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?