Our VISION - Accelerated Genetics

DECEMBER 2012 

The official magazine of Accelerated Genetics 

Our VISION 

To be the producer’s trusted first choice 

Taking PRIDE in 

What We Do 

Overcome Winter Calf 

Care Challenges 

Minn-Dell Baxter 

Massive-ET 

Technician Performance 

Affects Your Profits

4 

REPRODUCTION MANAGEMENT 

Planning For The Next 

Generation: GEM 

by: Joe Stanek 

How much does your A.I. 

technician’s performance affect 

reproduction and profit? 

by: Dr. Glaucio Lopes 

6 

JUDGING CONTEST 

Accelerated Genetics Hosts 19th 

Annual Intercollegiate Judging 

Contest 

8 

SIRE NEWS 

December Adds High Profile Sires 

to the Proven Genetics Lineup 

by: Gregg Topp 

ON THE COVER 

PEOPLE.PRODUCTS.PRIDE. This 

issue of Genetic Trends, we’re 

focusing on PRIDE. We’ve got the right 

people, fantastic products—and we 

couldn’t be prouder of them all. 

FEATURES 

10 

Calf Care 

Cold Weather Calf Care: A 

Challenge for All Producers 

by: Minnie Ward and David Jones 

12 

Sire Feature 

A ‘Massive’ Day at Accelerated 

Genetics 

by: Angie Lindloff 

13 

Photo Contest 

Winners Announced 

14 

PEOPLE 

Striving to Raise the Bottom Line 

by: Morgan Meisenheimer 

Integrity is Always in Style 

by: Mandy Brazil 

Administrative Headquarters 

E10890 Penny Lane 

Baraboo, WI 53913 

Phone: 1-800-451-9275 or 608-356-8357 

Fax: 608-356-4387 

Email: info@accelgen.com 

Website: www.accelgen.com 

Find us on Facebook: Accelerated Genetics 

or follow us on Twitter: AccelGen 

Official Publication of Accelerated Genetics 

December 2012 Vol. 64 No. 3 

Editors 

Kari A. Stanek 

David Jones 

Graphic ArtistS 

David Jones 

Kristin Olson 

Kari A. Stanek 

Genetic Trends is published by: 

Accelerated Genetics 

E10890 Penny Lane 

Baraboo, WI 53913 

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Board and Officers 

President & CEO 

Joel Groskreutz 

Board Chair, District 8 

Brian Brown, Belleville, WI 

1st Vice Chair, District 1 

Dave Score, Boyceville, WI 

2nd Vice Chair, District 3 

Gary Eibergen, Granton, WI 

Secretary/Treasurer, District 2 

John Pronschinske, Arcadia, WI 

District 4 

Andy Dejno III, Independence, WI 

District 5 

Nick Butzler, Cashton, WI 

District 6 

Kenneth Levzow, Rio, WI 

District 7 

Rick Carlson, Hollandale, WI 

District 9 

Jeff Styczynski, Pulaski, WI 

District 10 

Doug Thesing, Winona, MN 

2 > GENETIC TRENDS > DECEMBER 2012

MESSAGE FROM THE CEO 

Taking 

PRIDE In 

All We Do 

December tends to 

be the month when 

everyone reflects 

on the past year 

and looks with 

anticipation to what 

the future may hold. 

Accelerated Genetics is no 

different in this respect. The 

books are closed, and we 

are celebrating yet another 

successful year, thanks to 

you, our devoted customer. 

It becomes evident how hard 

this industry works when it’s 

dealt a difficult hand. Our 

goal is to match this passion 

and provide you the tools to 

help your business, allowing us 

to be your trusted first choice. 

If you’ve been following 

my message in the last few 

issues of Genetic Trends, you 

will have noticed that I’ve 

been focusing on our new 

company tagline, PEOPLE. 

PRODUCTS. PRIDE. How 

fitting it is to conclude this series 

by emphasizing the PRIDE of 

Accelerated Genetics. 

First of all, we place great 

pride in those PEOPLE who 

have chosen to do business 

with us, YOU, our most 

valued customer. Second, 

we are very proud of the 

PRODUCTS we offer that 

enable your business to be 

its very best. Not only do we 

strive to provide a premium 

line of animal health care 

products, but we also have 

value-added services like 

our Genetic Evaluation and 

Mating program (GEM) and 

Risk Assessment Program 

(RAP) which you can read 

more about on page four. 

In the coming year, the A.I. 

industry will experience new 

opportunities as genomic 

testing of animals is made 

public. We are proud to offer 

a means for accommodating 

those private testers through 

our Genetic Visions testing 

lab in Middleton, Wis. 

To learn more about how 

Genetic Visions can partner 

with you on your testing 

needs, email us at info@ 

geneticvisions.net. 

We are a people-focused 

company, the products we 

offer continue to be secondto-none 

in the industry, and 

we are proud of where we’ve 

been and how far our roots 

have spread. But the success 

of Accelerated Genetics 

would not be possible without 

you, our valued customer. 

Thank you for placing your 

trust in us. Together, we will 

continue this legacy the next 

70 years and beyond. 

