Company News

Semex is pleased to announce the opening of a new bull isolation facility in Brockville, Ontario.

With capacity of housing 230 young bulls and the goal of providing individual care to valuable young sires, this new facility will serve as an entry point for all bulls coming into stud.

“Traditional isolation facilities are generally at or very near production facilities. We chose to place this facility in a central location,” says Robert McRae, Semex Chief Operating Officer. “This ensures we have fulltime, dedicated staff that will ensure the best care and testing of these young bulls. And, we want to reduce any biosecurity risks at our production facilities, so having this facility at a separate location makes perfect sense.”

In the fast-paced genomic era, minimizing risk is just one goal of this new state-of-the-art facility. Semex is also working hard to get its valuable young sires into production sooner, impacting both Semex’s genetic suppliers and its clients.   

“We plan to be able to bring bulls into testing sooner and get them moving towards production even faster,” says Brad Sayles, Semex Vice President Global Marketing. “We’re doing everything to not only control this period in a bull’s life, but to also emphasize individualized care. Our end goal is to continue providing our clients worldwide with the best genomic young sires and proven sires in the world. This facility underscores our commitment to our clients, our genetic suppliers and our EastGen member owners in eastern Ontario that have been longtime partners in our success.”

“Our research and studies show that this is an extremely important part of a bull’s life,” says Sayles. “Working to supply our clients with young sire semen sooner is key to not only our success, but their success as well. Our facilities are the best in the business and this new facility certainly puts us ahead of ... Read More...

The International Friend in Dairy Cattle Breeding Award is a recognition that highlights the important contributions of a person outside of Canada in promoting Quebec dairy cattle breeding. During the first edition of the Supreme Dairy Show, the organizing committee presented this award to Semex’s Nelson Eduardo Ziehlsdorff.

Nelson is an accomplished businessman, leading five companies, including Semex Brazil where he has been President and CEO since 2007. Based in Blumenau/Santa Catarina, Semex Brazil specializes in the marketing of bovine, goat and sheep genetics. With over 90 representatives throughout Brazil, Nelson manages a team that not only offers genetics, but also technical advice on management, reproduction, nutrition and genetic solutions focusing on fertility, longevity, performance and long-lasting partnerships.

Extremely active in the dairy cattle industry, Nelson is also the director of the Association of Jersey Breeders of Brazil, President of the Association of Cattle Breeders of Santa Catarina and the director of the Brazilian Association of Artificial Insemination. He is also Board President of the Tairana Central Insemination Center and is also a partner of Cenatte Embryos, a company specialized in embryo transfer and in vitro fertilization.

Additionally, Nelson is a well-recognized dairy cattle breeder owning SCR Farms, a herd of approximately 120 cattle with an additional 60 Holstein and Jersey donor cows housed in Canada and the United States.

Nelson has been key in the organization and accompaniment of numerous Brazilian breeder trips to Canada. He came to Quebec for the first time in 2005 with a group of Jersey breeders, these visits focus on the success of elite and progressive herds. These visits have helped increase the knowledge and appreciation of dairy cattle breeding.  

Nelson and his wife Tatiana are the proud parents of two young boys, Vicente (13) and Arthur (9).
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As one of the dairy industry’s ‘must attend’ events each November, the 92nd Royal Agricultural Winter Fair will play host to hundreds of Semex’s international guests next week in Toronto, Ontario.

Semex plans to introduce and feature key products and services designed to increase dairy profitability and build lifelong partnerships with guests from Canada, the US and dozens of countries worldwide. Visitors can expect the ‘Royal’ treatment while with Semex including:


Immunity+™: A 2013 Dairy Herd Management Innovation Award Winner, Semex's patented Immunity+ sires have a naturally high immune response and will improve the health of the next generation 
SemexWorks™: Visitors are invited to use Semex’s interactive tablets to define their own genetic strategy 
Semex Dairy Celebration: Thursday, November 13 from 3-5:00 pm gather at the Semex display for dairy refreshments as Semex salutes the world’s hard-working dairymen! 
Semex Daughter Display: A highlight of the fair, Semex is highlighting daughters by some of the industry’s most in-demand proven sires, offering the genetics that result in healthier, more profitable and longer-lasting herds:

