To celebrate the 25th anniversary of International Protein Sires we will be posting features that will track the history of IPS. CLICK HERE to see the all the articles posted to date. And Happy Anniversary International Protein Sires.
The year is 1991. Marlow Nelson and Alvin Piper spontaneously formed an artificial insemination (AI) company to market a bull that intrigued them. Marlow was visiting dairy herds in the eastern part of the United States with a group of Germans. They expressed interest in buying semen from the bull. Cook-Farm Starbuck Flip was a line-bred Starbuck son. Nelson and Piper began marketing Flip when he was six-years-old through a company they named International Protein Sires (IPS).
Fast-forward to 2016, the year IPS celebrates its 25th anniversary. The company that started with one proven bull has grown into an AI company with almost 115 bulls.
Current IPS Owner and President Ron Sersland's first role with IPS was not selling semen. Sersland helped Nelson and Piper export Holstein heifers to Japan. In 1999, Sersland acquired ownership of IPS from the founders and owns the company with his wife, Nelly.
IPS focuses on domestic and international markets, with each area attributing to about half of the company's business. In 2016, IPS marketed semen to 35 countries internationally. Domestically, semen is available through a network of distributors who partner with IPS across the United States.
What makes IPS different from other AI organizations? This is rooted in IPS' motto, which is "Breeding Cows, Not Numbers." IPS is committed to offering bulls providing dairy producers with simply good and profitable cows from deep cow families. Recognizing dairy producers focus on different selection criteria, IPS offers a line-up of proven and genomic bulls that meets a wide variety of preferences. Another priority is offering bulls that have high conception rates.
To keep current on the genetic offerings as well as IPS company information, please "like" us on our Facebook page, listed under International Protein Sires. Information is also available on our website at www.ISPSIRES.com.