The Opportunity
Given access to the best semen via AI, primary questions facing Seed Stock beef breeders is to do with the quality and value of their most strategic asset – their dam herd.
These questions would include:
- How good are my cows; how do they rate against competing breeders
- How can I get better measurements of their breeding worth
- Can I clearly identify which of my cows are in the top 5% of my herd?
- Can I maximise returns from these top few?
- Can I use these top few to upgrade my whole herd for even higher returns?
When combined with genotyping (Single Step) to identify your top cows, GeneFlow’s high yield IVF technology will maximise your offspring from these cows paired with top semen – regardless of cost, to both build your herd quality and deliver more and better seed stock for sale.
Explore how GeneFlow can help you get the most out of your best cows.
Breeding Science
Buyers of sires in the beef industry are increasingly being guided by the progeny test based EBV sire rating system operated by breed societies. This guidance is being reflected in the higher prices being paid for higher rated and ranked sires and dams on the EBV scale. Sire breeders are therefore being increasingly challenged by the intensifying open competition presented by the EBV rating system. And while staying true to their type and trait goals sire breeders are seeking to improve their EBV scores.
Whilst acknowledging the importance of their dams and family breeding lines, especially over the longer term, once a dam herd is established, the major source of improved genetic input in the past has been via the sire side. This is because of the better breeding proofs of males due to greater numbers of tested offspring and because of the abundance of semen, and its portability. Conversely, because of fewer offspring and consequent lower reliability of proofs dams have contributed much less to breeding improvement.
The arrival of genotyping is reshaping the potential for female contribution to EBV’s. Thus the Single Step combo of genotyping and EBV (EBVg) is providing greater reliability in breeding worth estimates at an earlier age than can pedigree based EBVs. EBVg’s offer sire breeders the opportunity of much greater female contribution to breeding outcomes by identifying superior females at a younger age.
This potential for expanding female contribution is a significant opportunity for breeders.
With the high embryo number yield of IVF, combined with EBVg, GeneFlow is offering breeders a stepped pathway that will maximise the contribution of their most elite females and help leverage their genetics towards reaching the EBV pinnacle. The technology will also increase the yield of elite genetic material for sale.