June Dairy Month Photo-A-Day Challenge Wrap-up

Thanks to everyone for sending in such great photos to celebrate June Dairy Month! We really enjoyed seeing the love you all have for this fabulous industry.

Get To Know Genex Reproductive Program Senior Technician, Kristie Laverdiere!

Genex is proud of its hard working employees. This month as we celebrate Dairy Month, we are going to feature just a few of our outstanding staff members.

Today we introduce you to Reproductive Program Senior Technician, Kristie Laverdiere from Connecticut.

How did you get involved with Genex, and what is your role?

I rode with an old friend who was a breeding program specialist when I was in college. A few months later she asked if I was interested in a job. Soon after  I was booked to head to training in Shawano! I started out breeding that summer and part time through my last semester of college at SUNY Cobleskill and became a full-time employee December 2013.

How does it feel to be part of the dairy industry?

Extremely rewarding. The people that make up this industry are everything to me. Creating relationships with some of the most genuine and hardest working people out there holds a great deal of value to me and makes my job as a technician very enjoyable.

What’s one thing you take pride in as a Genex team member?

It is a great feeling to work for one of the most well-known and respected cooperatives in the industry.

Favorite go-to sire right now? Why?

1HO10458 DAY. He is filling his father, SUPER’s, shoes very well. He is a great general crowd-pleaser for many of my herds. He is also reasonably priced, while having plenty of potential to improve milk production and traits promoting longevity.

Do you have a funny or memorable experience you would like to share from your time as a Genex employee?

About a year ago I picked up a new farm that was fairly new to A.I. One of the farm hands asked me if I needed a radio to play something romantic. He was dead serious, I still laugh about it to this day.

White, chocolate or strawberry milk?

Chocolate

Favorite ice cream flavor?

Coffee 

Thank you Kristie for all that you do for your Genex members and customers! 

Meet Genex Regional Account Consultant, Megan Weigel!

Genex is proud of its hard working employees. This month as we celebrate Dairy Month, we are going to feature just a few of our outstanding staff members.

Today we introduce you to Megan Weigel from Wisconsin.

How did you get involved with Genex, and what is your role?

I got involved with Genex through the University of Wisconsin-River Falls training. I was then hired as a Tech Specialist. I am currently a Regional Account Consultant. I work with farms 500 cows or more. I focus on reproduction and genetics.

How does it feel to be part of the dairy industry?

It’s great to work with people who care for their animals and the land.

What’s one thing you take pride in as a Genex team member?

That everyone pitches in with one goal in mind-to keep the farms happy.

Favorite go-to sire right now? Why?

1HO10396 CABRIOLET-because of his superior production, components, and smaller stature.

Do you have a funny or memorable experience you would like to share from your time as a Genex employee?

The first time I bred a cow I was telling her to whoa. Not that she understood me but it made me feel better J

White, chocolate or strawberry milk? 

Chocolate

Favorite ice cream flavor? 

Cake batter

Thank you Megan for all that you do for Genex and its members and customers!

Getting A Little Cheesy

By Brenda Brady, CRI Communications Specialist

June is, of course, Dairy Month. This year I wanted to celebrate by focusing on cheese. I do, after all, live in Wisconsin! In fact, cheese is served alone, in or on most of my meals (Just trying to make Dairy Carrie proud!). After being with our family for less than a week our exchange student even made a comment about how much cheese we eat.

But I didn’t want this celebration to be any ordinary Dairy Month cheese-fest; I was feeling adventurous. A quick stop at the specialty cheese section in my local grocery store gave me the idea. I decided to pick new cheeses I had never cooked with before, find recipes and share the results.

Gruyére

My first selection was a Swiss Le Gruyére. I found a recipe for croque madame with crispy ham and went with it. 

While my photo didn't turn out as well as the one on the recipe site (Food photographers are amazing!), it was a good, cheesy breakfast sandwich. I'm not sure I would make it again though, as it made a lot of dishes, and we are not big on washing dishes at our house!

Manchego

I recently learned latin-type cheeses are the fastest growing segment of the cheese market in the U.S., and I've seen Food Network's Aarón Sanchez advertising for this brand, so I picked it up. After looking at the Cacique website, I determined Manchego would be great for quesadillas. Mmmmmm, it was a whole lot of melty goodness. My five year old said it was, "delish." I guess that means this one stays in my meal repertoire!  

MontAmoré

Working off of the success of my kid-friendly quesadilla, I tried a MontAmoré macaroni and cheese recipe. The label says, "Like a new romance, this sweet, creamy and fruity cheese finishes with a playful bite. Prepare to fall in love." While I didn't fall in love, I thought it had a great flavor and was a nice addition to the basic mild cheddar flavor of my regular recipe. 

