Company News

OCD MANNY, new to the Semex bull stud has topped the rankings for Type Merit on the UK available genomic bulls list, sitting at 2.9TM. He joins five of his stable mates in the top 10 genomic bulls ramked for Type Merit, with Mystique ANIMATION retaining his top five status at 2.46TM. New entrant, OCD MANNY, also tops the rankings for mammary at 2.99 and scores high in Immunity at 107. On the UK available genomic PLI rankings, Adaway Beyond FAITHFUL, moves up to 8th place at £827, with 913Kgs Milk and 80.2 CFP and positive F% & P% deviation.
Owain Harries, General Manager, Semex UK says, “Our genomic bull offering remains strong with six out of the top 10 bulls for UKTM available in the UK belonging to the Semex stud. Joining the Semex lineup this proof run is Immunity+ sire Siemers HARQUE, delivering an impressive +1.97 Type Merit and +2.39 Mammary. With 732kg of milk, positive components and a +4.7 Fertility Index, Harque is a powerful addition to our stud.”
OCD SABADO, ranking No.2 of the ACI rankings for available genomic bulls with a score of ACI £650, alongside PLI of £765. With an immunity score of 113 and a calf immunity score of 106, SABADO ranks amongst the top Immunity+ sires in the stud.
On the fertility rankings, Progenesis TRIGGERPOINT takes the No.2 position on the genomic list with 14.9, whilst on the proven lists, Westpoint ALMAMATER comes in at No.6 with a FI of 15.5.
On the Ayrshire rankings, Semex sires take 4 of the top ten spots for TM, Mammary and L&F for available genomic bulls and on the genomic available Jersey list, with Marbrae CHALLENGER taking his rightful place in all three lists.
Owain concludes, “The April proofs have returned a huge choice of Semex bulls to suit any system on UK farms giving farmers every confidence.”
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The date is set for the 2027 Semex International Dairy Conference, titled Go Beyond. In its familiar home of The Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow, the Conference will take place between the 10th and 12th January 2027.

Owain Harries, Semex UK’s General Manager says, “The Semex Conference promises to bring together those that Go beyond the everyday norm, those who make change, make noise and make a difference. In an industry that continually goes beyond what is asked of it, delegates will hear from a speaker line-up that goes beyond to innovate, bring fresh ideas and solutions to the sector.

“Once again, we look forward to welcoming a fantastic line-up of speakers and delegates to Glasgow and with the 2027 Conference theme in place, delegates will be encouraged to go beyond their farm gate and embrace the future.

“Save the date to join us in Glasgow in January, when we Go Beyond and showcase our remarkable industry”, concludes Owain.
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Calling The Shots at the 2026 Semex Conference

The theme and date are set for the 2026 Semex International Dairy Conference. Held once again in its usual home of The Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow, the Conference will take place between the 11th and 13th January 2026.

“Planning is well underway, and we look forward to welcoming a fantastic line-up of speakers who will be “Calling The Shots” as they inspire, inform and entertain our delegates”, says Michael Dennison, Semex UK’s National Sales Manager.

Chairperson for the event is Rory Christie, a UK dairy farmer from South-West Scotland. A founding chair of the Milk Suppliers Association and Chair of SAOS, Rory is also Scotland food supply chain co-operation enabler, founder of the Fast Breeders genetics project, is a board member of SOSE and is a trained conflict mediator. Positions held that will ensure Rory is well equipped to manage conference proceedings.

Rory says, “It’s an honour to be chairing the 2026 Semex Conference — the event that sets the pace for the year ahead in the UK dairy industry. Ours is a sector that is always being asked to do more, and thanks to the genetics of our cows, the technology at our fingertips, and the ingenuity of our farmers, we continue to stay ahead of that ask, and the Semex Conference is a vital opportunity to come together, share the latest insights and expertise from industry leaders, and ensure UK dairy farmers remain confident in Calling the Shots.”

“Book now and join us in “Calling The Shots” in Glasgow in January, when our remarkable industry comes together to challenge and inspire one another”, concludes Michael.


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Following the April proof run, AOT HAMPSHIRE retains his No.1 position for Type Merit on the UK available genomic bulls list, sitting at 3.04TM with Mystique ANIMATION at 2.91TM taking 2nd place. Debuting at No.5, on the UK available genomic PLI rankings, is new entrant, Progenesis PRESTON at £848, 950Kgs Milk and 94.5Kgs CFP and positive F% & P% deviation. Together with an Immunity score of 106 and Methane Efficiency Score of 105, PRESTON is a welcome addition to the Semex stud.
Westcoast RIVER once again firmly cemented his position on the proven bull rankings for PLI at £703. His immunity + status, PLI, production and functional type traits not only make him a familiar name in the proven sire rankings but also a reliable proven sire to have in the Semex line up.
Owain Harries, General Manager, Semex UK says, “With three of the top 10 proven bulls on the UK rankings for Type Merit, two in the top ten for PLI and four in the top ten for Mammary score, the Semex stud is clearly consistently delivering on UK farms under UK conditions.”
No longer available but maintaining his high ranking for PLI is 3 Star OH RANGER RED. He continues to leave a lasting legacy through his sons who have all benefitted from an increase in UK Type, Legs & Feet and Milking Speed. Owain continues, “Mystique ANIMATION, an Immunity+ bull, is just one of RANGER RED’s sons who is fulfilling UK farmer criteria, with his impressive type, production and high health traits. The Ranger Red Effect is real with many of his sons also boasting impressive Immunity scores.”
Joining the stud is Adaway Beyond FAITHFUL, PLI £816 and Jacobs SHAKE IT, who makes his entrance with a UKTM of 2.52. Other new bulls include Progenesis DINABEAST and Westcoast HOPS, both Immunity+ sires with impressive Methane Efficiency scores of 108 and 112 respectively.
Owain concludes, “The April proofs have returned a huge choice of Semex bulls for UK farmers, many with daughters delivering on UK farms.
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Bringing the industry together at the 2025 Semex International Dairy Conference