For today, however, my 

sincere hope is that you and 

your family enjoy a blessed 

holiday season and you 

experience continued success 

with Accelerated Genetics 

into the New Year. 

JOEL GROSKREUTZ 

President & CEO 

Over 70 PEOPLE-DRIVEN, 

PRODUCT-FOCUSED, 

PRIDE-FILLED YEARS. 

And we’ll see you around for another 70.


Planning For The Next 

Generation: GEM 

by: Joe Stanek 

Dairy Sire Analyst and GEM Manager 

We have one goal at Accelerated 

Genetics: to be your trusted 

first choice. This is why we 

offer value-added services like our Genetic 

Evaluation and Mating program (GEM) and 

Risk Assessment Program (RAP) to assist you 

in managing your dairy herd’s genetic goals. 

A short visit from a trained GEM Analyst will 

provide you with a customized sire index to fit 

your individual needs and requirements. GEM 

is designed to compile a custom list of sires in 

a ranked order from a database of over 300,000 

available bulls around the world. This tool can 

monitor genetic gain from generation to generation, 

GEMpc takes the worry out of selecting sires by controlling inbreeding, 

undesireable recessive traits and haplotypes. 

assisting you in selecting sires that will complement 

your herd’s pedigrees, phenotype and genetics. 

One exciting feature GEM offers is a report 

to rank your heifers or cows by genetic value 

to assist in making management decisions, 

such as which animals to breed with ACCESS 

Sexed Semen or culling decisions. 

GEM helps create a more uniform group of animals 

with the traits you value most. This program is also 

designed to manage undesirable haplotypes and 

recessives. It provides three sire choices for each 

mating to accelerate your decisions at breeding 

time. Using GEM takes the worry out of inbreeding, 

undesirable recessives, undesirable haplotypes, and 

phenotypic trait correction for the next generation. 

GEM is designed with tremendous flexibility to 

ensure matings can be calculated from visual 

inspection data, pedigrees, genomic test results or 

any combination of the three. 

Inbreeding control for a population of animals 

with random sire usage is not impossible. The Risk 

Assessment Program (RAP) was developed over a 

decade ago at Accelerated Genetics for the purpose 

of finding bulls that are outcross to an individual 

population of animals on a particular dairy. The 

program will compile a list of bulls, that can be used 

at random, specific to your population of animals, 

without worries of high levels of inbreeding. RAP 

can be ran from the actual pedigree information of 

your population of animals when known, or from 

semen purchasing records, past semen usage records, 

herd sire records, or genomic test results. 

For more information on GEM and RAP contact 

your local Accelerated Genetics representative. 

RAP keeps a watchful eye on inbreeding in the herd. Visit your local 

representative for more information. 



How Much Does Your A.I. 

Technician’s Performance 

Affect the Reproduction and 

Profit of Your Herd? 

by: Dr. Glaucio Lopes, DVM, M.S. 

Reproduction Specialist 

technician A, B, and C were $179, $139, 

and $82, respectively. 

Assuming the herd remains constant, each 

percent increase in CR (from 26% to 38%) 

represented $6 per cow/year or $6,000/year 

loss for a 1000-cow dairy. In other words, 

if your herd is running an average 30% CR 

but reaches 35% CR, this will result in a $30 

per cow/year loss or $30,000 for a 1,000– 

cow dairy. 

With these results, researchers concluded 

that compliance with A.I. procedure 

(semen handling, accuracy of estrus 

detection, hygiene, and site of semen 

deposition) strongly affects the bottom 

line of dairy herds and should not be 

jeopardized for convenience. The paper 

mentioned that “investing in educational 

training for professional A.I. technicians 

should be a top priority.” 

To answer the question 

above, researchers at the 

Department of Veterinary 

Preventive Medicine, at the 

Ohio State University; and 

the Department of Large 

Animal Clinical Sciences, at 

the University of Florida, 

Gainesville; performed a stochastic 

dynamic model to assess the effect of 

different A.I. technicians Conception Rate 

(CR) on reproductive performance and 

economics, translating these results in 

profit/cow/year. 

To run this model, they simulated 

fertility performance of three different 

A.I. technicians (with 38% CR (A), 32% 

CR (B), and 26% CR (C)), in a 1,000- 

cow dairy using Presynch-Ovsynch 

with estrous detection for first A.I., and 

resynchronization of cows diagnosed nonpregnant 

at vet check 32 days after A.I. 

using the Ovsynch protocol. All parameters 

were included on this analysis (culling 

rate, heifer replacement cost, abortion rate, 

length of dry period, feeding cost, breeding 

cost, as well as daily income, as milk sales, 

cow sales and calf sales), and the CR of 

these three distinct A.I. technicians was 

compared. Estrous detection was set to 

60%, and accuracy of estrus detection and 

compliance to protocols were also included. 

The breeding costs/cow/year were $88 

for technician A, $96 for technician B, 

and $106 for technician C. Following 

these results, the profit/cow/year for A.I. 

