IPS"It is with great excitement that we received the August 2014 Sire Summary rankings for SCR indicating that IPS is the industry leader with the Top 4 Holstein bulls. It is also important to note that two new bulls received an SCR higher than +6.0 in the previous two Sire Summaries. IPS now has a total of six bulls during the past two years with an SCR rating above +6.0. These results demonstrate that IPS has focused on a high fertility product for their customers. This SCR information is a result of semen being used in many different herds across the entire United States. Dairy farmers have used IPS sires with excellent results as the unbiased SCR data demonstrates. A major contributing factor is the 30 million sperm count per straw of semen," stated Ron Sersland, President and CEO of IPS.

The No.1 daughter proven SCR bull in the Holstein breed is 99HO6145 Barry at +14.2 with more than 4,400 inseminations and 94% reliability. Note that Semen Conception Rates are calculated using the previous 18 months inseminations. Barry has been used heavily the past two years from coast to coast on hard breeding cows and yet his SCR continues to rise. A solid type bull at +1.78, Barry excels in udder composite at +1.89 along with +1.53 foot and leg rating. And, he is a leading calving ease sire at 7.0%. This semen conception professional descends from six generations of Very Good or Excellent dams.

The No. 1 ranked SCR Genomic young Holstein sire and No.2 ranked Holstein bull overall is 99HO7660 Axford at +10.0. Axford has enviable states with +3.08 type, +2.59 udder composite, and +2.00 feet and leg composite. His projected milk is +1,351 for a GTPI rating of +2163. Axford is sired by Bookem and from a Very Good, high performing Colby daughter. The next two dams are both Excellent with Excellent mammary.

Nailing down the No. 3 SCR ranking is an exciting genomic young sire at +8.8 for SCR, 99HO7070 Jehoshaphat. At 1,444 inseminations, Jehoshaphat's rating increased from previous stats while being used on

hard settlers. At +2033 GTPI, Jehoshaphat is +1,548 for milk with a +1.98 type rating. And, his productive life mark is +3.6 along with 5.9% for calving ease. This conception specialist is sired by Planet from an Excellent Shottle daughter.

The No. 4 breed leading SCR bull is 566HO1192 Apple Jack-Red at +6.6. Apple Jack's superior type proof of +3.32 ranks him No.2 among progeny proven Red Holstein bulls. Among the same group of Red Holstein bulls, Apple Jack is ranked No. 2 for udder composite at +3.07 along with the No. 4 ranking on feet and leg composite at +2.30. This exciting Red Holstein descends from the Million Dollar Cow family with KHW Regiment Apple-Red (EX-96) being his dam. Apple-Red was Reserve Grand Champion at World Dairy Expo in 2013 while her clone was designated Grand Champion.

Delayed breeding is a costly proposition for dairy farmers. Jeff Stevenson of Kansas State University reported in the May 10, 2009 issue of Hoard's Dairyman, "For every day open after 100 days in milk, you lose from $2 to $3 per cow per day." With today's high input costs, extended days open can erode the profit margin. In his June 2009 Hoard's Dairyman article, Mr. Stevenson stated, "With a pregnancy rate of 10 to 12 percentage points, the value of each percentage point bump runs about $66… so moving 2 points would yield an additional $132 per cow." Selecting bulls with high semen conception rates is the most fundamental way to reduce days open and improve the bottom line.

The IPS industry leading sires for SCR are available through an established network of independent suppliers and company employees worldwide. Located in Rock Springs, Wisconsin - U.S.A., you may learn more about IPS through their website, www.ipssires.com or by calling toll free: 1.800.542.7593
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9.4.2014