New Logo, New Look, New Location! See What All the NEW is About at World Dairy Expo

So what is all the NEW about? Earlier this year, GENEX unveiled a NEW logo as part of a branding process to more clearly identify the parts that make up Cooperative Resources International (CRI). This branding initiative includes a distinctly GENEX look. In addition, GENEX will now have its very own booth in the Exhibition Hall to better showcase its industry-leading, science-based animal genetics and customized reproductive solutions!

Stop in to see us, and mention this post to receive a NEW GENEX hat. We are excited to reveal our NEW look and are looking forward to sharing it with all of you.

We are excited to be able to feature our full line of herd management products, including RumiLife® CAL24™ nutritional supplement. Make sure to stop in and register to win a box! 

Are You Ready for Winter?

As I sit here sweating, winter may be the last thing on my mind, but I know it is coming, even if Mother Nature has thrown us a little late summer/early fall heat wave. So, I figured I would take advantage of this nice weather, since the corn isn’t dry enough to chop, and do a little winter preparation. 

Here’s my quick list of things you can do too:

Pick up around the yard to eliminate any problems for snow plowing operations. 

Move calf hutches to an area that will be protected from harsh winds. 

Locate and inspect calf coats. If it is time for more - or new ones, get them ordered.

Clean drain pipes, grate covers and catch basins of any debris to prevent water from backing up and freezing. 

Prepare vehicles by checking tire treads, brakes, batteries and tire pressures. Repair all windshield chips before the cold turns them into larger cracks. 

Review your A.I. protocol to make sure it includes protecting thawed semen from temperature changes.

What else have you been doing around the farm to prepare for winter? Drop your ideas in the comments section below. I would love to hear from you!

My Top Tip for a Successful A.I. Breeding Project

While every farm and ranch is very different in what works for them, one thing I have found to be the same is that every farmer or rancher is always looking for ways to improve, whether that be in efficiency, genetics, animal care, nutrition, and the list goes on. We took a moment earlier this summer to ask beef producers what their top tip was when it came to successful A.I. breeding projects. Perhaps there is something here that can improve your next project. Do you have a tip that you don't see here? Drop it in the comments below. We are always looking for ways we can help out others too!

GENEX Committed to the Future of Agriculture

As six college students head back to school, GENEX will help to fund their education. GENEX, part of Cooperative Resources International (CRI), offers a college scholarship program to youth who are actively engaged on a member’s farm or ranch.

The six recipients of this year’s CRI Collegiate Scholarship were asked to share what agriculture means to them. Their answers demonstrate the future of agriculture is bright:

These answers are not from youth removed from agriculture either. In their applications, they also talked about the hard work they have put in while “feeding calves at four in the morning, walking miles in the heat pushing cows and attempting to learn how to breed cows.” As another student put it, “To many, it is an undesirable lifestyle because of the huge commitment it requires.” That same student went on to say, however, “Dairy farming is truly in my blood, and I would not want to spend my time doing anything else.”

Those students earning the $750 scholarships include: Brooke Engstrom of Renville, Minnesota; Emma Gwidt of Pulaski, Wisconsin; Shelby Schiefelbein of Kimball, Minnesota; Ellen Schilderink of Hart, Texas; Genevieve VanWye of Lancaster, Missouri; and Collin Weltzien of Arcadia, Wisconsin.