The ReproConnections Program from 

Accelerated Genetics can help you to set 

your reproduction goals, conduct A.I. 

training, and track results to ensure your 

herd can achieve the best and profitable 

reproductive performance possible. 

Reference: 

“Effect of A.I. technicians on reproductive 

performance and economics of lactating 

dairy cows.” Schuenemann et al. Journal of 

Dairy Science, Vol. 95, Suppl. 2. 

SCHOLARSHIPS OFFERED 

Accelerated Genetics is excited to present 

scholarships to its customer’s families to 

ensure a bright future in agriculture! 

To apply, go to the Accelerated Genetics website 

at www.accelgen.com and click on ‘Company’ 

and then ‘Scholarships,’ call 800.451.9275 or 

email scholarships@accelgen.com. Application 

Deadline is February 15, 2013. 

DECEMBER 2012 < GENETIC TRENDS < 5

JUDGING CONTEST 

Accelerated Genetics Hosts 

19th Annual Intercollegiate 

Dairy Cattle Judging Contest 

The 19th Annual Accelerated Genetics 

Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest 

was held September 16, 2012 in Viroqua, 

Wis., with the University of Minnesota taking 

top honors in both reasons and overall. 

A total of 17 teams participated in this year’s 

contest representing the states of Illinois, Iowa, 

Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota 

and Wisconsin. They judged dairy breeds 

including: Guernsey, Holstein, Jersey and Milking 

Shorthorn with each participant placing 10 

classes and giving five sets of oral reasons. 

A key part of the judging contest are the youth that 

serve as leadspeople. Each year, Vernon County 

youth assist with the contest by leading the cattle. 

This year 22 youth participated. Showmanship 

awards are then given to the youth based on their 

skills exhibiting the cattle and sportsmanship. 

University of Minnesota took top honors at this year’s contest. Names from Left to Right: Back Row: 

Tyler Otte, Jon Schmitt, Coach Les Hansen. Front: Laura Rosenhammer, Doug Petzel. Not pictured: 

Coaches Scott Ellinghuysen and Alicia Thurk. 

The tools and information you need From the new Accelerated Genetics Website 

Focusing on the theme of People, 

Products and Pride, Accelerated Genetics 

will be unveiling a new website that 

will offer advanced technology to help 

producers make informed reproductive 

and health decisions based on their herd’s 

goals. 

This website will reflect the needs and 

demands of producers around the world 

including ways to make efficient use of 

time and money. 

“The need for instant information about 

dairy, beef and animal health products is 

6 > GENETIC TRENDS > DECEMBER 2012 

what our producers are asking for all over 

the world,” Director of Communications, 

Angie Lindloff said. “We’ve listened, and 

we are developing a bigger and better 

website focused on our core products.” 

Some of the enhanced sections of the 

website will be the dairy, beef and 

animal health product sections. More 

progeny photos and videos of each sire 

will be made available to view online, 

and advanced search options ensure 

producers will find the products and 

services to fit individual needs. 

A wealth of information on our valueadded 

programs and will also be 

available. The best-kept secrets of 

Accelerated Genetics, including: the GEM 

dairy mating program, PACE dairy young 

sire program and ReproConnections 

reproduction consulting program, will be 

featured on the website. 

Accelerated Genetics’ new website will be 

focused on obtaining information fast with 

easy navigation. Visit www.accelgen.com 

today, and join in the buzz.

Judging Contest 

Sponsors 

In the Junior Showmanship Division, Brianna 

Hall placed first, Mikayla Lepke placed second 

and Courtney Moser placed third. Placing 

first in the Senior Showmanship Division 

was Logan Guttenberger, second place Arlisa 

Landis and third was Ryan Guttenberger. And 

the Overall Showmanship Winner was Jacob 

Leum who received the David Larson Memorial 

Showmanship Award – a special award in memory 

of David Larson, who worked very closely with the 

Vernon County youth and the judging contest. 

The annual Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle 

Judging Contest would not be possible 

without the tremendous support of 

the numerous contest and award 

sponsors. They include: American 

Guernsey Association, American 

Jersey Cattle Association, American 

Milking Shorthorn Society, Boehringer- 

Ingelheim, Chart Industries, Inc., Church 

of Christ, Connie Schmelzer, Hampel 

Corporation, Holstein Associaiton 

USA, James W. Crowley Fund, Merial, 

Ltd., Milk Products, Inc., Pfizer Animal 

Health, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, 

Sci-Tech Premixes, Star Blends, Supreme 

Awards, Swiss Valley Farms, Taylor- 

Wharton Cryogenics, The Baraboo 

National Bank, The Bank of Viroqua, 

Vernon County Agricultural Society, 

Vernon County Junior and Open Show 

Exhibitors, and Wisconsin Brown Swiss 

Canton III – Jane of Vernon. 

NEW ANIMAL HEALTH PRODUCT DIRECTORY AVAILABLE 

For over 30 years, Accelerated 

Genetics has delivered premium 

animal health products to dairy and 

beef producers. A brand new directory 

of our products is hot off the press and 

filled with innovative health solutions 

for your herd. 

necessary to get the most out of your 

herd’s genetics and maximize your bottom 

line. For this reason we offer animal 

health solutions for all stages of life to 

optimize feed utilization and nutrient 

conversion, reproductive health, milk 

quality and more. 

