Company News

Semex is excited to announce the launch of FastStart sires, genomic sires delivered at the fastest pace possible!   “Genomics and the new release high genomic young sires are driving the genetics business,” comments Brad Sayles, Semex Chief Operating Officer. “At Semex, we want clients to have access to our highest-ranking sires just as fast as possible. FastStart helps them do that. By signing up for this program, clients everywhere can have the hottest young sires available, and be the first to do it!”   FastStart represents the best, high-ranking Holstein and Jersey sires from diverse pedigrees. Released monthly, FastStart sires will be high ranking GTPI, PTAT, JPI, JUI and excel in health traits.   “Signing up for FastStart is easy,” says Sayles. “Clients will see that we’re offering the most elite genetics to them first at extremely competitive pricing, and with the option for Semex to have access to the resulting genetics there is no financial risk. Once you’re on board you will be the first to get the very best 200 code sires!”   For more information on Semex, FastStart sires or our solutions portfolio please visit www.semex.com      
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MEETING LOCATION: Mapleton Meadows Farm, Courtney & Josh Pranger, 11383 Belmont Road, RR # 8, St. Thomas, ON EastGen’s AI School is designed to understand and manage reproduction in your herd. EastGen’s experienced staff will moderate a diverse and intense agenda of reproductive management subjects. Improve your knowledge and learn
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Since 2009, CanWest DHI has published reproduction benchmarks based on the previous years herd performance. To help look at how we�ve progressed, we are comparing the average reproductive performance in 2018 to herd performance in
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This week, the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Canada's Minister of Science and Sport, announced $56 million in funding to support 37 research projects. This includes Semex's new joint project with the University of Guelph's Dr. Bonnie Mallard, the Angus Genetics Inc and Canadian Angus Association dedicated to fighting Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) in Angus Beef cattle. This project received over $500,000 in funding from Genome Canada's Genomic Application Partnership Program. 



 

"We've already done this for dairy cattle with our partner Semex," says Dr. Mallard. "It will provide three major benefits. The first is to the animal, because healthier animals are better off all the way around. The second is to the producer. They save time and money because they don't have to spend time treating sick animals with antibiotics or other therapeutics as much as they would under normal circumstances. And the third benefit is to the consumer, of course, because you (the consumer) can sit with confidence when you eat that steak, knowing that it came from naturally healthy animals, that were produced in a healthy and sustained environment."

 

BRD is the most common and costly disease affecting feedlot cattle in North America, with estimates to be as high as $1 billion annually. Unfortunately, pharmaceuticals are temporary solutions, with antimicrobial resistance growing and antibiotics are becoming less effective over time. Additionally, the meat industry is facing mounting pressure to phase out antibiotic use, with supply chains responding to consumer demand.

 

"Semex is taking our Immunity+® technology to the beef industry," says Dr. Michael Lohuis, Semex Vice President Research & Innovation. "With Dr. Mallard, the Angus Genetics Inc and Canadian Angus Association, we're developing a High Immune Response test for Angus cattle. BRD is a costly disease, and we think we ... Read More...

Date: Tue, March 19, 2019 Time:9:30 AM – 3:30 PM ADT Location Maritime Motorsports Hall of Fame, 51 Hooper Lane, Petitcodiac, NB E4Z 0B4  CLICK HERE for more details.
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That semen tank sitting in the corner of the barn office or vet room
generally goes unnoticed except for the times you are pulling out a
dose of semen from one of
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As we flip the calendar to a fresh new year, we're excited to share our youth event dates for 2019 with you.
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As more robotic barns appear across the industry, the demand for
cows and heifers that have been bred for an automated milking
environment is on the rise, with some breeders
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Semex is saddened to announce that its 12th Millionaire Sire, 0200HO00402 Mainstream Manifold, has passed away.

Manifold was from a strong cow family known for production and was backed by eight generations of VG or EX dams. He combined this strong maternal line at Mainstream Holsteins in Washington, with type strength and desirable health and fertility traits to be one of the most predictable sires in Semex’s lineup for nearly a decade.

A truly unfaltering sire, Manifold debuted as the #20 TPI sire in August 2009. As time  passed, he only gained strength as he added daughters reaching the coveted Millionaire Status in April 2014 when he was also the breed’s #12 TPI and #6 LPI sire.

With over 73,000 daughters in his production proof in December 2018, Manifold continued to be one of the most popular O Man sons of our time, offering solid production, great components and a breed leading 3.9% Sire Calving Ease.

"Manifold was a truly exceptional bull and was a great example of our commitment to providing healthy, long-lasting cows to our clients,” says Brad Sayles, Chief Operating Officer. “And, he was a stand-out among O Man sons. He really did it all, being a Millionaire and selling to all corners of the world. We’re fortunate to have a limited quantity of Manifold semen still available, allowing dairymen to continue using this profitable and popular Millionaire Sire.”

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The Top-10 New Product Award Competition is conducted annually by the International Agri-Center®, in conjunction with World Ag Expo® (WAE). Nominations are submitted by WAE exhibitors and judged by farmers, ranchers and industry professionals. This year, Semex’s Elevate™ Female Immunity Test is one of the Top-10 winners and will be recognized at the show held February 12-14 in Tulare, California!

Launched on December 4, 2012, Immunity+ was billed as an industry first – an exclusive product that would dramatically change the way dairymen developed their own breeding strategies and managed herd health. With Elevate, its female genomic testing program, Semex offers a genomic test that ranks and selects cows for both their Immunity+ genomic results and their genetic merit!

With Elevate and the Immunity+ genomic test, there’s no more guess work as to which cows will better resist disease. Armed with both genomic information and Immunity+ results, producers are able to make faster genetic progress towards a stronger, more disease resistant herd, reducing losses and drug use. Immunity+ heritability is 30%, similar to that of milk production. Semex is excited to be the only AI company to deliver uncompromised herd health gains that can be made by identifying both female immune response and utilizing Immunity+ sires.

"With Elevate and its Immunity+ genomic test, producers no longer have to guess which cows are their healthiest," says Gordon Miller, Semex Sr. Vice President, Sales & Business Development. "Instead, they're able to tailor their breeding program with both genomic information as well as Immunity+ results categorized as high, average or low health. They make faster genetic progress towards a stronger, more disease resistant herd, reducing losses and drug use. Immunity+ heritability is 30%, similar to that of milk production. We're ... Read More...