Select Sires

Select Sires Receives Grant for
Industry-Leading
Commercialization of Sexed Semen

PLAIN CITY, Ohio, Nov. 27, 2006 — Select Sires recently received a $300,000 Rural Business Cooperative Service, Value-Added Producer Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the largest grant of its kind awarded in Ohio this year. Select Sires received this grant in support of its industry-leading efforts in the commercialization of gender SELECTed™ sexed semen, making this exciting new product a reality for American dairy and beef producers. Select Sires will match the grant dollar-for-dollar to enhance the profitability of dairy production through marketing and producer education programs, highlighting the benefits and possible drawbacks in the use of sexed-semen.

"We’re very excited and honored to put these funds to good use on behalf of the U.S. dairy industry," said Mel DeJarnette, Select Sires senior reproductive specialist. "Combined with our matched dollars, this grant will allow us to better inform producers about the cutting-edge technology of gender SELECTed semen and train people in how to use it properly to obtain optimum results. We will also be able to cost-effectively equip producers with the product and proper tools needed to use sexed semen."

This working capital grant will be used to purchase inventory and specialized insemination equipment, develop marketing and educational material and conduct producer education symposia. "Our gender SELECTed sexed semen can enhance the productivity and profitability of dairy producers, which is the primary goal in Select Sires mission statement. This grant will help us fullfill that mission," DeJarnette said.

Select Sires has monitored the progress of sorting technology since its inception in the mid 1980’s. Through the late 1990’s, Select assisted the technology licensee, XY, Inc., Fort Collins, Colo., with provision of bulls for use as semen donors for laboratory and small field trials. Since 2000, Select has conducted numerous large field trials evaluating the success and commercial feasibility of this technology. Now, in partnership with Sexing Technologies, Navasoto, Tex., gender SELECTed semen is a commercial reality that consistently yields 90 percent female calves. Today, the ever-growing gender SELECTed lineup includes 33 Holstein, Jersey, Brown Swiss and Guernsey bulls, many of elite status within their breed.

In 2006, more than $22 million was awarded by the USDA Rural Development grant assistance program to 194 selected applicants. "This is a very competitive process with limited funds available," said Michael Jones, public affairs director for USDA. "We’re excited to be a partner in this program and help grow Select’s market for this new product."

Based in Plain City, Ohio, Select Sires Inc., is North America’s largest A.I. organization and is comprised of 10 farmer-owned and -controlled cooperatives. As the industry leader, it provides highly fertile semen as well as excellence in service and programs to achieve its basic objective of supplying dairy and beef producers with North America’s best genetics at a reasonable price.

™gender SELECTed is a trademark of Select Sires Inc.

To order product contact:
Select Sires Inc., 11740 U.S. 42 North, Plain City, Ohio 43064 / Phone: (614) 873-4683 Fax: (614) 873-5751