Bullseye November 2014

For Western Canadian breeders that have participated in genetic marketing, there has never before been such exciting options offering both financial and genetic rewards.

The onset of genomics has brought a relatively new tool into vogue, hastening the rate of genetic advancement for young animals with the right pedigree and numbers to participate in this arena. That tool is IVF (InVitro Fertilization) technology. In Western Canada, Boviteq West offers IVF services and strives to be a strategic partner to breeder objectives matching their commitment and investment with top quality service and technology.

As a result of embryos created at Boviteq West, calves are now on the ground and there are already a number of highlights to share. Whether it’s the flashy female calf from a high profile show cow or a fancy genomic calf at the top of the lists, the reports are both pleasing and its rewarding to hear some calves have already sold through high profile sales rewarding customers for their investment. Ian Crosbie from Benbie Holsteins in Caron, SK stated that, “having access to IVF allowed us to work with young donors earlier than we ever thought possible. Working with Boviteq also allowed us to use pre-release bulls, which is a must in a rapid pace marketplace. This is a great opportunity for western Canadian breeders. We produced the #2 Red & #3 RC heifers in the world (GTPI 10/14) using IVF on Baby Girl at Boviteq West.”

As the technology progresses, other opportunities unveil themselves which ultimately will lead to more people participating in IVF and enhance the economics of IVF. To illustrate, we can now offer an elite list of sexed sires working well in the IVF process. Add to this our new oocyte pooling option, and you will see that the economics work for just about any producer wanting to make a genetic leap forward with their herd.