It’s “As One Together” at the 2025 Semex International Dairy Conference, which will be held between the 12th and 14th January 2025, at its usual home of The Radisson Blu hotel in Glasgow., Scotland

Chairperson for the event is Minette Batters, Baroness Batters, British farmer, former NFU President and Member of The House of Lords. Minette will manage the proceedings and keep the impressive line-up of speakers on their toes, ensuring they come together to inspire, inform, challenge and entertain.

The speakers, from end to end of the food supply chain, will share their experience, views, plans and outlook for the future of UK dairying.

Speakers include:

From the farm and parlour ‘coal face’ of practical production:
JEREMY BERGEN, US dairy farmer from New York State;
KEITH GUE, UK dairy farmer, West Sussex;
ED TOWERS, UK dairy farmer from Lancaster.
On the market and trade
MICHAEL MASTERS, Barbers Cheesemakers;
CHRIS WALKLAND, Journalist, Commentator and Market Analyst
Tackling the challenges:
SARAH TOMLINSON, Lead Veterinary Science Expert, AHDB;
HELEN DENT, Kite Consulting
STUART ROBERTS, UK Farmer and lead adviser to the Liberal Democrats Party
Providing a UK & Global perspective;
MATT MCREADY, CEO, Semex Alliance;
GRAHAM WILKINSON, CEO AHDB;
HAYLEY CAMPBELL-GIBBONS, CEO, RABDF

Reaching the end consumer:
GEMMA NICHOLAS, Coca Cola Company
DAVID READ, Chairman, Prestige Purchasing

“The Semex Conference is always a fantastic and positive way to start the New Year,” says Michael Dennison, Semex UK’s National Sales Manager. “Once again, we are looking forward to welcoming our strong line up of speakers, and to having the opportunity to catch-up with friends and colleagues. The Semex conference has the best mix of business, socialising, networking and entertainment in the industry.”

Minette Batters comments, “I’m ... Read More...

The August proof run sees Semex UK take the No.2 position on both the UK Available Proven and Genomic PLI rankings, with Cookiecutter HOLYSMOKES, £797 PLI and his son T-Spruce HARMONY, £934 PLI respectively. A new entrant, HARMONY has 1,083 KGS Milk, 77.8kg CFP together with a daughter fertility score of +11.7. His credentials get even stronger with an Immunity score of 105 and Methane Efficiency Score of 109. “It is gratifying to see both HOLYSMOKES and HARMONY’s results in this proof run. Semex is committed to delivering genetics that offer tangible benefits to our customers, and the performance of our bulls in this proof run is testament to the consistency of our breeding programme”, says Owain Harries, General Manager, Semex UK. 3 Star OH RANGER RED is the No.1 PLI available proven Red sire with a PLI £661 and 725 KGS Milk. With an initial International daughter proof, he currently has an 82% GP or better score in Canada. He continues to excel on Immunity, a trait he is consistently passing on to his offspring, with many of his sons also boasting impressive Immunity scores. Another HOLYSMOKES son, Progenesis PINEAPPLE continues to rank well on the UK Available Genomic list as he comes in the top 25 for PLI at £843 and is No.6 for Protein Kg at 41kg. New to the stud is, an exciting Ladys-Manor OVERDO son, Adaway FAYETTE who has debuted with an impressive production proof with 922Kgs Milk, 77 Kgs CFP, positive F% & P%. deviation. Owain continues, “We are excited about this outcross bull who is sure to blend into any UK farm breeding programme”. On the Type rankings. AOT HAMPSHIRE tops the Available Holstein Genomic list at 3.1 TM closely followed by Ranger-Red son Mystique ANIMATION at 2.73TM. Owain concludes, “The August proofs have returned a huge choice of Semex bulls for UK farmers, many with daughters delivering on UK farms".
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The date is set for the 2025 Semex International Dairy Conference. Held once again in its usual home of The Radisson Blu hotel in Glasgow, the Conference will take place between the 12th and 14th January 2025. “It may seem like a long way off, but the planning is well underway for the 2025 Semex Conference which is always a fantastic and positive way to start the New Year,” says Michael Dennison, Semex UK’s National Sales Manager. “Save the date and join us in Glasgow when our fabulous industry comes together, As One to inform, challenge and inspire one another”, concludes Michael.
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A UK proof means UK daughters in UK conditions and is proof that a bull is delivering in the UK. Seven Semex sires contribute to the top ten UK Proven PLI rankings, with 3,833 UK milking daughters between them averaging 92% reliability, proving yet again that under UK conditions Semex sires thrive.
Westcoast ALCOVE, Silverridge V EINSTEIN, Westcoast RIVER, Wisselview WAVELENTGH, Westcoast GUARANTEE, Westcoast YAMASKA and Pine-Tree-I PURSUIT make up this seven.
“At Semex we select sires to breed healthy robust cattle suitable for any system irrespective of size, and it’s how they perform in the parlour that matters, so naturally we are delighted to see daughters of these great sires doing so well in farms throughout the UK”, said Owain Harries, General Manager, Semex UK.
Standout sires are:
Westcoast ALCOVE – This bull is all about production with 1,158 Kg’s Milk, 91.7 Kgs CFP, 0.06% Fat and 0.02% Protein. He is an A2A2 Sire and scores 101 for Methane Efficiency.
Five of the top six sires for UK Proven Lifespan are from the Semex stud with the No.1 slot going to the global superstar, Pine-Tree-I PURSUIT, at 232 days and excels for health with a Healthy cows score of 275.
On daughter Fertility, Semex is home to seven out of the top 10 on the Holstein UK active sire list with Coyne-Farms JABIR taking the top spot at 23.7 and a further 19 sires that score over +10.
New to the stud is Mystique ANIMATION, an exciting Immunity+ son of 3 Star Oh- RANGER RED who also boasts a Methane Efficiency score of 104. Owain continues, “We are confident that with these breed leading traits, Animation will deliver similar value to our UK customers as our current proven superstars have”.
When it comes to Immunity, Semex now have over 92 bulls in the UK that have returned an Immunity score of 100+, 86 have a Methane Efficiency score over 100 and 87 have a Feed Efficiency score over 100.
“Selecting for sustainability has never been more achievable with the ... Read More...