Inside this brand new directory, you will 

find a listing of our time-tested products 

as well as some new additions to the 

line. We believe in providing the tools 

Your local Accelerated Genetics 

representative is ready to field any 

questions you may have about these 

products and how to order. 

ANIMAL HEALTH PRODUCT 

DIRECTORY 

800-451-9275 | INFO@ACCELGEN.COM | WWW.ACCELGEN.COM 


SIRE NEWS 

December Adds High 

Profile Sires to the Proven 

Genetics Lineup 

by: Gregg Topp 

Dairy Sire Analyst 

As we enter the New 

Year, we’re maintaining 

optimism and hoping a 

higher milk price is on the 

horizon. Now is a great opportunity 

to look over your herd with a renewed 

focus on profit-maximizing genetics. 

Accelerated Genetics had a bountiful fall 

harvest of 13 new sires from 8 different 

sires and 9 different maternal grandsires. 

Each has the ability to add profitability, 

longevity, type, ease of mating and 

excitement to your herd in coming years. 

Here they are listed in TPI® order. 

014HO06098 WHITELIGHTNING 

is the highest TPI® PACE graduate at 

+2046, ranking him in the top 50 TPI. 

He has a powerful genetic package 

for high production (+1641M) with 

super feet and legs (+2.72FLC) along 

with superb productive life (+5.5) and 

daughter pregnancy rating (+.5) giving 

him a rare blend of high productivity and 

reproductive health. His maternal line is 

full of high-producing, high component 

lactations with high classification 

scores. With a pedigree of AltaBaxter 

X Oman he makes a great outcross 

combination with Planet, Goldwyn, 

Shottle, Massey and Toystory bloodlines. 

014HO06107 KIEFFER is another top 

100 TPI graduate that adds a great health 

trait option from a unique sire stack. 

He specializes in productive life (+5.1), 

somatic cell score (+2.56) and daughter 

pregnancy rating (+1.9) making him a 

Expect high health traits, snug udders and great feet and legs from Bowser. Pictured here: Welcome Bowser Pamela-ET. 

great option for those looking to add longlasting 

and trouble-free cows. His outcross 

pedigree makes him a logical mating on 

daughters of Jake, Dotson, Airraid, Marion, 

Potter, Micah and Trump daughters. 

014HO06074 DRYDEN was bred to be 

a health trait, high Net Merit sire and he 

has not disappointed. As a 014HO04148 

NIFTY son from a high component 

Outside daughter, your expectation of 

the long-lived, healthy and profitable 

offspring resulted in GPTA’s of +$583NM, 

+5.8PL, +2.69SCS, +1.9DPR while still 

exceeding a point on Type. Great mating 

combinations for Dryden include, Marion, 

Planet, Dotson and Man-O-Man. 

014HO06104 DUNKIT will impress you 

with his high milk production and elite 

health traits. Along with that unique 

combination, he adds a pedigree that 

will mate well with the popular breedleading 

sires of Planet, Shottle, Goldwyn, 

Palermo, Contact, Kolton, Observer, 

Shamrock. If you’re searching for a sire 

that exceeds +1600 PTAM, +3.5 PL, +1.5 

DPR, +1.00 PTAT and has lower scores for 

SCS and SCE, Dunkit is a perfect option. 

014HO06058 TEST PILOT is the ultimate 

choice for extreme health traits with a total 

outcross. His pedigree is void of any of 

the popular bloodlines and he adds high 

production (+1286M), long productive life 

(+3.6PL) and great daughter pregnancy 

rating (+3.0DPR) with a balanced 

type evaluation. He adds the perfect 

combination of trouble-free, long-lasting 

cows that will out-produce the herd. 

Mating programs will use him on your 

Palermo, Atwood, Digger and Hvezda*RC 

daughters to improve the next generation. 

014HO06060 FABIO brings the style and 

show type many are looking for from an 

impressive pedigree. His lineage is loaded 

with Excellent 92, 93 and 94 classified 

dams that have produced large volumes 

of milk. Fabio daughters are tall, dairy 

and have wide rumps with great feet and 

legs, as you would expect with a PTA 


Type of +2.68. Matings to daughters of 

Potter, Million, Trigger, Oman and Shottle 

bloodlines are very complimentary. 

014HO06090 BOWSER is a former 

GeneForce sire that graduates to the 

proven lineup and is bred to be a health 

trait specialist with an outcross pedigree 

and tremendous conception rate. You 

will be attracted to his service sire calving 

ease (7%) and his productive life (+5.4) 

as well as +2.94 somatic cell score and 

+1.8 daughter pregnancy rating. He 

sires outstanding feet and legs and snug 

udders making him a super mating on 

daughters of Marion, Durham, Atwood, 

Toystory and Goldwyn bloodlines. 

