The Showbox Sires team together with their bestseller Acetylene-Red. From left to right, Tim and Sharyn Abbott and Mike and Julie Duckett. Tim Abbott was earlier known for his career at ABS and St.Jacobs (including Dundee and Aftershock), while the Ducketts are known from Duckett Holsteins in Wisconsin.
The summer of 2023 saw a new AI company emerge: Showbox Sires. Founded by two well-known and passionate Holstein breeders: Tim Abbott and Mike Duckett, assisted by their wives Sharyn and Julie. ‘We are aiming to breed a cow that has the strength and width to calve problem-free year-in year out, gives lots of milk, and looks good. An average-statured cow with strength, athletic enough to stand up easily – and, of course, with an outstanding udder,’ is how Duckett explains the mission of Showbox. HI spoke with Duckett and Abbott.
JAN BIERMA
‘As breeders, we understand the importance of managing functional cows that can perform in modern facilities, while not sacrificing conformation. We think that with all the tools available, such as genomics and cow families that have proven themselves at breeders around the world, we can make a better cow.’ In this way Mike Duckett responds to our inquiry as to why Showbox Sires was established. Tim Abbott fully agrees and continues: ‘I have been out of the AI world for seven years and missed it tremendously. In the meantime, show cows have become so much better genetically that their potential for breeding is much greater. Yes, we know that the indexes need to be in order – show cows also need to pass the “paper test”. For that reason, conformation, genomics, pedigree and sire stack” (paternal line) all weigh heavily in our approach.’
Essential for Showbox Sires is the fact that Abbott and Duckett together own a significant number of elite cows, including two-time Madison winner Oakfield Solomon Footloose EX-97 and the famous S-S-I Doc Have Not 8784 EX-96. Sons of both cows are available from Showbox. ‘But’, as they indicate, ‘our bulls do not only originate from our own cows, we also purchase from other families.’
START
Officially, Showbox Sires started in the summer of 2023, and in the fall of 2023 the first semen was sold. For sales, Showbox Sires works together with Select Sires and Semex, who take care of marketing and distribution. Showbox does not make direct sales; they refer to Select and Semex. Currently Select Sires has about fourteen Showbox sires in its program, and at Semex there are four. Showbox Sires has the goal of launching about twelve new sires every year.
As mentioned, in late 2023 the first doses were sold and in the meantime Luck-E Acetylene-Red (a Rompen son out of an EX-92 Doc daughter from Luck-E’s Asia family) can be identified as the first bestseller. A second bestseller is Haveitall Hellion, an early Dropbox son out of the previously mentioned Doc 8784. The third bestseller is Mr Tatoo Flash: a Tatoo son of the impressive Solomon daughter Footloose. At Duckett Holsteins, Acetylene has already been used significantly: ‘I was so impressed by his dam at Luck-E that I used him even before we had purchased him,’ says Duckett, who observes a lot of width and depth in the calves. ‘It is wonderful to receive pictures of Acetylene calves from people all over the world,’ tells Duckett.
EXPO EFFECT
When we ask about the Showbox bulls that Abbott and Duckett are very enthusiastic about, they both mention Haveitall Image. The Sidekick son of Doc 8784. Duckett: ‘I think that he is a bull that can make the kind of cows that we want. Solid conformation and production with tremendous cow families on both sides of the pedigree. This was a mating that we made after we saw that Doc 8784 adds production to every combination. And Sidekick has splendid daughters all over the world, from calves to mature cows.’ Abbott continues: ‘Doc 8784 is one of the most remarkable milking cows with whom I have ever worked. She adds a lot of production, regardless of the combination. Just look at our bull Image, for example: his sire Sidekick displays -1000 lb milk, but thanks to his dam Doc 8784, son Image is at +1000 lb! For that reason, this mating was made.’ Abbott also right away points out the effect of popular show cows. ‘Immediately after the World Dairy Expo 2024, demand for our semen exploded. We experienced our best two months ever in terms of semen sales, also thanks to the charisma of Footloose. That really works!’
Yes, passion, drive, and knowledge are present in large supply and clearly noticeable at Showbox Sires. No wonder that already after a year and a half, this young AI company has generated global recognition.
WHY “SHOWBOX”?
‘We want to make sire selection a bit like it was in the past: breeders and friends sitting on their “show box”, together talking about the selection of bulls. For that reason, we chose the name “Showbox Sires,”’ explains Abbott.