0200HO05929 GEN-I-BEQ BRAWLER: HealthSmart™ & Robot Ready™
0200HO06156 LARCREST CONTRAST: Repromax™ & Robot Ready
0200HO03753 MARBRI FACEBOOK: Immunity+™, Repromax, HealthSmart & Calving Ease™
0200HO00560 MONUMENT IMPRESSION: Immunity+, Repromax, HealthSmart & Robot Ready
0200HO05575 GILLETTE JORDAN: HealthSmart & Calving Ease
0200HO06267 GEN-I-BEQ LAVAMAN: Repromax, HealthSmart & Calving Ease
0200HO02770 SULLY HART MERIDIAN: GenomaxPlus™, Repromax, HealthSmart & Calving Ease
0200HO05549 REGANCREST REGINALD: Repromax & Show Time™
0200HO05567 R-E-W SEAVER: Immunity+ & Show Time
0200HO02644 MISTY SPRINGS SMOKIN: Repromax ... Read More...

The world’s undeniable ‘King of the Ring,’ Braedale Goldwyn, captured World Dairy Expo’s Premier Holstein Sire banner for a record seventh year (dating back to 2008 when he was one of the youngest and highest ranking TPI sires to ever win the award). With a career that strengthens as the years go by, he sired 33 daughters in the top 10 and 21 in the top of five placings in their classes. This included five class winners, and for the fourth year in a row, he sired the Grand Champion Female. Two-time World Dairy Expo Grand Champion RF Goldwyn Hailey stole the show once again, topping her Aged Cow Class and parading to champion honours. Flanking Hailey were two other Goldwyn daughters, 1st 5 Yr Old, Lovhill Godlwyn Katrysha, who was named Res. Grand Champion and Jacobs Goldwyn Valana, 2nd 5 Yr Old and Best Bred & Owned of the Show, was named Honourable Mention. Semex’s lineup of Show Time™ sires went beyond Goldwyn, with 27 different Semex sires on display, 78 daughters placing in the top 10, 10 class winners, six Best Udder in class awards and seven of the top 10 placings in the four milking classes! Other impressive results include 10 class winners from the first to the last classes of the day by four different Semex sires: Goldwyn (6): see above as well as: 1st Fall Heifer Calf (Stranshome Gold Annice); 1st Fall Yearling & Junior Champion (Comestar Larion Goldwyn) and 1st 4 Yr Old (Butz-Butler Gold Barbara) 0200HO03607 Allyndale-I Attic (1): 1st Sr 3 Yr Old & Intermediate Champion (Charwill Attic Marcy) 0200HO05592 Crackholm Fever (2): 1st Spring Calf (Claircrest Fever Tiki); 1st Sr 2 Yr Old (Arethusa Fever Almira) 0200HO02137 Pine-Tree Sid (1): 1st Jr 2 Yr Old (Ryan-Vu Sid Molly) 0200HO06480 Val-Bisson Doorman (1): 1st Winter Calf (Ms Duckett Dyment Carissa)   International Holstein Show: 27 different Semex sires were represented 78 daughters placed in the top 10 of their classes 43 daughters ... Read More...

On the heels of an award-winning 2013 and with record worldwide sales since its release, Semex is proud present daughters of Immunity+™ sires at this year’s World Dairy Expo (WDE) in its Semex Tent. 

Using a patented technology, Semex measures an animal’s immune response and their ability to combat infection and disease. These animals are considered High Immune Responders (HIR) and at Semex they’re known as Immunity+ bulls.

“Dairymen are looking for long-term solutions to herd health,” says Brad Sayles, Semex Vice President Global Marketing. “With Immunity+ sires, dairymen can now ask how well a bull’s daughters respond to infection instead of how often they get diseases like mastitis. It changes the conversation from result-oriented measurements with heritabilities of less than 10%, to immune response that is highly heritable at 25%. We’re excited to share the future of herd health with dairymen this year at World Dairy Expo.”