014HO06018 HAZELNUT has a balanced 

genetic profile specializing in components 

from a powerful cow family. His pedigree 

is loaded with high component dams 

and elite classification scores. Bred for 

extreme components at +.18% and +63F 

and +.07% +31P along with +$462NM and 

+1.87PTAT he makes a great combination 

with Marion, Potter, Man-O-Man, 

Garrett, Kramer and Beacon daughters. 

14HO06097 LIGHTNING, a full brother 

to 014HO06098 WHITELIGHTNING, is 

another high production sire bred as an 

outcross to many popular bloodlines. His 

PTAM of +2386 ranks him at the top of 

the list. High milk production with a 6% 

SSCE and 5% DCE makes him a great 

addition to your herd’s genetic profile. 

His daughters are tall and dairy with 

outstanding feet and legs making him a 

great choice on daughters of Potter, Freddie, 

Million, Time and Oman bloodlines. 

14HO06040 MY SPACE is another type 

specialist bred to compliment your smaller 

and more average-uddered cows. His 

pedigree, Shottle X Goldwyn X Blitz X 

Rudolph, spells balance for production 

and type. My Space daughters are tall and 

dairy with deep bodies. His specialty is 

rear udders being well over 3 points on 

height and width. A rare combination 

with these frame traits, he is also very 

sound in the all-important health 

traits being +2.2PL +2.86SCS +1.5DPR 

and 7% SCE. He is an easy choice to 

combine with Potter, Man-O-Man, Jake, 

Dotson and other O Man bloodlines. 

14HO06080 BUILDING is a 014HO04099 

Billion son from the PACE program and 

stems from a well-known maternal line. 

His dam is a Very Good Shottle daughter 

from Mayerlane Rud Bubble who is a 

popular brood cow around the world. 

High butterfat, improved milk production 

and improved foot angle make Building 

an attractive option. He will also add 

height and width to rear udders and 

is great mating on daughters of Potter, 

Super, Freddie, Planet and Bowser. 

14HO06054 RAE is your choice when 

looking to add elite type from an elite 

pedigree along with exceptional health 

traits. His maternal line is filled with 

Excellent cows that trace back to the famed 

Roxy cow family bred in northern Illinois. 

Use Rae to add angularity, deep bodies, 

dairyness, style and super rear udders. 

Rae is an ideal mating for daughters of 

Potter, Bowser, Jake, Dotson and Trump. 

14HO05996 RAMOX brings another 

unique pedigree bred for high production. 

His pedigree is free of Oman, Shottle, 

Goldwyn and Planet. Along with elite 

production, he adds longevity of +4.6 

productive life. He is a rear udder 

booster being over +3.00 on height 

and +2.75 on width. He is best for 

Trump, Super, Freddie, Man-O-Man, 

Explode and Bowser daughters. 

The combination of this group of 

new PACE graduates along with the 

upward movement in the current 

genetic evaluations of former PACE 

graduates 014HO06047 FAVRE (now 

+3.26 PTAT), 014HO06033 MASSIVE 

(+2091 TPI) and 014HO04924 

KRAMER (+2009 TPI) promises to 

bring excitement in the New Year. 

Hillcrest Fabio 29204 sires style and type. 

Sildahl Myspace Piano will pair well with your smaller, average-uddered animals. 


CALF CARE 

Cold Weather Calf Care: A 

Challenge for All Producers 

by: Minnie Ward, Calf and Heifer Consultant and 

David Jones, Communications Coordinator 

No matter where you 

live, winter can be a 

challenging time when 

it comes to calf management. 

From the extremely low temperatures 

in the upper part of the country, to the 

sometimes-volatile temperature swings of 

lower latitudes, weather affects the health 

and overall well-being of young stock. 

Cold weather management is not easy, and 

it can be labor intensive, but your calves 

will thrive if managed correctly. When 

cooler weather hits, it’s important to recall 

the Five Cs of calf care: colostrum, calories, 

comfort, consistency and cleanliness. 

Colostrum 

The importance of colostrum cannot be 

understated. Calves are born without 

antibodies to protect themselves from 

disease. Colostrum is the vehicle by which 

the newborn calf absorbs these antibodies 

in the form of immunoglobulins. After 

the calf is born, its ability to absorb 

immunoglobulins steadily decreases and 

ceases after 24 hours. It is recommended 

that calves be fed as soon as possible after 

birth, ideally within four hours of birth. If 

Clean, dry bedding, extra energy and calf coats could save your calves this winter. 

fresh colostrum quality is an issue, consider a 

supplement or replacer like First Day Formula. 

Wondering how to measure the success 

of your colostrum program? The best 

way to measure is to check the level of 

immunoglobulins in the blood. Ask your 

veterinarian for assistance with procedure 

protocols and the appropriate facilities to 

get your samples tested. 

Calories 

The amount of energy a calf requires 

depends on more than just size. For every 

degree the temperature drops below 

50°F, calves require 1% more energy. A 

100-pound calf requires 1.1 pounds of dry 

matter just for maintenance at 50°F. If 

the calf is below three weeks of age, liquid 

calories become even more important as 

they are not likely to be consuming enough 

grain to support their energy requirements. 