SEMEX UK LAUNCHES NEW ACTIVITY HERD MONITORING SYSTEM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DATAMARS LIVESTOCK

Semex UK is excited to announce a new partnership with Datamars Livestock™ in the UK. Datamars has developed award-winning farming technologies for over 50 years, with the core belief of providing a measurable difference to the lives of their customers.

Semex’s renowned ai24® program will now be powered by Datamars Livestock in the UK giving UK dairy farms the industry’s most accurate and reliable option in heat and health monitoring.

"Datamars Livestock’s activity monitoring offers a fully-automated, plug and play system that is easy to install and maintain,” says Owain Harries, General Manager, Semex UK. “We have the most experience of any genetic company in this realm, and we know that dairies need solutions that helps focus their time and resources on the cows that truly need attention. The Datamars Livestock product does all the things expected in this kind of system, monitoring rumination, feeding, resting, standing, lying and other activities automatically. Most importantly though, Datamars Livestock shares Semex’s philosophy of offering unparalleled service and support to our customers. Providing best in class service is our number one priority and Datamars Livestock delivers.”

“Partnering with Semex and playing an integral role within their ai24 program, is an excellent opportunity to further deliver and generate on-farm value for our producers. Datamars Livestock’s cloud-based platform and connected ecosystem, is a market-leading solution designed to work with, and for, farmers to improve animal and farm business outcomes. We are fully committed to ensuring our solutions include unparalleled service and support so the full value of the technology on farm can be realized; Datamars Livestock powering ai24 further strengthens that value for everyone,” says Ben Hogg, Commercial General Manager, Datamars UK.

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As social and political pressure continues focusing on agriculture, Semex is increasing the positive contribution breeding can make with a genetic solution to one of the world's largest environmental problems - methane. From April 2023 every dairy producer in the world will now have the chance to assess, monitor and ultimately reduce cow methane emissions, exclusively by using Elevate - Semex’s genomic test.

Semex scientists have been working with Lactanet (Canada’s milk recording and genetic evaluation company) to find a genetic solution to methane emissions, explains Dr Michael Lohuis, Semex Vice President Research and Innovation. “For over five years Canada's milk recording organizations, now under Lactanet, collected over 13 million milk mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy records. Over seven hundred thousand first lactation MIR records were analyzed by Lactanet geneticists in order to predict methane emissions for milk-recorded cows across Canada. The results showed that you can substantially reduce methane emissions with genetic selection.”

The scientists found that there was an 85% correlation between collected methane and predicted methane, with the conclusion being that there is a genetic way to lower methane. This is because the genetics of the cow also has an impact on methane production in the rumen, as well as the microbes.

The trait is 23% heritable, which is comparable to production and immune response with 70% reliability. Overall Semex estimate a 20-30% reduction in methane production by 2050 depending on the selection intensity.

“This is really significant,” says Dr Lohuis. “We know that genetics has a major role to play in reducing emissions because it is the main way dairy farmers can produce ‘more outputs from fewer inputs with less emissions’. But this new technology takes the contribution from genetics to the next level.”

Semex and Lactanet are now bringing the technology to market on a global front, with ... Read More...