On display will be daughters of popular Immunity+ sires including:


0200HO03753 Marbri Facebook: Immunity+, HealthSmart™, Repromax™and Calving Ease™ sire
0200HO07450 Amighetti Numero Uno: Immunity+, Genomax™ and HealthSmart sire
0200HO05567 R-E-W Seaver: Immunity+ and Show Time™ sire
0200HO00560 Monument Impression: Immunity+, Repromax, HealthSmart and Robot Ready™ sire
0200HO02698 Misty Springs Supersonic: Immunity+, Genomax, HealthSmart, Repromax and Robot Ready sire


To find out more about Immunity+ or any of Semex’s suite of solutions, stop by Semex at World Dairy Expo at the Semex Tent or in the Exhibition Hall at booth #2608-2709 or by visiting www.semex.com

If you can’t be with us at this year’s World Dairy Expo, we encourage you to follow Semex on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or on our YouTube Channel and search #semextent for all the latest news from Semex at the show! 
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Semex’s Canadian Embryo Production Centre, Boviteq, located in Saint Hyacinthe, Quebec, is world renown for both its research and bovine embryo work. For decades, producers from coast to coast in Canada and the US have benefited from and looked to Boviteq as their source for reproductive excellence. Now, Semex is proud to announce the accreditation of several satellite OPU (Ovum Pick Up) sites in eastern Canada to compliment the services offered in western Canada by Boviteq West.

“We’re extremely excited about working with beef and dairy clients across the country, assisting them to implement genetic and reproductive activities on their farms,” says Brad Sayles, Semex Vice President Global Marketing. “Boviteq is home to the industry’s very best advancements in reproduction and genetics. Our embryo and IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) techniques have been extremely successful for the commercial and purebred breeder alike, and now with this expansion of OPU services, we’re able to serve an even greater customer base.”

Boviteq is working directly with the following veterinarians as well as the McIntosh OPU/Fradon Donor Facility in eastern Canada:


Dr. Melvin Crane & Dr. Chris Versteeg, Kensington Veterinary Clinic Ltd., Kensington, PE
Dr. Mario Lefort, Services Vétérinaires Mario Lefort inc., Ormstown, QC
Dr. Louis Picard, ETE Inc., Québec, QC
Dr. Adam Haight, Kirkton Veterinary Clinic, Kirkton, ON
Dr. Ken Christie, Dr. Everett Hall & Dr. Tim Henshaw, EastGen, Guelph, ON
Dr. Christopher Church, McIntosh OPU/Fradon Donor Facility, Woodstock, ON


Boviteq West, a strong partner of Boviteq in western Canada, supplies ... Read More...

Semex is saddened to announce the passing of its 11th Millionaire Sire, 0200HO04779 R-E-W Buckeye.

Proven through Semex’s Premier™ young sire proving program in the US in August 2005, Buckeye’s popularity was instantaneous, arriving as one of the world’s most popular BW Marshall sons and ranking #4 TPI. In February 2006 Buckeye climbed to the #2 TPI position, commanding international respect for his desirable production, solid type and in-demand health traits.

Buckeye daughters were known for exceptional feet & legs, mobility and flatness of bone. They had tremendous udders that were silky, very well-attached and were designed to handle large volumes of milk. His status as a calving ease sire only added to his popularity, selling into well over 50 countries worldwide.

“Buckeye was one of the ultimate breeder satisfaction bulls,” says Brad Sayles, Semex Vice President Global Marketing. “He delivered long-lasting, profitable cows that their owners loved because they were milky, dairy and profitable. His daughters are still impacting their herds, being long-lasting and profitable.” 
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Genetics for Life is all about delivering the best possible product to our clients, and Semex’s Jersey sires are no exception. The rigorous selection process used when selecting our Jersey lineup has netted impressive results with code 200JE owning four of the top 25 US GJPI Active Sires and the #1 new release sire in Canada! 

Leading Semex sires was HealthSmart™ sire 0200JE00073 GR Wilsonview Maxwell at +198 GJPI. This Gannon son from the widely-respected M family at Wilsonview in Oregon delivers 66 pounds of Fat, 558 CM$, 524 NM$, 500 FM$ and impressive stats of 4.21 JUI and 4.8 for PL.  He ranks 4th for Net Merit $, 5th for Cheese Merit $ and fourth for Fluid Merit Dollars on the active list. 

Blackstone son 0200JE00477 Lucky Hill Joker climbed 17 points GJPI with additional daughters to land one point behind Joker at +197. From a Legion x Montana Java, Joker sires hard-working cows that give him an impressive +60 F and +50 Protein. This high fertility Repromax™ sire is also available Sexxed™.