There are a few options to consider in 

order to bring the calorie count to an 

appropriate level when the temperature 

dips. Think about increasing the amount 

of milk replacer powder from 10-12 oz. 

per calf to 12-14 oz. Another option might 

be to incorporate a third feeding, with the 

feeding time being as close to late evening 

as possible. A late feeding will ensure the 

calf is armed with extra calories to be 

comfortable when the temperature drops 

at night. The third option is to add a fat 

supplement, like Accel Energy, to boost fat 

content and calories. 

Comfort 

Deep straw bedding is the best option for 

the winter months. Although straw is not 

always the easiest solution, it will act as an 

insulated layer as long as it is kept fresh and 

dry. A quick tip for bedding: kneel in the 

calf pen for 15-20 seconds. If your knee is 

wet when you stand, it’s time to change the 

bedding. An easier tip: if you wouldn’t want 

to sleep on the bedding, your calf probably 

doesn’t either. Direct contact with wet straw 

or other bedding will cause a calf to lose 


heat much faster. When bedding down pens, 

there should be enough straw that you do 

not see the calf ’s feet when it is lying down. 

Calf coats are another must when it comes 

to the coldest months. This becomes 

especially true if there is a draft in the calf 

environment and if you have very small 

or young calves. The greater the difference 

between the temperature of the calf and the 

air temperature, the greater the potential 

benefits from a calf coat. These could 

include a higher rate of gain, less sickness 

and overall less stress. Calf coats, like 

Accel Coat, are most cost effective when 

used over short periods of time. When 

dealing with a limited number of coats, give 

priority to the younger and smaller animals 

when temperatures drop. 

Consistency 

As a species, cows are creatures of habit. 

Because of this, a standardized routine is 

important when it comes to calves. Feeding 

a consistent calf ration at the same time 

each day will reduce stress and result in 

fewer digestive upsets. 

In theory, establishing a routine seems 

simple, but even changes in something as 

seemingly insignificant as the free-choice 

water can impact calf health. As for water, 

the best results have been observed when 

utilizing warm, fresh and clean water 

to calves. To determine other standard 

operating procedures and protocols, meet 

with your calf team to determine what 

works best in your calf care program. 

Calf management can be one of the most 

difficult, volatile, time-consuming and 

rewarding tasks on the farm. This can be 

especially true during the coldest months 

of the year. By following some simple 

procedures, your calves will make it to 

spring with satisfactory health and an 

appropriate weight. For more information 

on First Day Formula, Accel Energy, Accel 

Coat and other calf products offered by 

Accelerated Genetics, please view the 

Animal Health Product Directory included 

with this issue of Genetic Trends. 

Dried, natural bovine colostrum 

Free of major disease-causing 

pathogens, including Johne’s 

Superior mixability for added 

convenience and nutrient absorption 

Fortified with essential vitamins and 

chelated minerals 

FIRST 

DAY 

FORMULA ® 

COLOSTRUM REPLACER AND SUPPLEMENT 

Contains high levels of antibodies and 

protein 

The future of your herd depends 

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SIRE FEATURE 

A ‘Massive’ Day at 


by: Angie Lindloff 

Communications Director 

Marion and Man-O-Man daughters. His 

moderate frames with great udders and feet and 

legs along with great health traits and impressive 

production make him an easy bull to add to any 

breeding program. 

December Dairy Sire Summary 

proved to be an exciting day 

with a great lineup of proven 

and elite genomic sires. Specifically, 

014HO06033 Minn-Dell Baxter Massive-ET 

had an impressive day headlining Accelerated 

Genetics as one of the highest proven Net 

Merit sires. He also has the highest productive 

life (+7.1) among the top 100 TPI® bulls. 

Massive is producing daughters that have an 

exceptional type pattern with plenty of strength, 

width and depth of rib. California Regional 

Services Specialist, Brian Nelson, remarks: 

“Producers should use this sire if they want 

a cow in their herds that is going to make a 

014HO06033 Massive 

Stoner Prairie Massive 10020 GP-82, VG-MS Owner: O’Brien Bros, 

Fitchburg, WI 

12 > GENETIC TRENDS > DECEMBER 2012 

difference in the bulk tank. Massive produces 

cows that are going to work hard and last longer 

than their fellow herd mates.” 

Recently, Dave Erf, Sire Analyst, gave his 

comments on Massive and the contribution he 

brings to the Accelerated Genetics sire line up. 

Q: Tell us about Massive and what he has to 

offer to producers. 

Erf: Massive has many traits that attract 

producers from around the globe. He has a high 

longevity rating of +7.1, low SCS of 2.60, along 

with a positive DPR of +1.0. Massive also has a 

UDC of +1.45 and FLC of +2.03 to add to his 

attractive profile. For the production minded 

breeders, his high fat (+.04%, +53F) draws their 

attention. Overall, Massive has a variety of traits 

that draw people to him as they make their 

semen buying decisions. 

Q: Why should producers choose Massive 

over other sires? 

