SSMC Sire Services Eyes Future Growth
Recent renovation provides more bull comfort and improves employee safety.
“We are growing!” Devin Albrecht, V.P. of Operations and Beef Sector Business Manager announced, “and that demonstrates our commitment to offer a variety of services to our customers.” As a full-service bovine genetics cooperative, SSMC has offered custom semen production for dairy and beef producers since 1942. Supporting our members/customers with elite genetics, professional technician services, lifetime monitoring, and custom collection continues our efforts to build our members’ cooperative.
With the cooperative’s plans to expand the collection business, an additional farm in Elgin, Ill., was acquired in the Fall of 2022. Once initial housing changes were made, SSMC looked at how they could improve the facility to draw additional clientele. SSMC Sires Servies is led by Logan Ridge, who brings over 18 years of industry experience to the facility design for bull collection and animal handling safety. Albrecht states, “His expertise helped drive this initiative which led to new business opportunities.”
Logan Ridge, Manager of SSMC Sire Services shares, “From there, we continued to make enhancements to offer high-quality resident and isolation stalls for bulls that are CSS-qualified.”
Certified Semen Services, or CSS, is a subsidiary of the National Association of Animal Breeders (NAAB). The CSS designation certifies that the semen was produced in compliance with specific minimum health and quality control standards. This CSS designation allows semen to be exported to certain foreign countries.
“Adding outside runs was a logical step. Outdoor access now allows bulls more exercise space. In addition to larger pens, safety was also an important consideration. Employees can separate a bull to the outside run while safely cleaning the inside stall. We feel bull comfort and employee safety are the biggest wins in this project,” stated Ridge.
The added runs were completed last month. The renovated barn has 20 stalls and is reserved for only CSS-qualified bulls. Sires must remain in this barn for their semen to qualify as a CSS-certified product.
More services for diverse markets
SSMC offers the option to have the semen gender-sorted from bulls. Bulls are grouped on collection days to maximize efficiency and travel time to the sorting laboratory.
Additionally, SSMC Sire Services can store large volumes of semen for customers as they prepare for distribution or export.
SSMC Sire Services is built on a long-standing history of working with dairy and beef producers. This project is the next step in strengthening the relationship they have with their clients by offering this service.
To learn more about SSMC Sire Services visit https://ssmcoop.com/sire-services or contact Logan Ridge at (740) 262-6475.
SSMC Sire Services is a component of Select Sires Member Cooperative (SSMC). Established on October 1, 2023, after the boards of directors of four member cooperatives agreed to merge into one cooperative, SSMC represents the Select Sires federation in 27 U.S. states and the country of Mexico. As a member-owned cooperative, Select Sires Member Cooperative delivers excellence in personalized service, quality offerings, and cattle genetics. To learn more visit www.ssmcoop.com.
