CONTACT: Dawn Navis
(608) 846-6396

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ABS GLOBAL SPONSORS J. L. LUSH AWARD

DEFOREST, WISCONSIN - August 22, 2003 - ABS Global recently sponsored the 2003 J. L. Lush Award in Animal Breeding Research. This award, which was presented at the annual meeting of the American Dairy Science Association in Phoenix, Arizona, went to Dr. Bennet G. Cassell. .

"Sponsoring this award is one way that ABS can give back to those individuals providing the research critical to genetic advancements in the dairy industry," states Marjorie Faust, Director of ABS External Research. "Bennet’s work in improving the dairy industry has been extraordinary."

Cassell is a graduate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VPI) in Dairy Science and Dairy Genetics. He earned his Ph.D. in Animal Breeding from North Carolina State University. Cassell is currently an Extension Dairy Scientist at VPI, a member of the Genetics and Mastitis Task Force of the National Mastitis Council, and a featured columnist in Hoard’s Dairyman.

The research that earned Cassell this award included studies dealing with improving the accuracy of sire evaluations and breeding profitable dairy cows by emphasizing sire selection decisions. Through this research he has had many important innovations. Two of these provided a demonstration of the importance of complete pedigree information when estimating effects of inbreeding and an examination of the effect of inbreeding on lifetime relative net income.

"We are extremely proud to sponsor this award and have it awarded to Dr. Cassell for his contribution to the improvement of the dairy industry, and for helping dairy producers to breed more profitable cows," continued Faust.

Headquartered in DeForest, Wisconsin, ABS Global is the world-leading provider of bovine genetics, reproduction services, technologies and uddercare products. Marketing in more than 70 countries around the globe, ABS has been at the forefront of animal genetics and technology since its founding in 1941. ABS Global is part of Genus Breeding, a division of Genus plc.

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To receive the contents of this release electronically, please contact Alice Langer at alanger@absglobal.com, or (608) 846-6203.

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