Company News

Tom Kroetsch has been at the helm of Semex’s production laboratories since transferring from EastGen in 2002 to be Semex’s Technical Specialist, working closely with our partner semen laboratories. Since then his work has spanned the globe and taken him to our subsidiary and production facilities worldwide, ensuring Semex’s Gold Standard™ is universal. Semex congratulates Tom on his retirement from his impressive career, as his last day at Semex is today, Friday, March 31.
 
Tom started working for the Western Breeders Service, a member of Semex Canada's Marketing Group, in White City, Saskatchewan on April 1, 1975 as a lab manager. In the mid-70's most efforts were focused on custom collecting beef bulls. Tom moved to UBI (United Breeders Inc, predecessor of Gencor and EastGen) in 1979. In September 2002, Tom joined Semex as a Technical Specialist working directly with the Semex partner semen production and sire care groups. In about 2005 he took on the role of Director, Production and Quality Control, followed in 2012 with his current role as Director, Laboratory and Quality Control within Semex's HPD (Operations) division.
 
Tom comments, "One of my most rewarding, exciting and high-pressure experiences was being part of the production operations at our facilities in Brazil, China and Hungary. In the mid-90's Semex moved towards global production, with a joint venture in Hungary that became 100% Semex-owned in 2004. This centre houses our EU-sourced sires, with its production being exportable to North America and other countries. I have been working with this centre since 1997, focused on semen quality, production and process improvements.”

Congratulations and thank you from all of us at Semex to Tom Kroetsch! 
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As the world’s fastest growing genetic solutions company, Semex sires continued to show their prowess globally with the December 2016 genetic evaluations. Highlights include:

 


December 2015 graduate, 0200HO02792 Sandy-Valley Saloon continues to top the GTPI list at #3 GTPI in December 2016!  This globally popular A2A2 sire is now+2637 with +2489 PTAM, +172 CFP and the best PTAT in the top five GTPI at +2.92!
Immunity+™ sire 0200HO06528 De-Su Nominee graduates as the #12 GTPI sire at +2550 GTPI, +0.03% for Fat and Pro, with great +6.9 PL, low 2.63 SCS, a +4.6 DPR and 6.4% SCE making him a HealthSmart™, Calving Ease, A2A2 and GrazingPro™!
Semex sires occupy eight of the top 20 PTAT positions and are led by global superstar, Immunity+ and A2A2 sire 0200HO06480 Val-Bisson Doorman +3.59. Doorman is also Canada's #1 Conf Sire at +18 and is the new #2 LPI Sire at +3190! Doorman was a leading sire at both World Dairy Expo and the Royal Winter Fair, underscoring his status as a ShowTime™ sire.
Calving Ease specialist 0200HO03895 Boldi VSG Airintake graduates in December at 6.1% SCE with exceptional +2.36 PTAT, +2.78 UDC, +2.03 FLC and +4.1 PL. He also ranks as #7 LPI sire with great functional and conformation figures. Dairymen tell us they're very pleased with their daughters and that he's working well in all environments.


 

Beyond North America, 200HO sires continued to dominate listings:


0200HO10777 Westcoast Perseus #1 PLI at £779
0200HO10659 Stantons Applicable #1 UK Type Merit
0200HO10624 Silverrridge Allclass #2 UK Type Merit
0200HO06267 Gen-I-Beq Lavaman #1 PLI UK Proven Sire
0200HO10744 Boldi V Gymnast #1 RZG


 

200JE sires had a great December evaluation, with G-Code bulls excelling once again:


#3 0200JE00913 Faria Brothers Messi {5}: +282 GJPI, 779 CM$ and a HealthSmart™ sire
#11 0200JE01065 Legendairy Moneybag {5}: +264 GJPI and an Immunity+ sire
#20 0200JE01058 Sun Valley Jolt {5}: +249 GJPI and an A2A2 ... Read More...

