sister to Robrook Goldwyn Cameron EX-92, All-Canadian & All-American 2011 & 2012, Res. Intermediate Champion 2012
  • VALLEYVILLE SANCHEZ VERNIE  – Lot 45 – Full sister to Valleyville Rae Lynn VG-892yr (Read more: The 2012 Breeder’s Choice Awards – Tanbark Trail Edition and Quality Holsteins – Well Deserved Congratulations )

The Quest for Success Sale

March 22^nd – Marion WI, USA – More details and catalog

Not wanting to  focus only on Canada there are also some great opportunities to be had south of the border.  Leading the way is The Quest for Success Sale hosted by Bella-View Holsteins.

• T-GEN-AC MOGUL LYANNA – Lot 66
  Mogul x Observer x Socrates
  Catching our eye pretty quickly is Lyanna with her outstanding genomic test results highlighted by her gTPI of 2421 and gLPI of 3485 and an impressive DGV LPI of 3849. With no Man-O-Man, Goldwyn, or Shottle, Lyanna certainly has a lot of options in sire selection (Read more: 12 Sires to Use in Order to Reduce Inbreeding).
• A&M-BUSHMAN SUNBURN-RED – Lot R1
  Contender x Advent x Skychief
  Wanting to have something for everyone this sale also has a nice selection of red animals on offer.  Highlighted by A&M-BUSHMAN SUNBURN the HM All-American Red and White spring calf and maternal sister to the 4x All-American, MD-Hillbrook Sunburst-Red-ET EX-92.
• GOLDEN-OAKS COLT POPPY-RED *PP – Lot R15
  Colt-P x Mitey P x Redliner
  For those of you looking for something a little different there is GOLDEN-OAKS COLT POPPY-RED the homozygous polled Colt-P from the Perk Rae Family (2012 Golden Dam Finalist).
• Other lots to watch for
  • L-L-M-DAIRY S S PHAWN – LOT 2 – gTPI +2476 gLPI +3178 DGV +3343
  • WEBB-VUE CAMERON 6611 – Lot 3 – •#5 GTPI Cameron daughter
  • REGANCREST MOGUL DANCER Lot 26 – GTPI +2366 GLPI +2939/ DGV +3293
  • T-GEN-AC MOGUL ROSSI – Lot 63 – GTPI +2384 GLPI +3015/ DGV +3223, Dam is a maternal sister to the dam of Lot 1 DE-SU 1912 in the Crackholm sale.

Tag Sale at Co-Vale

March 19-25 Preble NY, USA -  More details and catalog

Continuing on from the success of the 2012 Co-Vale tag sale, the following lots that caught our eye.

• First North American Choice form Decrausaz Iron O’Kalibra*RC EX-94-SW – Lot B
  Certainly catching our eye for a long while now has been O’Kalibra (Read more: The All European Championship Show: The greatest SHOW on earth and Decrausaz Iron O’Kalibra Wins Grand at the 2013 All European Championship).  Not only is O’Kalibra one of the greatest show cows in the world today but she also comes from an outstanding pedigree.  She is from the same family as Dudoc Mr. Burns and Granduc Tribute.  This calf will be the 1^st heifers available from O’Kalibra available here in North America.
• Also catching our eye are:
  • Lot A Choice of full sisters to 2012 All American 4yr old T-Triple-T Gold Prize EX-92
  • Lot 18 MD-Dun-Loafin Lau Elly-  Full sister to MD-Dun-Loafin Lauth Elli All-Canadian & American Fall Calf 2012
  • Lot 28 Jacobs Sid Beauty – Pine-Tree Sid from Jacobs Goldwyn Brittany EX-95, 1st 4yr-old Royal Winter Fair 2011

Milk Source Tag Event

March 22^nd – 23^rd Kaukauna WI, USA -  More details and catalog

For those of you wanting to get a little color with your show ring winners there is certainly the Milk Source Tag Event highlighted by Blondin Redman Seisme (2 Time WDE and RAWF R&W White Grand Champion), Budjon-Nitzy Destiny Red and Dupasquier Contender Whitney.

