The Select Sires Podcast

The George Miller Scholarship is a new initiative by Select Sires to pay tribute to a man who advanced the dairy industry by leaps and bounds in his lifetime, and called Select Sires home along the way. George Miller passed away in early 2021 at the age of 94, but his legacy lives on in the hearts of those who knew him. Jeff Ziegler, vice president of dairy cattle breeding at Select Sires Inc., and Eric Olstad of Zoetis, join hosts Leslie Maurice and Joel Penhorwood to discuss the scholarship, as well as the life and times of George Miller himself.

Select Sires Inc. Vice President of Genetic Programs Chuck Sattler joins hosts Leslie Maurice and Joel Penhorwood to discuss the complex topic of lameness in dairy cattle. While management plays a major role, more and more opportunities to make an impact on lameness are being made available through genetics. In this podcast, Chuck explains why attention should be given to new lameness traits available from Zoetis and discusses on-farm validation of those traits. That discussion and much more in this episode of The Select Sires Podcast, helping to Make Longevity Her Legacy.

Allison Ryan of MVP Dairy discusses her unique perspective as she helps educate consumers on production dairy through their Dairy Learning Center. Hosts Leslie Maurice and Joel Penhorwood talk with her about the growing gap between producer and consumer, how dairy farmers are meeting those conversations, and also how the hot topic of sustainability is being communicated. The group also discusses Select Sires' part in educating consumers about the impact of genetics in feeding the world.

We talk the global reach of Select Sires and get insight on the impact of genetics and cattle around the world with Rebekah Mast, genetic director of World Wide Sires, and Joel Mergler, director of global talent development for Select Sires Inc. Their experience highlights the different genetic needs from country to country, the quest to educate and feed our growing populations, the border-bridging power of the bovine and much more.

Join Select Sires’ Leslie Maurice and Herby Lutz as they talk with Chris Terra, manager of Red Top Jerseys, a 5,700-cow dairy in California. Chris explains how genetics have played a constant role in the herd’s growth and profit strategy. He covers management mindset and decisions, the evolution of genetic selection and trait emphasis, their recent focus on health traits, the expanding use of beef x dairy, cow comfort and a marked improvement in fertility among much more.

In this episode, listen as Chris Sigurdson and Brandon Thesing explore new strategies and diversification options. They provide an overview of Simplot SimVitro’s HerdFlex beef embryos and share about market advantages of straight-bred beef calves. From conception rates to feed conversion and considerations for technician service, Chris and Brandon answer many common questions. They also describe what types of dairies will experience the most return on investment with a HerdFlex strategy. 

Listen firsthand as Arizona Dairy Company’s Justin Stewart talks about the herd’s genetic evolution and what metrics pushed them to emphasize sire selection. He also provides an overview of their genomic testing and IVF programs as well as their involvement in NxGEN®. Lyle Kruse, vice president of U.S. market development for Select Sires Inc., guides the conversation and provides another industry perspective for listeners.

How do dairy producers make sure they are focusing on the right traits and indexes to achieve healthier, longer-living cows? In this throwback to our Q&A series, host Dr. Bo Harstine, director of research at Select Sires Inc., is joined by Chuck Sattler, vice president of genetic programs, and Dr. Dan Weigel, director of outcomes research at Zoetis Inc.

At Select Sires, we pride ourselves not only on the elite genetics offered by our sires, but the elite care bulls receive throughout their lives. From calf wellness to production quality to veterinary health, we talk about all facets of sire care in this roundtable discussion with those behind the scenes at Select Sires facilities. Hosts Leslie Maurice and Joel Penhorwood are joined by Janeen Hartman, Joel Boysel and Dr. Liz Lahmers for this lively discussion.

The benefits of breeding for the healthier, longer-living dairy cow is difficult to argue from an individual cow perspective, but how does it help the dairy farm as a whole? In this podcast, we discuss how this focus on longevity can impact your legacy, with a conversation on its real-world influence at Mystic Valley Dairy in Wisconsin. The dairy's owner/operator, Mitch Breunig, joins Select Sires Director of Research Dr. Bo Harstine alongside Senior Sire Analyst Kevin Jorgensen for this talk. Whether its barn setup,  selection index use, added value or more, you can hear about it in this episode.

Here at Select Sires, we believe it’s people who are truly the cornerstone of success, and the Select Sires federation is made up of a large force of professional technicians providing service and expertise to achieve reproductive success every single day. They are the boots on the ground, and in this episode, we’ll be hearing from two large-herd technicians who are actively in the barns, focusing on meeting the goals of their customers.Jordan Pahl of Minnesota/Select Sires and Deanna Pleiman of CentralStar Cooperative join host Joel Penhorwood. Listen in as they discuss their day-to-day jobs, challenges they've helped dairies overcome, what they see on the horizon and much more from their unique perspective.

Tune in as we take an in-depth look at the world of beef x dairy and Select Sires' tailored options that can help gain more profitability through a refined replacement heifer strategy. Dr. Larry Corah, professor emeritus at Kansas State University and beef supply chain consultant with Select Sires Inc., details the state of today's beef x dairy phenomena, the importance of specific programs to a dairyman's success and answers commonly asked questions. All that and more in the third episode of the new Select Sires Podcast.

In this second episode of the new Select Sires Podcast, we continue the discussion of longevity on the dairy farm, specifically looking at how profitability through more lactations plays into the equation.Dr. Bo Harstine, director of research here at Select Sires Inc., helps to moderate the discussion between Julie Ainsworth, reproductive specialist and dairy production analyst coordinator with CentralStar Cooperative, plus Gary Sipiorski, private dairy consultant and a member of the board of directors of Citizen State Bank.

In this first episode of the new Select Sires Podcast, we're exploring the topic of longevity on the dairy farm - what it means, how genetics play a role now and into the future and much more.Guests Mark Kerndt and Rick VerBeek join host Joel Penhorwood as they discuss the big picture, as well as actionable tips on breeding for the healthier, longer-living dairy cow. Tune in with the audio player below or by subscribing through your favorite podcast platform.