Plus, with the exception of half and half, the recipe used things I always have on hand.

I would say it, too, was a winner with my kids (and husband).

Gorgonzola

Then I decided to get a little crazy and tried a Gorgonzola pasta recipe. While it didn't turn out as bad as I had thought, it wasn't my favorite flavor in the world. The acidic aftertaste was a little too refined for my palate. I went off of a Taste of Home recipe and added a few halved grape tomatoes (I have to sneak the veggies in where I can.) as well. 

Queso Blanco

I have to confess, I cheated a little with my last cheese choice. This is not one I have never cooked with before, and it is not really a recipe. It is just pure cheese goodness that I had to share. If you have never tried fried cheese, it's time you got out that oil and indulged a little.

Here's how you make this super easy appetizer. Start out with any flavor of Queso Blanco cheese (My favorite is with Jalapenos). Cut it into one inch cubes. Submerge the cubes in oil that has been heated to about 350° F. Cook them until they are golden brown. Don't try this with just any cheese though! Queso Blanco has a high melting point and can take the hot oil. Most other cheeses will just leave you with a gooey mess. 

What cheeses do you like to cook with? Do you have any recipes you would like to share? Leave a message in the comments section below.

Happy Dairy Month – make it a cheesy one!

Genex Announces Youth Jersey Contest Winners

By Leah James, U.S. Jersey Marketing Advisor, Genex

This July, Genex and the Jersey Journal teamed up to bring you a special issue of the Jersey Journal highlighting the Genex story and promoting the growth of the Jersey breed. Along with it, we held a contest for youth with Jersey interests. Youth ages 8 to 21 were asked to answer the question, “How does the next Jersey Generation look in your eyes?” We received some great entries and would like to share the winning entries with you!

1st Place
Cassie Bohnert, age 8 of Bohnert Jerseys, Illinois


2nd Place

Libby Voss, age 13 of Minnesota, pictured in "Me and My Jersey Beatrice"

“I have bought my own registered Jerseys, and I love showing them! I honestly wouldn't change anything about the next Jersey generation. I love Jerseys just the way they are - their personality is hilarious, they are super fun to be around, they are gorgeous, and they need to be more recognized by farmers! Many farmers don't appreciate Jerseys because they are all into them big ol’ Holsteins! I feel like the next Jersey generation should be more popular. Farmers need to realize how important Jerseys really are. They are very beautiful creatures and need to be in every herd all over the U.S.”

Congratulations and thanks for participating!  #TheJerseyGeneration

Improving Dairy Income Over Feed Cost

By Kim Egan, DVM, National Account Senior Consultant, Genex

"Income over feed cost is one of the efficiency benchmarks routinely analyzed by lenders," reports Kurt Petik of Rabo AgriFinance. Obviously, our cows need a good quality, readily-available ration to maintain health and productivity. So, in addition to analyzing ration components, what other tools can help improve income over feed cost long-term?

Let's consider feed costs. A readily-available, good quality ration is essential. Many producers have looked at the benefits of small-breed cows for feed efficiency, especially with limits on land availability. The Genex Ideal Commercial Cow index (ICC$) also selects for more moderate body size with weightings for marginal feed costs and body condition score.

The Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle 2001 formula for estimating dry matter intakes considers body weight as larger cows require more and increased production raises dry matter intakes. Jim Linn from the Department of Animal Science at the University of Minnesota simplified these effects in his article "Energy in the 2001 Dairy NRC: Understanding the System." He states that a difference of 100 kg of body weight changes dry matter intake by 1.5 kg per day. This equates to 220 lbs of body weight changing dry matter intake by 3.3 lbs given the same production, or 110 lbs of body weight changing dry matter intake by 1.65 lbs per day.

In terms of feed cost, how much difference can 110 lbs of body weight make? Let's use $0.07 as the cost per pound of dry matter. A 1,000-cow herd of 1,500 lb Holsteins consumes an average of 52 lbs/head/day on a dry matter basis. This would cost $3,640 per day. If the same herd had an average body weight of 1,390 lbs, the requirement for intake would decrease to 50.35 lbs dry matter/head/day, costing $3,524 per day. That small difference in body weight would save $42,340 per year on this 1,000-cow example herd. Another benefit is the ability to feed more cows with the same land base.

Can cows with lower genetic stature produce as well? Simply, yes. The graph below depicts average energy-corrected milk production from 629 second lactation and greater cows from a single herd (same housing, same milking routine, same ration). All cows had estimated sire genetic milk between 0-200 and were between 40-305 days in milk.

These medium-sized cows get a blue-ribbon for efficiency. Talk to your Genex representative if you'd like to discuss the ICC$ index or look at the effects of stature in your herd.

