Showbox Sires Embryo Extravaganza recently took place online, with a top price of $12,700 achieved.

Showbox Sires was founded in 2023 by renowned US-based Holstein breeders, Mike and Julie Duckett, and Tim and Sharyn Abbott.

The sires are bred with strength emphasised over stature, breeding stylish, eye‐catching pedigree Holsteins with strong production and health.

50 lots were up for grabs from a number of elite maternal and paternal lines, with all embryos eligible for export to the UK, EU, Canada, Australia, and South America.

Showbox Sires sale

The top price of $12,700 (€11,294) was given not for an embryo, but for a heifer calf born in early September.

The calf was sired by Haveitall Blakely Hinge-ET, who has a genomic total performance index (GTPI), similar to Ireland's Economic Breeding Index (EBI), of +3,268.

The sire also has a predicted transmitting ability (PTA) of +1,020lbs in milk, +57lbs in fat, and +40lbs in protein.

Her dam, Jacobs Lambda Baz-ET EX94, has a GTPI of +2,466.

In her peak, she produced 28,812lbs of milk at 4.4% fat and 3.3% protein, equating to 990kg of milk solids.

She was crowned the reserve All-American 4-year-old 2025, as well as the the reserve 4-year-old at the 2025 US International Show.

In 2024, she won the Junior 3-year-old at the Western Dairy Expo.

Showbox sires then purchased her at the International Intrigue in 2025 for $320,000 (€284,500).

The calves granddam, Jacobs High Octane Babe-ET Ex-96, was named that All-Canadian 5-year-old in 2022, as well as Canadian Cow of the Year in 2025, and Reserve Grand Champion at the 2022 National Holstein Show.

Overall, heifer calves averaged $9,563 (€8,500) in the online sale.

Embryos

Embryo sales topped out at $4,050 (€3,600) during the sale.

The high price was paid for a lot of five IVF embryos, flushed from Jacobs Lambda Baz-ET EX94.

Another three lots of embryos from Jacobs Lambda Baz-ET EX94 were up for sale, two of which were containing four embryos, while another lot was containing six.

The lots averaged out at $2,350 (€2,090), meaning overall, Jacobs Lambda Baz-ET EX94 embryos sold for $2,775/embryo (€2,468).

Some more top sellers from the sale included;

$2,450 (€2,180) for a package of five embryos out of Duckett Ranger 1133-ET *RC EX-92. She has a GTPI of +3,145 and PTA values of 860lbs milk, +23lbs fat, and +25lbs protein;
$2,100 (€1,867) for two packages of embryos totalling seven from Peace&Plenty Doc Jubie16-ET EX-96. She has a GTPI of +2,599 and PTA values of +888lbs milk, +8lbs fat, and +18lbs protein;
$1,650 (€1,467) for a package of five embryos from Trent-Way Relon-ET *RC EX-93. She has a GTPI of +3,099 and PTA values of +316lbs milk, +42lbs fat, and +30lbs protein.