The Franchise Kind II

March 25^th Syracuse NY, USA – More details and catalog

If red and white Holsteins are not enough, or you prefer Jersey, you certainly do not want to miss the 3^rd installment of the Franchise Kind sale.  Highlighted this year by Page-Crest Excition Karlie (All-Canadian Senior 2-Year-Old 2012), Woodsview Excitation Tracy (2nd Jr 2yr old WDE’11 and 3rd Jr 2yr old RAW ’11) and South Mountain Socrates Lavish (Show results) this sale is certainly going to be one of the top Jersey sales of the year.  Watch tomorrow for interview with sale co-manager Dusty Schirm.

Canadian National Convention Sale – Taste of Ontario

April 10^th Ancaster Ontario, Canada – More details and catalog

Rounding out the major spring sales is the Taste of Ontario sale held in conjunction with the Canadian National Convention.  Highlights include daughters of many of the great show winners including

• Lot 1 – MS APPLES UNO ASPIRE – Uno from KHW REGIMENT APPLE-RED
• Lot 4 – DUCKETT-SA WNDBRK FUJITA – Windbrook from HARVUE ROY FROSTY
• Lot 5 – JACOBS GOLDWYN CANDY – Full sister to Robrook Goldwyn Cameron VG-87 2Yr, All-Canadian & All-American 2011 & 2012
• Lot 6 – BOULET WINDBROOK CLOTY – Windbrook x Boulet Goldwyn Chalou EX-95 2E 2*, Champion Bred & Owned WDE, Madison 2012 H.M. All-Canadian 2012, Res. All-American 2012
• Lot 8 – QUALITY MOGUL FIXI – Mogul x Shottle x Goldwyn x Quality B C Frantisco EX-96 3E 18*, Supreme Champion 2004 & 2005, believed to be the highest index member of the Frantisco family

The Bullvine Bottom Line

With all the excitement around a new year, it is easy to get caught up and make investments that you may regret later.  It is always best to do your homework and invest wisely.  These lots are the ones that caught our eye and are sure to help spur on the spring sale madness.

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Early in my working career, working as a dairy cattle improvement specialist, I was invited to take part in a dairy producer education day with the theme of “Which is your most profitable cow?” That morning program had been organized by an Agriculture Agent in an area not far from my home farm. This effective educator had had a long career as a County Agent, specializing in farm bookkeeping and the use of records on the farm. His plan for the day was to have a variety of speakers who would bring varying points of view on cows that could make a profit. The day had over 150 people in attendance. He had done a good job of getting the crowd out. He wanted producers to go home with ideas on genetics, feeding, management and record keeping. I, personally, learned a great deal from the points of view shared by both the speakers and the crowd.

Is it the show kind?

The lead-off speaker was a well known showman who two years previously had purchased a tall, deep bodied, sharp chined, good uddered four year old cow with feet and legs that were not the best. He had worked with the cow to get her to walk just right in order for her not to show off her questionable feet and legs. He had done such a good job that the previous year she had been Grand Champion at the Royal, All Canadian and eventually her daughters would also do very well at Madison. Everyone in the crowd knew what he had paid for the cow, as she’d been purchased at a public auction. So the excellent showman and cow developer described how he would be able to sell sons of her to AI and daughters and granddaughters to foreign countries. That for him was his most profitable cow, yet for the vast majority in the crowd they could not personally identify with this showman. Buying cows in the rough and developing them was not in their expertise. The speaker did not get any questions.

Is it the balanced kind?

