Select Sires

SELECTIONS - Spring 2007

gender SELECTed™ Semen:
Delivering on Another Promise

By Mel DeJarnette, senior reproductive specialist - research, Select Sires Inc.

Select Sires’ introduction of gender SELECTed semen to the U.S. market in early 2005 was very conservative; we did our very best not to oversell expectations. Based on prior research with this product, we recognized reduced conception rates were to be expected and cautioned all purchasers of the potential pitfalls. However, as results of commercial application field trials came back through the summer of 2005, it was clear that most users were pleased with the results and Select Sires once again delivered on another promise. With the guidance and support of Select Sires’ producer-owner board of directors, gender SELECTed semen was officially added to the Select Sires product line-up in November 2005.

In February 2006, the program was further expanded with the opening of Sexing Technologies sorting laboratory on the Select Sires campus in Plain City, Ohio. This provided greater flexibility in the choice of sires for use in the gender SELECTed program, enhancing the caliber of genetic offerings and producer interest. Producer acceptance and demand have far exceeded expectations and we now believe it’s safe to say, gender SELECTed semen is here to stay.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Since its introduction, Select Sires has made intense efforts to track and monitor the success rates of gender SELECTed semen in participating herds. Our rolling database contains every morsel of data we could get our hands on: the good, the bad and the ugly. As expected, conception rates are reduced compared to conventional semen, but slightly greater than prior research would have predicted.

Select will continue to aggressively add to this database and would greatly appreciate the assistance any customers can provide. In addition to conception rates and gender ratios, we would like to document the incidence of dystocia, stillbirths and any type of calf abnormality. We have no reason to believe the incidence should be different than that obtained with conventional semen from the same sire, but for the sake of sound science, these data must be accumulated to confirm any suppositions. A major limitation in data collection has been an inability to distinguish gender SELECTed semen from conventional semen of the same sire due to failure to use 507 stud codes when recording sire identification. Please use 507 stud codes when recording services to gender SELECTed semen and please don’t hesitate to drop us a line if you have conception or calving data you are willing to share.

Economics

Side Bar on Key Highlights

Select Sires is still the first to admit that gender SELECTed semen is not for everyone. This product requires optimum management. Herds that achieve less than 60 percent conception in virgin heifers using conventional semen may want to seriously reconsider their options before using gender SELECTed semen. In addition to our own calculators, other organizations, university extension personnel and industry consultants have developed spreadsheets to evaluate the impact of sex-sorted semen on the economics of the dairy. From our experience, most of these systems seem to adequately cover most of the bases and yield similar results. However, make sure the system you use is including the appropriate constants and assumptions. There are three key areas where we have noted that constants and assumptions are often erroneously presented.

gender SELECTed semen is only recommended for first or second service. Some spreadsheets calculate economics assuming sexed semen will be used for all services. Select Sires does not recommend $50 semen for third or greater service irrespective of semen type (sexed or conventional).
As suggested by previous research and confirmed with data obtained from commercial application to date, gender SELECTed semen has averaged a 44 percent conception rate in virgin heifers and more than 70 percent of heifer herds have achieved conception rates that were greater than or equal to 70 percent of that obtained with conventional semen. Some spreadsheets cite constants as low as 30 percent conception or 50 percent of that obtained with conventional semen.
Gender ratios have averaged 90 percent on more than 4,200 calvings in Select’s database, which is consistent with tens of thousands of offspring born from this technology over the last 20-plus years of research and development. Some popular spreadsheets will reference 85 percent heifer ratios. This 5 percent difference in heifer ratios can have a huge impact on the economic outcome.

A Product You Can Trust

With approximately 10 years of research experience and slightly more than two years of commercial application experience using this sexed-semen technology, Select Sires has blazed a trail for others to follow.

A number of other A.I. organizations are now installing flow-cytometers for sperm sorting and seem to be trying to "surf our wake" in an attempt to catch up with Select’s cutting-edge experience and expertise. Others are offering “look alike” products and claims with little to no scientific data to support them.

Select has always trusted science and our founded commitment in integrity in everything we do to steer us in the right direction. In turn, you can trust Select Sires' products, services and scientifically substantiated claims to guide your dairy to more profitable new horizons.

™gender SELECTed is a trademark of Select Sires Inc.

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