Select Sires Inc. has named Bo Harstine a research and quality assurance associate at its headquarters in Plain City, Ohio. His responsibilities will include working with other staff scientists to design and implement research related to semen freezing, evaluation and quality control. Harstine will also work with Select Reproductive Solutions® (SRS®) staff in the field.
“After growing up on a dairy farm and pursuing an education in science, I’m excited to transition into a career that combines my interests,” said Harstine. “I have become familiar with Select Sires on many levels, from purchasing genetics for my family’s cattle to working closely with Select Sires’ scientists through my graduate school program. I’m grateful for the opportunity to integrate into a company that focuses on providing the best quality genetics to the industry and that has invested so much into my development as a scientist.”
Originally from Dundee, Ohio, Harstine grew up on a 100-cow Holstein and Ayrshire dairy. He received a bachelor’s degree from Washington & Jefferson College in cellular and molecular biology. Over the next five years he earned his master’s and doctorate degrees in animal science at The Ohio State University through the C.E. Marshall Graduate Associateship Program, a joint venture between Ohio State University and Select Sires. Harstine’s research focused on the onset of puberty and testicular development in bulls. While completing his degrees, he served as a research intern at Boston University School of Medicine and Select Sires as well as working as a laboratory research and semen processing technician at Select Sires. Harstine received the L.E. Kunkle Award for Outstanding Graduate Student and served as president of the Animal Science Graduate Student Association (ASGSA).
“When Bo joined us as a research intern several years ago, his exuberant personality and inquisitive nature allowed him to quickly mesh with our research team,” said Mel DeJarnette, vice president of research and quality control at Select Sires Inc. “He was a perfect fit and we had no reservations supporting Bo’s continued academic development through the C. E. Marshall Associateship Program. With Bo’s recent completion of his doctorate degree we are very excited he has chosen to join our team, where he will continue to expand his expertise and research of factors influencing age at puberty in bulls.”
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.