Semex’s rigorous selection process for its Genomax™ lineup has resulted in some of the most in-demand progeny proven bulls in the world. One of these elite young sires is 0200JE01007 Missiska MacKenzie (Vinnie x Merchant) is no exception, ranking as number four on the G Code list at +259 GJPI. This impressive sire ranks #1 for Cheese Merit dollars (+766) and pounds of fat (+100), #2 Net Merit dollars (+671) and #6 for Fluid Merit $ (598). He also beings profit to the table with a .26% fat and +.08% protein and a high JUI at +4.86!

In Canada, Robot Ready™ sire 0200JE00470 Comestar JDF Beautifull (Iatola x Fprize Belle x Declo Belle) graduates as the #5 GLPI sire overall, the #1 new release sire and the only double digit Conformation bull in the top 30! Beautifull daughters have all the great conformation traits you would expect, with nearly perfect-shaped udders having silky texture, great heel depth, a ... Read More...

Semex’s Genomax™ sires meet the industry’s most rigorous genomic young standards. This results in some of the most in-demand genomic and progeny proven bulls in the world. The newest graduate of this program, 0200HO03753 Marbri Facebook, now ranks as the world’s #1 TPI sire! Facebook joined Semex’s elite Genomax lineup as the #3 GTPI sire in December 2010. Identified quickly as a top sire, Semex sampled 17 sons that have now entered the Genomax program themselves. They are now some of the most highly respected and in-demand genomic sires in the breed including 0200HO02870 Mr Lookout P Enforcer and 0200HO03877 Coyne-Farms Jabir who have each been at the top of the GLPI and GTPI charts. Now as a progeny proven sire, Facebook’s international demand will only increase as his #1 TPI and #1 MACE LPI rankings combined with his Immunity+™ status make him one of the most valuable sires in the world. With impressive statistics of +2356 GTPI/+3469 MACE GLPI, +2.49 PTAT, breed-leading +172 lbs combined Fat and Protein, moderate stature and fantastic udder traits of +3.04 RUH, +2.80 RUW and +2.90 UC, Facebook and his sons are only just beginning. “Facebook is exactly the kind of bull our clients are looking for,” says Brad Sayles, Vice President, Global Marketing. “He was an extremely popular Genomax young sire who has proven himself through his milking daughters. He is truly more than a triple-threat sire, being Immunity+, a high fertility Repromax™ sire, Calving Ease™ and HealthSmart™. He’s got everything our global clients are looking for to be profitable at the farm gate.” For more information on Semex, Genetics for Life, Immunity+, Genomax, Repromax, Calving Ease or HealthSmart sires visit www.semex.com
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Genetics for Life is all about ensuring that our customers everywhere have the tools they need to be successful. For our clients who are seeking a non-invasive solution to dehorning, the polled gene is extremely valuable. Semex recognizes the potential of the polled gene and we’re working with our customers worldwide to find the best possible polled genes for them. New to the Semex Polled™ and Genomax™ lineups in August is the #1 homozygous polled bull available in the world, 0200HO10157 Calbrett Blueprint PP *RC. He’s an impressive +2124 GTPI with a +4.6 PL, +1.10 DPR, +2.09 PTAT with a great +2.68 RUH, +2.47 RUW and 573 NM$ and is also designated a HealthSmart™ sire. A son of the popular Earnhardt P and from the well-known PR Barbie maternal line, Blueprint’s pedigree is extremely popular and valuable. His dam is VG-85-2YR Cherry Crest Colt Bambi P, a Colt P from a VG-88 Alexander, Lookout Pesce A Brava, from VG-87 2* Regancrest MB Breyell then EX-90 GMD DOM 3* Breya, a Shottle from PR Barbie herself. “We have seen the remarkable increased interest in polled genetics over the past few years,” says Brad Sayles, Vice President Global Marketing. “As the genetic merit of these sires increase so does the demand. Our clients are looking for homozygous polled sires with a high genetic value, and Blueprint is certainly one of those sires! This is his first semen available for use anywhere and we’re excited about the potential it holds for our clients worldwide.” Available worldwide beginning September 1, Blueprint is priced at $150 with no minimum purchase required. For more information on Semex, Genetics for Life, Genomax, Polled sires or any of Semex’s brands visit: www.semex.com
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