The next speaker was the sire analyst from a successful AI coop, who had recently been designated as an Official Judge and who would go on to be a very successful international dairy cattle judge. He spoke about bulls that can consistently sire daughters that can win in the show ring and at home can produce very good volumes of milk with a minimum of 3.8% butterfat. His speech mainly dealt with how a sire analyst uses his knowledge to search the breed office records before he goes on-farm to check out all members of the family of young sires already on the ground and that could pass health tests to enter into the young sire sampling program. Many in the crowd were interested in his presentation as dairy cattle breeders always want to know who the next hot bull is. However the producers present did not go away with any gems of knowledge on which would be the bull they should start using. Balancing strengths and limitations gives an average but not necessarily profit.

Is it the index kind?

At that time, nearly four decades ago, cow indexes for production traits had just been produced by genetic researchers and were starting to be used by some early adopters. So the third speaker was a recent college graduate whose family farm had decided to invest in two cow families that had placed cows at or near the top of the index list. This speaker, although not long in the tooth as a cattle breeder, was eager, entertaining and informative on what he had learned in buying into the cow families. He spoke of BLUP and the need to treat all cows in a herd in a like manner for accurate indexing. However few in the crowd comprehended the value or benefit of cow indexing or how that could be translated into cow profitability. From the questions asked of this speaker, it was obvious that there were more doubters than believers in the crowd. By the way, this speaker through sound business and breeding decisions and the use of ET has developed an excellent herd of high performing cows earning him a Master Breeder designation. But, on that day, his speech did not resonate with the crowd on what should be their most profitable cow.

Can you use a pencil to calculate?

I was the fourth speaker on the program. Newly out of graduate school where I had developed the “Dollar Difference Guide to Dairy Sire Selection” I was to speak about that new listing service. I focused my presentation on how to use the guide when selecting proven bulls to produce profitable cows. The formula was similar to the present day Net Merit index only it did not include traits beyond milk and fat. The Dollar Difference would eventually be replaced by the Canadian LPI system for ranking both males and females. I received many questions both in support and questioning how dairy cattle could be bred using just numbers and not the human eye. In fact the crowd all on their own debated the merits of selecting for yield only, selecting for the balanced Canadian kind or the merits of selecting only for the recently adopted Canadian Holstein true type model. To say the least I learned much that day about delivering a speech, about getting the crowd involved in the discussion and how to react as a speaker to both support and criticism. Yet, in the end, I likely did not help producers when they went home to breed profitable cows.

What works in the barn?

The final speaker was a quiet middle aged man, who dairy farmed locally with his wife. They milked thirty cows in an older tie stall barn, having taken over the farm when his father had been killed in a farm accident. They were raising a family of five very bright children, two of whom were already in university. They were devoted pupils of the county agent’s farm records and bookkeeping club. I had heard many in the crowd during the coffee break time question what this man could bring to the crowd as he seldom attended cattle shows, their children’s 4H calves were always at the bottom of the class, he did not attend breed meetings and they only owned a few purebred cows. He started his speech with an explanation of how people learn and then proceed to describe his most profitable cow. She always stood in the same stall at the far end of the barn. It had a steel plate as the floor over the stable cleaners. She was a purebred Holstein classified Good 76, milked ten percent below the herd average, gave milk of 5% butterfat, ate mainly the feed swept to her that the other cows did not eat, never kicked, was loved by his children, first calved at 24 months, conceived every time on first AI service, had never seen the vet, never had mastitis and was now 72 months old milking in her fifth lactation. Well the crowd, almost laughing, thought he was joking. He wasn`t! For him she was his most profitable cow. Obviously the county agent had selected him to speak because his views were different from what all of the breed, DHI and AI recommendations would be and from what the other speakers thought to be the most profitable cow.

Lesson learned?

At the end of the day, I spoke with many producers present and the buzz was about the final speaker. They remarked on how he had made the day beneficial for them because he had shared real life practical experience with them. His way of farming meant breeding cattle, raising a family and that cows were present on farms to bring financial returns to the farm and not just to look pretty. These were all points I heard mentioned by the crowd. Yes profit is in the eye of the beholder. Dairy cows exist to feed the world. And yes every cow does not fit every dairyman’s view of the most profitable cow.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Every farmer and every farm has their own individual situation. One type of cow is not the most profitable for everyone. But it is important that every cattle breeder takes the time to decide which, for them personally, is the most profitable cow. And then it’s equally important that they take the next step and breed for that type of cow. Your reality is the source for your profit..

