AM-Lancasfer Finrthfl, Stihtrdiy, Hay 18.1&6
BRATTLEBORO, Vt Mak
ing better decisions in less lime is
a lop priority on most daily opera
tions, regardless of how many
cows are milked.
Using the Bull Search program
from the Holstein Association to
select sires for a mating program
can help increase profit potential
and save valuable time, as many
producers around the country have
learned, according to a Holstein
Association news release.
“You get the most out of your
time and investment in semen by
letting Bull Search take the emo
tions out of your bull selection,”
said Pete Kappelman of Meadow
Brook Farms in Manitowoc. Wis.
Kappelman, who milks 300 Hol
steins, said the computerized sire
selection program allows him to
choose certain traits and the select
the bulls accordingly.
Bull Search is a user-friendly
software program that contains the
most up-to-date sire information
available, which is updated every
January and July. Producers can
sort bulls using their own selec
tion criteria, and then choose sires
that are best suited for their herd
performance goals.
Because the information is pro
vided from the Holstein Associa
tion, Bull Search offers unbiased
information. That’s one reason
Carl George of Delevan, N.Y.
likes the program, but the fact that
Holstein Association Says Bull Search Saves
he can select specific traits is im
portant as well.
“This saves us a lot of time
when we’re sorting out bulls,” he
said. “We can put in the traits we
want, and then the program selects
a group of bulls that fit the criteria.
We can look at the bulk indivi
dually from there.”
George said he selects for milk,
feet and legs, udders, and pounds
and percent protein. When mating
heifers, he also considers calving
ease. He currently has about ISO
cows in the milking string, and
about 120 head of young stock.
“The number one reason I use
Bull Search k to save time,” he
said. “When the semen salesmen
come to the farm. I can ask them
questions using the information
from Bull Search. It gives me
something to have before they get
here.”
Having the site information
consolidated in one place saves
time when semen sales reps visit
Arizona Dairy Co., according to
Ross Tappan, general manager for
the operation. “With Bull Search I
don’t feel like I have to see every
semen salesperson,” he said. “It
definitely helps that it’s unbiased -
you don’t get too many com
plaints from AI when you tell
them you used Bull Search, be
cause there’s no competition.”
The dairy has about 5,500 ani
mals in the milking herd, includ
ing dry cows, and raises ik own
replacement heifers, about 6,000,
as well. In addition, bulk are
banded and moved to a steer
operation on the dairy. All togeth
er, there are close to 14,000 ani
mak at the operation.
Tappan has been using Bull-
Search since it was first intro
duced in 1986. He noted he be
lieved the program would work
ANNAPOLIS, Md. Mary
land Dapartment of Agriculture
Secretary Lewis R. Riley
announced the spring kickoff of
‘Take It From Maryland Far
mers,” an educational outreach
program aimed at informing
homeowners about practical gar
dening actions to protect the Che
sapeake Bay.
‘Take It From Maryland Far*
mcrs” highlight* various conser
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ment practices—that fanners use
to produce healthy crops and pro
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applying these measures at home,
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for producers with any size dairy
operation. “I think anyone want
ing to save time should use it,” he
said.
Kappelman said the user de
fined Multi-Trait-Index feature al
lows him to select the herd’s sires
the way he wants to. “Using an in
dex allows you to easily choose
the bulls that best meet your criter
ia without eliminating certain
Maryland Farmers
Conservation
Bay
Interested gardeners can call
(800) 342-2507 toll-free in Mary
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410-S3l-1757) to receive a free
copy of the Maryland Fanners’
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Bay. The guide offers homeow
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ONE;-. „ v
Time
bulls because of a minimal fault in
one area,” he said.
He added that Bull Search has
helped him define his herd’s
breeding program. “Bull Search is
an unbiased, information-based
approach to designing a blueprint
for the production and type traits
that the next generation of your
herd will need to meet your busi
ness goals.”
Offer
Tips
problems, and what can be done to
control weeds and insects without
pesticides.
With the spring gardening sea
son in full swing, homeowners are
being urged to join Maryland far
mers as responsible stewards of
the land by practicing conserva
tion in their own backyards.
“Everyone who works the land
has a responsibility to protect the
Bay,” said Secretary Riley. “Agri
culture has a lot of experience in
this area that we can share with
backyard gardeners.”