Get to know Genex Reproductive Program Senior Technician, Ryan Rosenow

Genex is proud of its hard working employees. This month as we celebrate Dairy Month, we are going to feature just a few of our outstanding staff members.

Today we introduce you to Ryan Rosenow from Wisconsin. Ryan started working for Genex about two years ago and is a Reproductive Program Senior Technician.

How does it feel to be part of the dairy industry? 

Being part of the dairy industry is exciting and challenging because of the ups and downs the industry faces with fluctuating markets.  Working with farmers, on the other hand, has always been enjoyable.

What’s one thing you take pride in as a Genex team member?
As a Genex team member, I take pride in fulfilling each individual producer's goals and in attention to detail.  I've come to realize that if you give it an honest effort, the producer is more than satisfied and will be glad to have you back.

Favorite go-to sire right now? Why?
My go-to sire at the moment is 1HO10648 PUZZLE.  PUZZLE has steadily had solid numbers and is now daughter-proven. He is priced right and settles cows well.

Do you have a funny or memorable experience you would like to share from your time as a Genex employee?
A memorable experience that has stayed with me happened on one of my first days on the job.  I was providing relief in an area north of Shawano, Wisconsin, when I needed to stop for gas.  With an empty tank, I realized I had forgotten my wallet at home.  My wife had to run my wallet 40 miles to me.  She wasn't happy!

White, chocolate or strawberry milk?
My favorite milk is "whole" chocolate, not 1%.

Favorite ice cream flavor? 

My favorite ice cream is Cherry Nut.

Thank you Ryan for your dedication to your customers. Hopefully your wife hasn't had to make any more trips to bring you money!

Spend a moment getting to know Genex Reproductive Program Senior Technician, Megan Zeman!

Genex is proud of its hard working employees. This month as we celebrate Dairy Month, we are going to feature just a few of our outstanding staff members.

Today we introduce you to Megan Zeman from Wisconsin. 

How did you get involved with Genex, and what is your role?

I started working for Genex two days after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in spring of 2012. I was hired as a Tech Specialist. I am currently a Reproductive Program Senior Technician. I work in two area teams where I grew up in northeastern Wisconsin. I am the team leader, along with Chris Kinnard, for team 214108. I took on more responsibility after Chris Kinnard took on the role as Territory Sales Manager in the spring of 2014. I take care of the scheduling, provide sales support for Chris, and select bulls for our MAP customers along with the routine service our teams provide.

How does it feel to be part of the dairy industry?

I love being a part of the dairy industry. I grew up on a dairy farm, and always knew I wanted to continue in this industry. Being involved with Genex and on my family’s dairy farm as well as other organizations has allowed me to keep strong ties with the dairy industry in more than one facet. The dairy industry can seem so large, but in reality, it’s a close-knit group of wonderful people, and I can’t imagine my life without it.

What’s one thing you take pride in as a Genex team member?

I really take pride in the fact that our company is so progressive. From the different indexes developed to the great products we offer, Genex is always thinking ahead. I love being able to offer our customers bulls (& products) that will help fulfill the goals of their individual dairies.

Favorite go-to sire right now? Why?

I have been using a lot of 1HO10738 JITTERBUG lately because of his low calving ease and good fertility numbers.

Do you have a funny or memorable experience you would like to share from your time as a Genex employee?

There was a meeting in Shawano, Wisconsin, one evening for one of my teams. I had taken my personal/non-work car up to Shawano a little early so that I could talk to someone in the office. I had some time to kill before the meeting, so I thought I would go look around at Tractor Supply. When I went to leave the CRI parking lot, my car would not shift out of park. Long story short, my husband brought the truck and trailer up to load up the car, and we had to use some sleeve lube that Territory Sales Manager Jeff Fischer had in his truck to help make sliding the car up the planks and onto the trailer a little easier. The fact we were using sleeve lube was the funny part, the $700 I paid to have the problem with the car found and fixed was not!

White, chocolate or strawberry milk? 

Chocolate

Favorite ice cream flavor?

Cookies n Cream

Thank you Megan for everything you do for Genex and your customers. And I'm hoping Jeff didn't overcharge you for the sleeve lube!

Improving Genetics Impacts Fresh Cow Issues

By Kim Egan, DVM, National Account Senior Consultant, Genex 

There have been a lot of presentations, articles and discussion in the last few years about genetic improvement, genomic testing and breeding strategies based on genetic merit. Do you still have questions about the difference genetics can make in a herd or the difference it is making in your herd? Let's look at performance aspects at differing genetic levels both within individual herds and across several large herds.

In single herds, comparison by genetic values can show differences even when cows are eating the same ration and experiencing the same milking routine, temperatures, ventilation, crowding, etc.