What has your experience been?  Please share in comments box below.

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Over the past year there have been prices in excess of $200,000 dollars paid for high indexing genomic heifers.  For many breeders the changes that have resulted from the higher reliability that genomics provides has prompted them to invest “the farm” when it comes to buying into these potential cash cows.  However, where to invest your money and which animals are worth it and which ones are not can be a very risky proposition.  With that in mind, we compiled the following recommendations

Making the short list

While purchasing the #1 GLPI heifer may provide you with the greatest chance of getting a top cow, it is not a guarantee.  In looking at the top 10 GLPI heifers, you notice an interesting range with most having an LPI of 3200 to 3400 points, but there are some that have GLPI’s of 2300 to 2500.  You don’t have to buy into the very top of the list, but it does make it easier. Similar is true for the GTPI list as well.  Though it’s highly recommended that you purchase a heifer who has DGV’s higher than her parent average.

LYLEHAVEN LILA Z EX-94-CAN 9*

There are also cow families that seem to be increase significantly generation after generation.  One such family is the world renowned Lila Z family.  While Lila Z herself is only 1165 GLPI, descendants are currently the #1 GLPI heifer and #1 GLPI bull.  That is because generation after generation in this family seems to come to the top.  This means that you can consider purchasing embryos or heifers from animals that have a GLPI of about 2900+ or 2000 GTPI if it is a family that has proven to produce much higher genomic progeny generation after generation. But be careful don’t assume that they all will.  Check the family history.

AMMON-PEACHEY SHAUNA VG-87-2YR-USA

Lesson:  While purchasing at the top provides you with the greatest potential it is worth taking the time to see how your choice stands up generation after generation.  Certain cow families like Lylehaven Lila Z and Ammon-Peachey Shauna seem to consistently put out high genomic descendants.

Never Under Estimate the Power of the Stack

When it comes to providing the greatest reliability for your investment, nothing compares to looking at the sire stack.  One thing I have learned from your tried and true breeders is whether you are breeding for index or show cattle, nothing beats a good sire stack.  Proven sires have a much higher reliability than genetic predictors do.  A heifer’s sire stack is a great way to eliminate the hothouse effect (for more check out it’s in her genes…).

Lesson:  When investing in dairy cattle it can often be buyer beware, a great way to mitigate the risk when purchasing into cow families that you are not familiar with is to look at their sire stack.

Flush History

Nothing can make or break an investment in genomic heifers like a poor flush history.  You will make or break the bank depending on how well they flush.  As the numbers show in What comes first the chicken or the egg?  There really is no comparison when it comes to the most important factor in the profitability of your genetic and embryo programs.  In fact, for each embryo flush where a donor is able to produce over 10 eggs per flush, you will typically see 24% greater return on your investment.  It takes a rare case (1 in a million) to have a cow that flushes less than seven embryos per flush to be a profitable investment.

Lesson: as much as you spend a great deal of time researching the pedigree and looking at your potential purchase’s conformation, there really is nothing more important than her own and her family’s historical flush ability.  Take the time to make sure that the animal you are considering will be able to flush 7+ embryos per time.  If you are not sure they will, or there isn’t an available flush history on the family (strongly maternal) wait.  Look for a new animal.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

With big dollars being spent on top genomic heifers, and even more breeders wanting to get into investing in top genomic heifers, taking the time to do your homework is very important.  Investing in the correct families which have generation after generation of proven genetics can save you future headaches.  Taking the time to make sure that they are able to produce significant numbers of embryos can make you a great deal of money.  (To learn more about his read 6 Ways to Invest $50,000 in Dairy Cattle Genetics). Take the time to consider these factors and you will see the reward for it.

