"We Care for the Cows Everyone Cares About"
More than just the slogan on the front of the barn, Sunshine Genetics staff and facilities provide the comfortable housing required for elite genetic donors.
Your donor's potential to produce more high quality embryos will be maximized when housed at Sunshine Genetics.
Why more embryos/oocytes can be produced:
- Constant monitoring of donor health and reproductive status
- Short intervals between collections
- Nutritional management
- Superior donor comfort
- Attention to detail by the entire Sunshine Genetics' staff
The farm has housing for 200 cows and heifers. The high visibility of the herd attracts many visitors to the farm each year, providing individual donors with a worldwide audience of potential buyers.
The tunnel-ventilated milking facility features tie-stalls and box-stalls. Mattresses are bedded generously with wood shavings. Cows are fed a total mixed ration supplemented with dry hay to optimize milk component production. Milking is done twice-a-day with monthly DHIA testing by AgSource Cooperative Services. Classification is conducted routinely and photography from Agri-Graphics is also available.
Dry donors and heifers are housed in three open-front steel buildings on a sawdust bedding pack in groups of six to eight individuals. No expense is spared to keep them clean, dry and comfortable, with fans and water sprinklers available in summer months.
All individuals housed at Sunshine Genetics are given frequent vaccinations to ensure their health. Weekly reproductive examinations are conducted by a trained embryo transfer professional to monitor reproductive status. Regular hoof trimming is also practiced.
Sunshine Genetics grows and harvests its own forages and corn, so there is a mixed ration of high quality ingredients. The nutritional supervision is done by Bob Hagenow of Vita-Plus.
Sunshine Genetics employs a strict new arrival protocol to ensure the health of new donors as well as those already at the farm. All new donors must be tested free of TB, Brucellosis, and BVD. Donors should arrive 4-6 weeks prior to embryo or oocyte collections. Call or email about the necessary paperwork for your donor animals.