The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoard’s Dairyman.

Dairy and beef producers face more challenges than ever before as they seek ways to increase efficiency while dealing with labor shortages, growing input costs, economic challenges, and more. While Premier Select Sires is likely best known as a genetic provider, doing business with your local member cooperative opens the door to other benefits that producers may not be aware of—many of which are offered at a discount or included at no charge to semen-purchasing members. Premier has hired additional field staff members to help meet the labor demands seen on member-owner farms, and local representatives are trained and prepared to provide producers with the following:

Industry-Leading Genetics. Premier distributes high-quality genetics from three brands—Select Sires, Accelerated Genetics and GenerVations. The sire team works hard to develop a bull lineup as diverse as the Premier customer base, so that producers across the territory can meet their unique goals. Premier offers daughter-proven sires, genomic young sires, and elite early-release genomic young sires through the NxGEN® program. All semen is backed by research and strict fertility standards.

Herd Management Products. A full line of herd management products exists to either enhance or protect genetic investments and create healthier livestock with stronger immune functions. Heat detection aids and breeding supplies are also available.

Reproductive and Genetic Advising. Select Reproductive Solutions® (SRS®) experts can meet with dairy producers regularly to provide feedback regarding opportunities in the herd, helping producers reach higher pregnancy rates among cows and heifers. Select Mating Service® (SMS®) specialists manage inbreeding and control recessives through pedigree analysis and advanced computer technology. They also help producers create custom indexes and utilize genomic data to improve genetic progress. Experienced Reproductive Services Specialists (RSS) are available to perform breeding services as well.

Genomic Testing. Premier partners with Zoetis, the largest global animal health company, to provide genomic testing to dairy and beef producers. Premier staff can assist with proper sample collection, submission, and interpretation to help producers maximize the benefits of the testing.

Beef on Dairy Programs. The Premier team can help producers right-size herd inventories and increase the value of extra calves to be sold to the beef market. Designated ProfitSOURCE™ sires excel for growth and carcass merit while offering the necessary calving ease and fertility for breeding to dairy animals. SimVitro® HerdFlex™ beef embryos offer a unique alternative to beef on dairy breeding, allowing dairy producers to break into new markets and increase ROI with straight beef calf sales. Premier strives to help producers identify opportunities for marketing the calves that result from these programs.

CowManager^®. The CowManager herd monitoring system uses revolutionary technology to track animal health, rumination, and fertility. CowManager gives producers “another set of eyes” on the herd and provides real-time data to a computer, smartphone and/or tablet. Premier staff can help producers implement the system and create a cohesive, efficient breeding program.

Training Opportunities. Many training options are available for farm personnel, including artificial insemination, heat detection, milking, and others. Trainings are offered in both English and Spanish. For those interested in learning to A.I., visit premierselectsires.com/training to register for one of the scheduled courses!

Liquid Nitrogen Service. No A.I. program can exist without a reliable source of liquid nitrogen for storing semen. Premier Area Sales Managers can service A.I. tanks and provide producers with the genetics they need.

Financial Benefits. For member-owners of Premier, every dollar spent earns them patronage equity. For convenience, members have online access to account details and purchases. Easy-to-understand monthly billing and free credit for 30 days on purchases provides additional benefit.

For more information on the Premier cooperative and how Premier staff can serve you, please visit the Premier website or contact the office (www.premierselectsires.com, 800-227-6417, office@premierselect.com) to get connected with a local representative today.

Premier Select Sires is a farmer-owned cooperative that serves beef and dairy producers in its 23-state member area. Dedicated to providing its members with all they need to achieve success, Premier provides:

Industry-leading genetics from the Select Sires, Accelerated Genetics, and GenerVations brands

Effective herd health and management products, as well as artificial insemination supplies

Reliable services and programs backed by years of success

Knowledgeable industry experts who are easily accessed for consultation, advice, and on-farm assistance

Together with its five sister cooperatives across the United States, Premier owns and controls Select Sires Inc., the world’s most recognized name in bovine genetics.

®Select Mating Service, SMS, Select Reproductive Solutions, SRS, NxGEN, and Your Success Our Passion are registered trademarks of Select Sires Inc. CowManager is a registered trademark of Agis Automatisering. SimVitro is a registered trademark of the J.R. Simplot Company. ™ProfitSource is a trademark of Select Sires Inc. HerdFlex is a trademark of the J.R. Simplot Company. Agrarian Solutions is a trademark of Agrarian Solutions, Middlebury, Ind.