What has your experience been?  Please share in comments box below.

Not sure how much to spend on that great 2 year old?
Want to make sure you are investing your money wisely?
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As hints of summer start to make their mark on farms and fields across Canada, future farmers look forward to the end of another school year, however, school is always in, when it comes to breeding cattle. There is always something new to be learned by those who want to move to the head of the class. How many checkmarks have you got on your breeding report card?

MAPEL WOOD SHOTTLE LILI VG-88-2YR-CAN

Gary Hazeleger of Hanalee Holsteins,  has 20/20 vision when he looks back on the success he and fellow-investors, Hazbro and Darcroft, have had since purchasing Mapel Wood Shottle Lili in 2010 at the International Intrigue Sale, hosted by Mapel Wood.

6 Dairy Cattle Investment Secrets

1. Investing in cattle is not for the faint of heart.
   For most of us, it helps to analyze the success achieved by others and see what, if anything, applies to our own particular situation. Gary Hazeleger of Embro Ontario accepts the always changing aspect of cattle breeding. He notes that “Although Genomics has added a new measure of confidence to decision making, there is still nothing that guarantees a 100% sure thing when you’re investing in cattle.”
2. Identify the most correct animal.
   Gary starts the report card on Lili by describing his own first impression of her. “I remember seeing her as a baby calf and thinking that she was the most correct calf in the sale. She was a little bit small to show as a calf but still very correct.” With his interest aroused, he goes on to explain what sealed the deal. “It didn’t hurt that both Comestar Goldwyn Lilac and Lylehaven Lila Zhad been two of my favorite cows over the past few years. So a few of us got together and decided to purchase Lili.”
   

   COMESTAR GOLDWYN LILAC VG-89-5YR-CAN

   

   LYLEHAVEN LILA Z EX-94-CAN 9*

    

3. Expect a true winner to be a hard worker too.
   In the dairy business, it’s counterproductive if you have to baby your genetic leaders. Gary Hazeleger had no such problems after deciding to go with Shottle Lili. “Of course, the last two years have confirmed that this was the right decision. Lili is amazing to work with. She just does her thing every day. She milks a lot, doesn’t get sick and stands there looking great all day long. She is a real pet in the barn.” Who could ask for anything more? Nobody. But this VG-88 2 year old goes above and beyond ordinary. “She is a tremendous dairy cow with an amazing udder and a perfect set of feet and legs. As for production she is really using up a good chunk of the quota we have right now. Her 2 year old projections are 305d 14929 5.4F 951 3.1P 501 (BCA 375 657 398). She had 6.8% butterfat on her last test.”
4. Learn to Deal with the Repercussions.
   Is there a downside to all this investment success? “Yes!” says Hazeleger. “She makes staying under quota very difficult.” And, wouldn’t you know, this overachiever doesn’t stop there. “We have only flushed her once in her first lactation and she produced 16 eggs by Lauthority.” Of course, this is having a very positive impact on Hazeleger’s herd. “Whenever you have a young cow such as Lili in your barn, it makes you more excited to get up in the morning and also brings more interest into the rest of your herd. It seems that it’s almost every day that someone new wants to stop in and see her and, while they’re visiting, they see all the other cows as well.”
5. Spread the Good News
   Hazeleger confirms that the interest goes well beyond the immediate area of Embro. “We have had a lot of interest in Lili from all over the world. Some of the countries include United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, United States and also Canada. Ten eggs from Lili’s first flush were sold to the UK.” All this interest is starting to focus on her progeny, which now includes two December 2011 Lauthority bulls and her February 2012 natural heifer by Pine-Tree Sid.
6. Share the Secret of Your Success
   It certainly seems that his experience with Lili has put Gary Hazeleger in a great position to offer advice to breeders who are looking to purchase top genetics. “My advice would be to stick to good cow families and heifers that are sired by good bulls. With genomics now moving so quickly there are cows and bulls that come and go, but the good proven families always keep coming back such as the Lila Z’s, the Gypsy Grands and the Laurie Sheiks.”