Here is an example from an individual herd analyzed in 2013. In this 1,700-cow herd, 28.87% of cows with a Lifetime Net Merit Parent Average (LNMPA) under +$250 experienced metritis and/or retained placenta. In this same herd, for the same period of time, only 22.9% of cows with LNMPA over +$250 experienced metritis and/or retained placenta. Using figures from Overton & Fetrow published by the Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council in 2008, the average cost of a case of metritis is $225. In this example, the cows with higher LNMPA were $9,361 more profitable just in reduced cases of metritis or retained placenta in one year.

After looking at several individual herds and seeing similar results in each one, data was compiled and the findings are as follows. Data from 24,760 cows showed fewer displaced abomasums and fewer cases of metritis, especially in first lactation, with a reduction from 46.19% (with sire LNM less than +$200) to 14.75% (with sire LNM over +$600). The results are illustrated in the graph below. 

Surprisingly, even the percent of fresh cows that experienced displaced abomasums was significantly reduced with improving sire LNM. See the graph below. 

This shows that when it comes to fresh cow issues genetics do matter. To learn more about the impact of improving genetics, watch this blog for more posts or contact your Genex representative.

What Do I Need to Know to Use A.I. on my Ranch?

By Stan Lock, Beef Large Herd Development Manager, Genex 

I’ve worked with beef producers for over 30 years now. Throughout those years, I’ve realized producers considering artificial insemination (A.I.) for the first time tend to ask many of the same questions – and they are great questions! In case you happen to be considering A.I. and Genex chute-side service, I’d like to answer these most frequently asked questions for you too.

1. What is the cost per pregnancy? 
To answer this question, your Genex representative sits down with you. Together, you fill out a synchronization planner. The planner helps to estimate the herd’s expected conception and pregnancy rates for A.I. This information is also included in a written proposal provided to you. In general range, the cost per pregnancy is probably going to run about $60 to $70 per head, but it can be less. If you compare this to the cost of a natural service sire, it’s cheaper than purchasing a bull, maintaining him and using him for three years.

2. How much extra work will I need to do?

With Genex chute-side service, we try to make it easy. In most cases, you are responsible for cattle handling and synchronization. The amount of time and labor involved is dependent on the synchronization program that is chosen. On breeding day, you are responsible for getting cattle to the alleyway, and Genex does the rest! 

3. How do I go about choosing A.I. sires? 
Your Genex representative is an excellent resource. He or she can provide recommendations based on the goals you have for your herd. 

4. If you breed my cattle all in one day will they calve all in one day? 
Animals that are bred in one day generally calve out over a 10 to 14 day period. University studies show that no more than 20% will calve on any one day. 

5. How many natural service clean-up bulls are needed after synchronization and A.I.? 
This is a tricky question, as the answer depends on variables such as the age of the natural service sires, size of pastures and terrain. Since the number of clean-up bulls will vary between operations, your Genex representative will consult with you to help determine the appropriate number for your individual situation. 

I realize A.I. may not be meant for everyone, but it’s also not that difficult to establish an A.I. program. If you have further questions on beef A.I. and Genex chute-side service, please email me at slock@crinet.com, comment on this article or contact your local Genex representative. To locate a Genex representative near you, call or email Genex customer service at 888-333-1783 or info@crinet.com.

Meet Genex National Account Consultant, Allison Wood

Genex is proud of its hard working employees. This month as we celebrate Dairy Month, we are going to feature just a few of our outstanding staff members.

Today we introduce you to Allison Wood from Vermont.

How did you get involved with Genex, and what is your role?

I am a national account consultant. I met a Genex employee when I was working on a farm in college. After graduating I spent a few months working on a farm but was ready to try something else. Genex was hiring and I felt, from my experience with them, it was a company I wanted to work for.

How does it feel to be part of the dairy industry?

The ups and downs of milk prices can be a little crazy, but I get to work with some of the smartest, most hard working people in the country.

What’s one thing you take pride in as a Genex team member?

I love that I can focus on long term relationships. When I go on a farm I am never trying to get a one-time sale. I am trying to build a relationship that will last for years.

Favorite go-to sire right now? Why?

1HO11545 LAWMAN-Across the board he is a great sire. He has good Milk, excellent Fat and Protein, high SCR, and is a great bull for heifers too.

Do you have a funny or memorable experience you would like to share from your time as a Genex employee?

I was having an in depth conversation with a producer on an old farm in Vermont. Vermonters tend to be French and short so everything in the barn was put in lower, I was telling him a story, and all of the sudden I walked right into the milk line, hard. He laughed at me for a while. It was really embarrassing.

White, chocolate or strawberry milk?

Chocolate

Favorite ice cream flavor?

What flavor is not my favorite? :)

Thanks Allison for giving us a glimpse into your life. Thank you for all you do for Genex and your customers. Now go enjoy your ice cream!