More than 160 Select Mating Service™ (SMS™) genetic consultants from Select Sires’ member organizations, international distributors and guests, as well as other Select Sires staff from 22 countries, met at the 40th annual SMS Genetic Consultant Conference, hosted by Select Sires GenerVations in Ontario, Canada, May 9-13.

Genetic consultants participated in a day of continuing education. The group discussed new indexes in the United States and Canada, talked over on-farm observations, received information on the Aggressive Reproductive Technologies™ (ART™) program, was updated on the strengths of the Select Sires lineup and learned about exciting sires waiting for their first daughter proofs and future Super Samplers™. They also heard about enhancements to the SMS program, innovative technologies and recent trends.

Now in its 42nd year, SMS added more animals (2 million) to the program than any year in its history. SMS consultants continue to help dairy producers control genetic recessives, haplotypes, inbreeding levels and provide a means to create custom selection indexes based on customer goals. The conference allows genetic consultants to view hundreds of Select-sired daughters and see the pattern each sire transmits to his daughters.

Over the course of three days, consultants viewed progeny of Select Sires’ current lineup and potential graduates in Ontario. Select Sires thanks the following herds for their hospitality: Greenmoor Farms Ltd., Embro, Ontario; Kie Farms, St. Marys, Ontario; Stanton Bros. Ltd., Ilderton, Ontario; Mapel Wood Farms, Jerseyville, Ontario; Maplelawn Farm, Allenford, Ontario; Albadon Farms, Teeswater, Ontario; Trinal Farms, Teeswater, Ontario; Groenewegen Dairy Farm, Walkerton, Ontario; Mar-Crest Farm, Alma, Ontario; Citilimits Farm Inc., St. Agatha, Ontario; Rexlea Jerseys Inc., Schomberg, Ontario; O’Connor Land and Cattle Co., Ajax, Ontario and Quality Holsteins, Vaughan, Ontario.