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Only time will tell if Lili’s successful report card can be repeated but Gary thinks you can raise the odds of making the grade if you study two complimentary indicators – genomics and physical traits – that worked in her case:
“You need to purchase animals that not only have high genomics but ones that also are very correct in their physical traits.” Gary Hazeleger

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Whether the topic is stocks, real estate or cattle breeding, it is important to do your homework and capitalize on the information available to you. That is what Dominique and Kathy Merminod owner operators of Misty Springs Holsteins did with their best investment decision to date. “Investing in Willsona Freelance Sizzle at the Gen-I-Beq sale has certainly been the most profitable.”

MISTY SPRINGS SHOTTLE SILK EX-90-4YR-USA, NOM. ALL-AMERICAN SR.2-YR 2008, FORMER #1 LPI COW

Look at Pedigrees from Both Sides of the Family

Profits are the obvious measure of success for any area of investing but the Merminods of Little Britain Ontario add. “The investment into the Aldonhill Brilliance Red family has been the most consistently rewarding investment. This would be both on the male and female side of the equation.”  This double payback is a recurring theme when the couple report on the successes they have achieved.  “Consistent breeding patterns within the family both on the maternal and paternal side of the pedigree are important to us. From the animal themselves we look for a good balance of dairy strength and open rib.”

MISTY SPRINGS MB BRIGHTER RED VG-87-3YR-CAN, #3 LPI RW COW IN CANADA

Learn from the Past … avoid the “If Only” regrets   

The learning curve in cattle investing is steep. Occasionally you assess where you stand and perhaps think of modifications you might wish you’d made. The Merminods look at their investments analytically. “There aren’t really any of them that we wish we could have back. Every one of them has taught us something along the way and has had an impact on the decisions that we make today. We were runner up bidder on embryos from an Online embryo sale from Diamond Genetics. If we had only bid higher, we could have had animals from Snowman’s family very early.”  Experience builds the confidence to take those risks.

The Right Partners …. A Marriage Made in Heaven

Some cattle investors mitigate the risk involved by working with partners. “We do so cautiously” is how Kathy and Dominique assess their philosophy in this area. “If we are working with partners, we look for someone who is like-minded and shares the same breeding goals that we have.” This husband and wife team sums it up in their own terms. “The problem with partners is that it is very much like a marriage without the benefits that keep it exciting!”

The View From the Far Side of Genomics

Genomics has had a tremendous impact on the industry.  The Merminods explain their approach. “We use Genomics as we would any other tool. We still look for consistency within the family and a balance of type and production. Genomics gives us an opportunity to increase the tools that we have at our disposal to make the selections for heifers and in selecting bulls to use. We don’t rely strictly on the numbers or select for only a few select traits. For us, balance and consistency are still of paramount importance.  The industry is still in the early stages of learning how to use genomic information and there are many mistakes to make along the way. It will be interesting to see what the next few years bring. We feel that using strictly young sires to stack numbers is not the way to go and could end up costing the industry as a whole and set the industry back in its breeding advances. We feel that there will be a shift of emphasis from health traits back to conformation because it seems that with the emphasis the way it currently is, and the numbers coming in the way we see them coming, we are going to lose in the area of conformation.”

Insider Tips

The potential for investing in dairy cattle is growing every day.  The Merminods have advice for new breeders who are starting to invest. “Look for an animal whose family transmits both on the female and male side of the pedigree. Chose an animal that you can breed from. Don’t be afraid to purchase the sister with the second highest genomics, she may the one who transmits. Make sure that the investment isn’t more then you can afford to lose.”

