ABS Global

Another Canadian team spotlight, and it’s a good one. Please welcome, ABS Representative, Andrew Flokstra! Andrew grew up surrounded by agriculture in the lush Fraser Valley in southwestern British Columbia. As an electrician’s son, he often visited different types of farms. Because many of his classmates were dairy farmers, he found himself working at a couple of dairies in the 11 and 12 grades. He enjoyed that work, but the idea of having a dairy seemed too far out of reach. His Opa and Oma immigrated from Holland and operated several dairies, but they had long retired before Andrew was born. After training in horticulture and operating a nursery business for 14 years, he got the opportunity to take over his father-in-law’s farm supply business which allowed him to get back out on dairies. A few years into his new career, Andrew was asked to consider taking over a local ABS Representative’s territory. Although he had little knowledge of what was involved in genetics, he decided to jump in headfirst. Nine years later, he still enjoys the fast-paced world of genetics and has seen immense changes in the industry while covering the Fraser and North Okanagan Valleys. The thing that Andrew enjoys the most about working for ABS is the constant investment the company makes in research and development. When he isn’t working for ABS, he loves spending time with his wife Teresa and their 3 children and stays busy by running a local hockey league that his boys play in and serving at a Recovery program at their church.

Here at ABS Global, we take pride in our commitment to supporting farmers and livestock professionals worldwide with cutting-edge genetics and solutions. Your dedication fuels our passion to continually innovate and provide the tools necessary for success. As we commemorate this day, we extend our gratitude to the unsung heroes who plow the fields, care for the animals, conduct research, and ensure that our food systems remain strong and sustainable. Wishing you all a wonderful Labor Day filled with appreciation and relaxation (although we know the work never really stops in our industry)!

Hair coat color 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 when producing or procuring beef cross calves. ⁣ ⁣ The secret to tasty beef is not the hide color of the cattle, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐮𝐩. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gv-HX-qZ

With dairy producers top of mind, ABS looks at four trait categories that drive genetic improvement and profitability on a dairy: 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠. They play major roles in milk production, and ultimately, your milk check. We know milk production is the dairy’s main profit center. ⁣ ⁣ That’s why the mission of our Beef InFocus program is to 𝐚𝐝𝐝 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐟 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐩 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐤 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. Before any sire makes it to our Beef InFocus lineup, we measure their predicted performance through Real World Data, calving observations, and our proprietary indices to ensure they meet genetic improvement thresholds. ⁣ ⁣ Want to learn more about the BeefAdvantage Index? Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gSWtn6Uf

4️⃣ 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐃𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐲 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬⁣ ⁣ We sometimes limit ourselves because we don’t know our options, or we deem things unachievable because of misrepresentations. Specifically speaking towards dairy genetics, we can label genetic solutions as impossible. With today’s tools and technologies, achieving what was previously thought unachievable is now the standard in the dairy industry. ⁣ ⁣ Read more: https://lnkd.in/gnRUUyeZ

Sexcel has been created using the 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲, combined with superior fertility and the most profitable ABS genetics to help improve product performance. We realize that 𝐚 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐰 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭 with a healthy female calf. A healthy heifer needs to be born and only then can genetic progress be seen. That’s where the value is found. Sexcel provides a high probability of success. Observations using ABS Global’s Real World Data® (RWD™) demonstrated that 𝐒𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝟗𝟎% 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/grryRJP7

Optimizing heifer inventory with sexed semen and maximizing return on the remaining pregnancies with beef genetics is becoming the worldwide adopted genetic management approach. Though it is not new to the dairy industry, 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐫-𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧 that is preventing you from winning. Have no fear! By implementing ABS Global’s Winning Game Plan, dairy producers around the world are experiencing unbeatable, step-changing genetic progress and maximizing profitability from all females in the herd with a Sexcel® and Beef InFocus strategy. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬: 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝-𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐚 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡-𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐟 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐟. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g3e_6xyK

There are three production traits available for genetic selection: Milk, Fat, and Protein. All three traits are expressed in the expected second lactation yield in pounds compared to the breed average. Since most milk markets are paid on Fat and Protein yields rather than the volume of milk, let’s take a closer look at Fat and Protein and how they stack up. Imagine if you were comparing two groups of Holstein sires to breed to your herd. Sire Group A has an average Fat of +120 and an average Protein of +60. Sire Group B has an average Fat of +120 and an average Protein of +50. Read the rest: https://lnkd.in/gC6-X89U

"The future looks bright for ABS and our customers as we look at the results of the August 2024 Sire Summary. The performance of our key bloodlines and our investment in diversifying our genetics have resulted in varying trait and pedigree mixes that will provide our customers with the opportunity to choose genetics that maximize profitability within their specific operation." - RYAN STARKENBURG, ABS SENIOR GENETICIST Read about how ABS stacked up this Sire Summary: https://lnkd.in/g-unjDQi

Charged with delivering improved genetics, meet our next #teamABS Spotlight, Johnna Granville! 🧬 Johnna grew up in Walden, CO on her family’s ranch and was involved in 4-H and FFA, where she showed steers, lambs, and pigs. Like any rebellious teenager, she didn’t want to do anything her parents did, and so in college, she chose a path in math and statistics instead of pursuing an agricultural degree. However, she slowly regretted this because she missed being involved in agriculture. So, she pivoted her studies to Animal Science with an emphasis in beef cattle genetics. Johnna completed an ABS internship and made the easy decision to work here full-time after graduation! At ABS, she is the Beef Genetic Service Manager where she focuses on delivering improved genetics and demonstrating the value of those genetics to customers in North America. She also develops and maintains the breeding program of ABS’s two nucleus herds. Her favorite part about working at ABS is the people. Each person on our fantastic global team strives daily to develop superior genetics and help customers implement them. She truly believes our genetics contribute to ‘nourishing the world’ more efficiently and sustainably and will allow future generations to continue in the beef business.