Erf: Breeders looking to add highly profitable 

genetics (+647 NM$) along with moderate 

frames, great udders and feet and legs, find 

Massive very attractive. In addition, his 

production and health traits, added to his 

linears, make him a unique sire. His pedigree 

(Baxter X Outside X Amel X Luke) also makes 

him easy to use on a wide variety of bloodlines. 

Q: How should Massive be used in a 

breeding program? 

Erf: First of all, Massive’s outcross pedigree (no 

O Man, Shottle, Goldwyn, Planet or Bolton) 

makes him an easy choice. He provides a good 

cross on all the major bloodlines prevalent 

today. Massive also crosses well with Potter, 

Q: How did Accelerated Genetics 

acquire Massive? 

Erf: Massive was acquired from Vangsness 

Brothers in Kenyon, Minn. They operate 

a 60-cow tie-stall dairy. The herd is a very 

impressive group of cows. While visiting their 

farm, I mated the Outside dam of Massive to 

Baxter. She was probably the most impressive 

young cow in their herd at that time. The cow 

family presented a different bloodline to try and 

source for Accelerated Genetics. Massive proved 

that the Vangsness Brothers can provide some 

great genetics. 

Q: What cow families are related to Massive? 

Erf: The Massive cow family has not been 

tapped for A.I. prior to this sire being released. 

The strength of the cow family is the depth and 

quality throughout. The three closest dams to 

Massive are all scored Very Good at 86 points. 

They are all quality animals behind Massive. 

With the limited exposure to A.I., there are not 

any well known family members to cite. But, 

this can be construed as a strength, as it offers 

genetics that are high quality and unique. 

Q: What impressions do you see with 

Massive daughters? 

Erf: The most impressive part of Massive’s profile 

is the moderate size he transmits, along with 

good quality udders and outstanding feet and 

legs. This type profile is ideal for transmitting 

the exceptional longevity Massive is now known 

for. High fat production and low SCS combined 

with a positive DPR make Massive an impressive 

sire. When you add in the different pedigree he 

possesses, Massive becomes a coveted addition 

to any breeding program.

PHOTO CONTEST 

Photo Contest 

Winners Announced 

ACCELERATED GENETICS HAS A LOT TO BE 

PROUD OF: a seventy-year legacy, outstanding 

products and the best customers around, to name 

a few. Judging by the photos displayed below from our 

annual photo contest, our customers are not only great 

people, they are exceptionally talented. This past year’s 

photo contest allowed participants to enter photos in 

one of two categories: Showing Pride for Agriculture 

or Caring for Your Animals. Three top photos were 

selected from each category, here are our favorites: 

1 

1 

2 3 2 1 

3 

Caring for Your Animals: First Place: Danae Bauer, Scandanavia, Wis.; Second Place: Josie 

Alexander, Hoxie, Kans.; Third Place: Connie Eibergen, Madison, Wis. 

Showing Your Pride for Agriculture: First Place: Danae Bauer, Scandanavia, Wis.; Second 

Place: Nargiza Kanybek Kyzy, Harmony, Minn.; Third Place: Robin Kleine, Lowell, Ind. 

Ready, Set, Shoot! 

Get your cameras ready! The 2013 photo contest is here! This year, 

there are two categories: 

Category one: 

“Accelerated Genetics in Action” 

Capture your favorite Accelerated Genetics cattle, products, services, 

representatives, etc. as they’re showcased around the farm focusing 

on people, products and pride in the agriculture industry. 

Category TwO: 

“Breeds of the Seasons” 

Snap photos of your favorite breeds while showcasing your favorite 

seasons! 

Deadline: September 1, 2013 

Prizes: 

First Place - $100 Gift Card 

Second Place - $75 Gift Card 

Third Place - $50 Gift Card 

Submit Entries to: 

Kristin Olson - kolson@accelgen.com 

800-451-9275, ext. 5426 

For full contest rules and photography tips, visit the Accelerated 

Genetics website: www.accelgen.com. 


PEOPLE 

Striving to Raise 

the Bottom Line 

by: Morgan Meisenheimer 

Marketing Communications Intern 

Success. The concept 

may be easy to grasp. 

But, actually achieving 

success takes more than mere 

understanding. According to 

A.I. technician Gary Hansen, it takes 

unwavering passion, persistence and 

positivity. In fact, Hansen recently joined 

the 100,000 Cow Club after working 

for Accelerated Genetics for 20 years. 

In September, Hansen was honored at the 

Annual National Association of Animal 

Breeders Convention in Milwaukee, 

Wis. for joining the prestigious group 

Hansen believes in establishing loyalty and working 

hard to make producers more successful. 

of industry professionals who have 

bred over 100,000 cows first service. 

For Hansen, the job is more than breeding 

cows. It is about customer satisfaction, 

developing new business, and promoting 

what Accelerated Genetics has to offer. 

“I enjoy the satisfaction I get out of 

helping producers be more successful,” 

said Hansen. “But in my opinion, 

it’s programs that create loyalty, so I 

make sure to promote our GEM and 

ReproConnections® programs.” 