THE BULLVINE BOTTOM LINE

“There has been a shift in focus to health traits and genomic information. The average cow today is the equivalent of what would have been considered to be the highest level in past years. Make sure you do your homework and really examine all aspects of the pedigree.”  Dominique and Kathy Merminod, Misty Springs Holsteins

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The complete package can mean different things to different people. Yvon Chabot, President and General Manager of Cormdale Exports Ltd., has  many years of experience in the dairy industry judging, investing and working in sales. For him, the complete package must include type, pedigree and genomic potential.

 1. TYPE

At the top of Chabot’s list is type. “She doesn’t need to have show type, if it is an animal with numbers, but she needs to have good functional type, good feet and legs, good udder promise, width to her and a solid top line. She needs to be showing good development for her age.”

 2. PEDIGREE

CALBRETT SHOTTLE LISAMAREE VG-89-4YR-CAN 2*

“Pedigree and sire line up” are second on Yvon’s criteria for a complete package. As an example, Yvon points to a purchase he made in February 2008 with Ferme Fleury of Victoriaville in Quebec. “We purchased Calbrett Shottle Lisamaree. She was a promising fresh two year old out of Shottle, who was emerging as a superstar with his second crop.” The investment has been very good. “We have sold daughters for top dollars, sold nearly 100 embryos and over 12 sons to AI. She is due now for her third calf and we hope to get her EX after she calves.”  Type and pedigree in the same package.

 3.  GENOMIC POTENTIAL

“In the past, I would have liked to buy milking young cows out of the hot sire of the moment. That is what happened when we bought Lisamaree.” But that was before genomics. In the changing marketplace, Yvon responds to new demands. “Now, most of the genetic business is done with virgin heifers in order to produce the next generation of high indexing animals. Now, I would say, that heifers between 4-8 months would be the age group where I would like to buy into.” Young sires with high genomics are used extensively in flushing. Everybody wants to have the #1 heifer/bull of the next generation.

YOU KNOW YOUR COWS.  IT’S TIME TO KNOW YOURSELF.

• Do your own homework
  You’ve heard it before, but Yvon says it again. “Look at sales reports from the last 6-12 months, to see which cow families, which offspring of which bull and what level of indexes bring top dollars .This will give you an indication   of the possible returns on potential investments. Talk to merchandisers, export agents and AI people to gather as much information as possible on cow families, what sires are being used and so on.
• Be patient
  Don’t expect your investment to be paid for in full within six months. Think long term. Sometimes, if flush performance is not great it may take longer to see a return. You might not be able to move too many embryos, but, with time, merchandising live offspring could make your investment valuable.

The COMPLETE PACKAGE.  The GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING.

LYLEHAVEN LILA Z EX-94-CAN 9*

It is a proud day when everything you’re looking for comes together in one animal as it did for Chabot and his partners when they purchased Lylehaven Lila Z. “We purchased her the week after I had placed her at the Royal Winter Fair in 2002. It was kind of special as it was the first significant investment I was making on my own. She had been purchased with Gen-I-Beq group and Mary Inn Holsteins.” She went on to perform, winning the All-Canadian title in the Junior Yearling class. “We later sold Lila Z for a significant amount of money to Albert Cormier and Genervations a few months before she was due with her first calf.” For Chabot, Lila Z’s impact did not end with her sale. Yvon bought her daughter at the Comestar Sale in 2006. “I invested in Comestar Goldwyn Lava, the Goldwyn daughter of Lila Z along with Groupe Gen-I-Beq and a friend from France Frédéric Lepoint. We still own Lava. She has been a great donor and has become a great brood cow. We have been able to merchandise over 100 embryos from her and she has over 20 sons in AI around the world, many offspring have been sold for good money and we are working with her daughters .Her son Lavaman has been the top GLPI bull for a couple of proof rounds.” Lila Z certainly represents investing in the complete package.

COMESTAR GOLDWYN LAVA VG-87-2YR-CAN

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Success in cattle investing happens when you find the total package: “Lila Z wrote an impressive story. I am proud to be part of it.” Yvon Chabot

Not sure how much to spend on that great 2 year old?
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