Prior to frozen semen, fresh semen was delivered daily to technicians to use within a limited territory. The discovery of the freezing process opened many possibilities as frozen semen will last indefinitely with proper storage; therefore, it could be shipped around world.
1953The first Canadian frozen semen was exported to Germany.
1958Records show that eight years after the first Canadian frozen semen export was made, 17,016 doses were shipped to nine countries under the guidance of Roy G. Snyder, Secretary-Manager of Ontario Association of Animal Breeders. Every year, sales doubled and due to the increasing international demand for Canadian genetics, Roy G. Snyder's vision was to create an export company. He convinced A.I. organizations across Canada to sign an agreement to form Semen Exports Canada in 1974. The name was later shortened to Semex Canada. Its first fiscal year reports sales totaling 209,354 doses to 31 countries.
1974Located in St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Boviteq became world renowned for its embryology laboratory focusing on in vitro fertilization, embryo freezing and genomics and its research on semen quality, sperm fertility and cryopreservation. Boviteq is a division of Semex.
1986Joining forces in leadership and partnership, four Canadian A.I. organizations formed one genetics and marketing organization, Semex Alliance.
1997Commercialization of sexed semen in the United States was initiated with a 2003 license granted to Sexing Technologies (ST). ST provides the technology to Semex.
2003The publication of the August 2009 dairy genetic evaluations marked a new era for bull "proofs," when the majority included genomic information. It has brought about revolutionary change in dairy cattle selection and breeding decisions with a rapid increase of genetic improvement.
2009After 20 years of research Dr. Bonnie Mallard of the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph, devised a patented test system to identify cattle as a high, average or low immune responder. Semex partnered exclusively with Dr. Mallard and the U of G to introduce the High Immune Responder (HIR) technology to producers as Immunity+® sires.
2012Semex moved its administration staff to its new Global Headquarters at 5653 Hwy 6 North, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
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