These programs hold value to his 

customers, but what makes them stick with 

Accelerated Genetics is Hansen’s incredibly 

personable, efficient and organized work 

style. His atypical breeding vehicle, a blue 

Subaru, adds to his efficiency and charm. 

Dave Calvert, Regional Sales Manager, 

would agree and thinks highly of 

Hansen as a person and co-worker. 

“Gary is an All-American guy and family 

man, who takes great pride in his work,” 

Calvert said. “Gary works extremely hard 

for his customers and provides them 

with the best products and services. 

He goes above and beyond to ensure his 

customers’ herds are successful. And it’s 

not just about business, Gary’s customers 

consider him to be part of their families.” 

Hansen makes sure that his nontraditional 

“families” are generally 

in line with his positivity. 

“I’m a people-person who works with 

progressive operations that also have 

positive attitudes,” Hansen said. 

For Hansen, Accelerated Genetics directly 

ties to family because of the unmistakable 

bond he has formed with his customers. 

And it is the bond that has served as 

a vessel for his profound success. 

Hansen lives in Richland Center, Wis., 

with his wife, Sherry of 37 years. Together 

they have a son, Kyle, and daughter 

Karla in addition to four grandchildren. 

He is highly active in his church and 

community and when he isn’t working, he 

enjoys golfing, traveling, and camping. 


PEOPLE 

Integrity is Always in Style 

“Do not over promise, but over deliver. 

[Customers] always remember promises, 

but will be surprised by over delivery.” 

by: Mandy Brazil 

Marketing Communications Intern 

Industry trends are 

continuously changing. 

Some fads fade away, Some 

continue to evolve. One thing 

does not change, however, 

is the characteristic of 

Integrity which continues 

to be appreciated across 

industries. Ivan Smith is the dictionary 

definition of integrity as an Accelerated 

Genetics District Sales Manager. 

“Ivan is notorious in the industry for his 

work ethic and honesty,” says Lex Carter, 

Regional Sales Manager. “He provides 

tremendous customer service and is 

respected by his customers and by his 

competitors. When Ivan tells you he will 

do something you can take it to the bank.” 

Smith’s customers agree. “[Ivan] is honest, 

moral, and possesses great integrity,” 

says Jackie van Es. She and her husband, 

Dale, own a 5,000-cow dairy in Marsing, 

Idaho, and have sincerely appreciated 

having Smith as their representative for 

over seven years. “He knows exactly what 

we want and is great to work with.” 

This year, Smith is not only celebrated for 

his tremendous character in providing 

top service to customers, but also for 

reaching an elite industry milestone. The 

National Association of Animal Breeders 

(NAAB) has recognized Smith for reaching 

1,000,000 in Direct Unit Sales. Fellow 

top achievers in the A.I. industry from 

throughout out North America were 

honored for their accomplishments at the 

annual banquet held in Milwaukee, Wis. 

He is among only five Accelerated Genetics 

employees to reach this impressive status. 

Based in Idaho, Smith has been assisting 

Accelerated Genetics customers for 

nearly thirteen years. He covers a vast 

area, encompassing large regions of 

Idaho and portions of Montana and 

Oregon. Customers are primarily 

large-scale commercial dairies. 

Representing large operations is the perfect 

fit for Smith with his background in 

commercial dairying. Prior to entering the 

A.I. industry, he was a dairyman for thirtythree 

years. “This gives him great insights 

into the business, which his customers 

really appreciate,” confirms Carter. 

Smith strives to be a problem solver. 

In his words, Smith will “go fishing” to 

determine what kind of dairy it is and how 

he can help them be more successful. “I 

look to see what their needs are and what 

kind of service they require,” he says. 

During his years spent on the farm, 

Smith appreciated salesmen who were 

courteous and valued his time. He applies 

a standing philosophy to each of his sales. 

The desire for excellent customer 

satisfaction is deeper than maintaining 

sales. To Smith, it is a personal matter. 

He regards the service he provides as 

more of a consulting position and truly 

concerns himself with solving problems 

at the dairy. At the end of the day, he 

wants to “feel good about what he did.” 

“I love working for Accelerated Genetics,” 

says Smith. “They let you get out and 

use your talents. Working for them 

is a real blessing and privilege.” 

Smith values family above all else in his 

life and has been married to his wife, Jay, 

for forty-five years. The couple has eight 

children and twenty-five grandchildren, 

with another on the way. Smith proudly 

served his country and promotes patriotism 

with fellow veterans as a Chaplain 

in the American Legion Society. 

Smith was honored at the NAAB Convention for reaching 

1,000,000 direct unit sales. 


• Elite Type! (+4.70 PTAT) 

• Outstanding Feet & Legs! (+4.57 FLC) 

• From the well-known 

Canyon-Breeze Abigail family! 

Atwood x EX-90 Shottle x VG-85 Morty 

Airlift Photo © Lea McCullough. Source: 12/12. HA/USDA Genomic. 

Dam: Canyon-Breeze S Auburn-ET EX-90, Dam of Merit 

800-451-9275 | www.accelgen.com

Our VISION - Accelerated Genetics

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