Select Sires Inc. has added Mark Kerndt to the Holstein sire team. He will be responsible for Holstein sire acquisition from Iowa and Minnesota west to Idaho and in parts of the Southeast and will assist member cooperatives in their efforts to grow semen sales. Kerndt will be based from his home in Waukon, Iowa.
Kerndt graduated from Iowa State University with a bachelor's degree in dairy science. While there, he was an active member of the dairy judging team and was the high individual in oral reasons at the 1982 National Intercollegiate Dairy Judging Contest. After graduation, he spent 16 years as part owner and operator of Kerndtway Holsteins and he was awarded the Iowa Outstanding Young Holstein Breeder award in 1996. The Kerndtway prefix can be found in the pedigrees of numerous bulls in A.I. over the last 25 years, including the popular maternal brothers 7HO12229 Kerndtway ERASER P-ET and 7HO12228 Kerndtway KINGPIN-ET at Select Sires. Kerndt then worked for the Northeast Iowa Dairy Foundation and Regancrest Holsteins before owning and operating Premier Genetics with Mark Butz until 2010. For the past five years he has served as director of marketing for Prairie State/Select Sires.
"Mark brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our sire team from both a breeder perspective, having contracted bulls to A.I., as well as from a marketing perspective, from his position as marketing director for Prairie State/Select Sires." says Charlie Will, manager of the Holstein sire program. "Mark is familiar with today's popular sires and cow families, and understands how to incorporate genomics in a sire selection program. He is well-known and respected by breeders across the U.S., and he understands the importance of building a mutually beneficial relationship with breeders as a Select Sires genetic partner herd for the future."
Kerndt is currently a member of the Holstein Association USA board of directors and is a past president of the Iowa Holstein Association. He is a 2013 inductee into the Iowa Holstein Hall of Fame. Kerndt served as the finance co-chair for the 2014 National Holstein Convention and is active in numerous agricultural, political and church organizations in his community.
"It's a great privilege and honor to join the sire department of the top A.I. organization in the world," explains Kerndt. "My career as a dairy producer and Holstein breeder has allowed me to network with other cattle breeders, dairy producers and industry people around the globe. For the last five years I have gained the unique perspective of marketing Holstein genetics from the entire Select Sires lineup, serving the needs of a variety of dairy producers with different breeding philosophies. I believe these experiences will serve me well as I am tasked with sourcing Holstein genetics that will provide continued customer success."
Based in Plain City, Ohio, Select Sires Inc., is North America's largest A.I. organization and is comprised of nine farmer-owned and -controlled cooperatives. As the industry leader, it provides highly fertile semen as well as excellence in service and programs to achieve its basic objective of supplying dairy and beef producers with North America's best genetics at a reasonable price.
7.8.2015