Sexed Semen
Hugh Ratcliffe
European Business Development Manager
Dairy Genetics
Agenda
• Introduction to Sexed Semen • The results • Farmer Benefits • Future Trends
ABS Sexation - how is it produced?
Collection Evaluation, initial extension, staining & incubation
Sorting process
How does it work?
Sexed vs Conventional semen
Conven'onal
ABS Sexa'on
No of Sperm/
straw
10m/straw
2m/straw
% of Female Sperm
50%
90%
Wastage in produc>on
Minimal
50%+
UK Cattle Numbers & Heifer Pipeline Thousand Head June-‐06 June-‐07 June-‐08 June-‐09 June-‐10
Dairy Herd 1,979 1,954 1,909 1,857 1,847
Other female caJle (24months + who have not calved or are incalf for the first >me)
476 429 420 401 395
Female dairy caJle (12-‐24 months 504 479 481 491 540
Heifer nos as a % of Total Dairy Herd
49.5% 46.4% 47.1% 48.0% 50.6%
UK Cow & heifer prices in 2007 onwards
Source MDC datum website
Sexed semen cost benefit source: Promar July 10
• Example 100 cow herd requiring 25 heifers
• Extra costs = £1968 • £1302 semen • £666 increased days open @ 90% conventional
• Extra benefits = £6857 • £4294 calf income (beef calves £180/£218) • £2563 margin through breeding from best genetics
• Payback = 3.5:1 (£49/cow)
What about the other benefits?
• 90% heifer calves gives you more easy calvings • A Genus ABS trial across 8200 calvings showed
• When a cow/heifer has a heifer calf • Reduced rate of still birth calvings by 50% • Decrease in days open by 12 days (worth £60/
cow) Cheshire Dairy Farmer milking 800 cows “When using sexed semen, for me the Heifer calf is a bonus...” Why? CALVING EASE
1st Time buyers
• Try 20 doses in their heifers
2nd year • Used sexed in all their maiden heifers
3rd year
• Generate all required replacements using sexed semen
• BEEF semen usage goes up significantly
• DAIRY semen usage goes down
The Sexation buying cycle
2007 2008 2009 2010
GB Sexa'on Sales 2007-‐2010
GB Sexation Sales to date
Equals 10% of Total Dairy semen sales
Conclusions
• Sexed semen works and is profitable for Dairy Farmers, if used correctly
• Huge welfare benefits through easier calvings and fewer Holstein bull calves
• Future growth slowing because 1) Product expensive to produce and hence buy 2) Decline in conception rates make maiden heifers
the only viable market for most farmers 3) The Elite bulls generally not available
ANY QUESTIONS?