With over 20 years of research in immunogenetics and associated health benefits, immune response is highly effective and 30% heritable. This means that each generation bred to an Immunity+ sire is expected to reduce disease incidence by at least 5-10%!   "Working with our clients globally, we’re seeing the benefits of Immunity+ on herd health," says Paul Krueger, Semex Immunity+ Global Brand Manager. "There are other health solutions but none are like our exclusive Immunity+ and none are 30% heritable."   "In December, we increased our Immunity+ genetic offering with eight more sires ranking over +2600 GTPI, and 14 more over +2500 GTPI. It's a genetic solution for herd health with no genetic sacrifice."   In its elite Genomax™ lineup, Semex now has: 81 Genomax Immunity+ bulls over +2400 GTPI 51 Genomax Immunity+ bulls over +2500 GTPI 18 Genomax Immunity+ bulls over +2600 GTPI 14 Genomax Jersey Immunity+ bulls 8 Genomax Ayrshire Immunity+ bulls   This Holstein group is led by 0200HO10648 Endco Apprentice *RC (Kingboy x Supersire x Alchemy), who is the #2 Kingboy available in the breed at +2753 GTPI with a +8.0 PL, +2.4 DPR, +862 NM$, positive deviations and solid +2.43 PTAT and +2.22 UDC. He's also HealthSmart™, RobotReady™, Red & White and GrazingPro™. His dam is a VG-85 Supersire x VG-85 Alchemy x EX-95-2E Altitude, the dam of the famous Apple, making him popular worldwide!  
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Semex recognizes the need for cattle that are most profitable in a pasture-based production environment. This means sires that yield high components, produce progeny of a limited size while maintaining strength, durability and mobility. Efficiency is the key to good grazing animals. Semex’s GrazingPro sires will maximize component yield and put focus on health and reproductive traits to ensure highly profitable, long-lasting animals with limited problems. These animals will also ensure easier calvings and create more, darker coloured calves. GrazingPro sires are designed to make management in grazing environments as effortless as possible, while maximizing profitability and peace of mind. “These sires have been selected to be efficient, long-lasting animals that will provide high component yields and good reproductive performance,” says Dr. Steven Larmer, Semex Dairy Solutions Coordinator. “GrazingPro sires are also chosen for their limited calf size, good feet & legs and udder composite, limiting mobility and udder health problems. They are also selected for coat colour, ensuring no problems with fair-skinned animals in sunny climates. On average they are 30% better for component yield than other sires, have higher daughter pregnancy rates (1.3% higher), less difficult calvings (0.8% lower) and have 14% lower Somatic Cell Scores on average. Overall this means more profitability on pasture than other sires.”
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One new addition to our already stellar Ayrshire line-up this round with the addition of the #6 GPA LPI sire Marbrae BIGTIME. BIGTIME, who debuts with a solid +2903 GPA LPI, combines two of our most popular sires in one exciting package being a BIGSTAR x ROCKSTAR. His dam, Marbrae Rockstar’s Prosperity VG-87-2YR is one of ROCKSTAR’s most complete daughters stemming from an EX-2E 94 Normandin (with over 300 BCA across the board in all three of her lactations). Her dam, an EX-4E 92 Perceval, completes 3 generations of high-yielding, high fat % cows which is something we should expect when using BIGTIME. BIGTIME, who carries the A2A2 and Robot Ready designations, has a solid +10 for Conformation while offering shallow udders (+9 Overall, 2S Udder Depth), and Feet & Legs which will be suited for any dairy operation (+10 Overall, +10 Heel Depth).
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December’s proofs are official and our EastGen Holstein line-up was bolstered with some exciting new additions this round. Locally-bred Genomax graduate Boldi VSG Airintake is the first of two Epic sons added this round. Airintake’s dam, Velthuis SG MOM Alesia VG-87-2YR 6*, stems from the amazing “Atlee” family. He will make a welcome addition as a Semex’s highest ranked newly-proven GLPI sire with +3067. With $2099 Pro$, Airintake finds himself in rare company as only he, Chartroise Smurf (our #2 used sire in 2016) and our 2nd newly added sire Silverridge Album surpass $3,000 GLPI and $2,000 Pro$ mark in our current proven line-up.
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EastGen members in Zones 2, 5, 8 and 11 are invited to submit nominations for a Director in their respective Zone for a three year term.
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As the fastest growing AI company in the world, Semex and genetic powerhouse, River Valley Farm, are thrilled to announce an exciting new partnership and the stud code series… 0200JE10000. Semex is now home to the River Valley Farm Bull Program and it’s star-studded lineup of over 25 young sires including Craze, VIP, Rockstar, Change-Up, Checkmate and Racer all available from Semex in the Fall of 2016. Semex has been River Valley Farm’s exclusive IVF embryo producer through Semex’s Boviteq, making this new partnership a natural progression. “Semex’s Boviteq has been our exclusive IVF embryo provider since 2013,” says David Jordan, River Valley Farm General Manager. “We’ve seen first-hand their commitment to technology, innovation and customer service. From Boviteq to Immunity+™ to research dollars invested to their rapid market growth, Semex was an easy choice for us when we began re-evaluating our Bull Program.” For more information on River Valley Farm visit www.rivervalleyfarm.com This new partnership expands the Semex Jersey lineup to the fastest growing in the industry, and gives nearly immediate access to some of the Jersey breed’s most in-demand young sires. River Valley Farm’s maternal lines include 160 of the breed’s top JPI™ females following the August genetic evaluation as well as: three US National Show Champions; three World Dairy Expo Grand Champions; a World Dairy Expo Supreme Champion; a Canadian National Champion; and many All-Americans and All-Canadians. “Collaborating with industry-leading River Valley Farms and the entire Sauder Family is something we can not be more excited about,” says Brad Sayles, Vice President Product Development & Genetic Solutions. “At Semex we believe in cultivating long-lasting partnerships, and we see this relationship really benefiting our clients globally. Available very soon will be sires that rank at the top of Jersey listings, including seven bulls over 190 JPI, 12 greater than 21 JUI, six bulls over 90 ... Read More...