277 days. This is how long a dairy farmer must wait to find out the outcome of his most important profitability decision: calf gender! Speeding up the clock is not possible, but thanks to biotechnology, speeding up genetic gain is.
The average length of a gestation period for cows is 277 days. With conventional semen, the probability of getting either a male or female calf is 50:50. In other words, prior to the advent of gender-sorting semen, dairy farmers had a 50% chance of getting a male calf from their most valuable cows after waiting 277 days for heifer replacements. Genetic gain was slower, dairy continuity was compromised.
In the hope of the predictable, STgenetics® Canada challenged the status quo of biology by offering gender-sorted semen for the first time in the dairy industry. Three progressively improving gender-sorted semen technologies were launched by STgenetics® since its first product in 2005. Dairy farmers can now predict a 90% chance of getting their most expected dairy replacements with female-sorted semen. Meanwhile, Conception Rates of sorted semen also continued to grow.
While gender-sorted semen technology is relatively new, the tool has become commonplace, with a 75% increase in sorted semen usage globally since 2018. This allows farmers to ensure the most profitable population will be entering their herd with using female-sorted dairy semen on their top performers and maximize their profits by using Beef on Dairy male-sorted semen on their inferior genetics. Genetic gain is much faster, herd inventory is better managed and breeding decisions are more accurate.
Striving to bring the most reliable, innovation-driven solutions to farmers, STgenetics® Canada launched its newest gender-sorted semen technology, Ultraplus™, in April 2022. Backed by 3 years of Research & Development and proven through field data from 72 farms, 52 sires and 15,000 inseminations, Ultraplus™ has the highest Conception Rates ever seen in the industry, adding 3 percentage points higher fertility than the latest technology, 4M™. All STgenetics® Canada sires are available in Ultraplus™, with 90% or higher gender accuracy, to help dairy farmers achieve their profitability and sustainability goals.
Controlling the odds is the best way to predict the future of your dairy.
For more information, contact your STgenetics® Canada representative.
Quebec & Atlantics: 1-855-785-1642
Ontario & West: 519 291-9916
Canada@STgen.com