Holstein Association USA has named 7HO8559 Macomber O-Man BOGART (GM), 7HO9545 Siemers Toys HERO 9701-ET (EX-92-GM), 7HO10052 Klassic Big TIME-ET (GM) and 7HO10072 Brigeen RUSSELL (VG-86-GM) Gold Medal Sires in recognition of their officially tested and classified daughters' superior type and production. All four of these sires complete seven generations of Gold Medal Sires.

To qualify for this honor, bulls must meet a specified level for Total Performance IndexSM (TPISM), have a minimum Reliability of 90 percent for their Fat and Type genetic evaluations and be free of all recognized genetic defects. This award is only given to approximately 25 Holstein sires each year, putting these four bulls in elite company.

A 7HO6417 O-Bee MANfred Justice-ET (EX-94-GM) son, BOGART, is the highest Cheese Merit Dollars (CM$) (+$737) proven sire at Select Sires. He boasts exceptional components as well at +.19% Fat and +.08% Protein. As a HealthMark™ sire, his fitness traits (+3.9 Productive Life, +2.5 Daughter Pregnancy Rate) are among the best. His Calving Ease and FeedPRO® designations also make him a popular sire for dairies looking to milk more efficient cows.

HERO, a Toystory son of Siemers Durham Hast 4358-ET (EX-91-EX-MS-GMD), is one of Select Sires' elite Type sires. At +3.57 Type and +3.84 Udder Composite (UDC), he is tied for No. 3 among active Holstein sires for both traits. He also excels at components with +.21% Fat and +55 pounds of Fat. A HealthMark and DIAMOND SELECTion™ sire, HERO is a proven customer favorite. HERO's son 7HO11329 Ronelee SSI Hero DAYSTAR-ET is now available as a Super Sampler™.

An August 2012 graduate, TIME comes from the same family as 7HO9165 Regancrest S BRAXTON-ET (EX-95). A popular Super Sampler, now with high reliability, TIME is +3.54 for Type and exceeds +3.00 for Feet and Leg Composite and UDC. He is a highly fertile sire (+2.7 Sire Conception Rate) and transmits longevity (+4.0 PL) and low Somatic Cell Score (SCS) (2.54), as well. TIME is perfect for heifer pens as a first-rate calving ease sire (5% SCE) with gender SELECTed™ semen available.

RUSSELL (Mac x Shottle) is Select Sires' highest August 2012 Net Merit graduate at +$615 and leads the entire lineup in Daughter Pregnancy Rate (DPR) at +2.5. RUSSELL also improves components (+.26%F, +.06%P) and health traits (+4.5 PL, 2.78 SCS) all while being a 6% Calving Ease sire. From the family of 7HO10849 Ladys-Manor Pl SHAMROCK-ET, this former Super Sampler has nearly 300 daughters in over 100 herds in his production summary.

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.

9.11.2012