Sexed semen from some of the top sires in the industry will therefore become available, with the probability of increasing the ratio of females obtained on the farm, thus helping producers to better plan future replacement stock. In fact, they can expect to get at least 90 % female calves with this semen, which represents nine heifers out of ten.

D^r Patrick Blondin, Director of Research and Development at L’Alliance Boviteq states : “We find extremely important to offer producers the highest-quality semen in all circumstances. That is why we have not only tested the required equipment and well trained our staff to produce sexed semen, but we have also made on-farm testing. Our results were so conclusive that we can without fear offer sexed semen to dairy producers”. L’Alliance Boviteq uses the sex-selection technology developed by XY inc., a global biotechnology company.

The Semex Alliance owners are happy to offer their clients a high-quality product supported by state-of-the-art research and the experience of industry leaders. Paired with the other standard reproduction techniques, the use of sexed semen will allow producers who wish to invest in this product to better manage future replacement in their herd.

Q & A about sexed semen (PDF file - 148 ko)

For more information, please contact :
Agathe Drolet, Director of Communications and Genetics
Telephone : 450-774-1141
Fax : 450-774-9318

Since his debut in August 2003 this Storm son has been virtually unsinkable, ranking as the #1 LPI sire eight rounds out of the last 14 and never falling below #3 LPI.  In the most recent November 2006 proof round this impressive individual continued his reign as the #1 LPI sire by over 200 LPI points, while adding hundreds of daughters to his proof.

"Titanic was the result of a complimentary mating that made sense.  We were using his sire, Maughlin Storm, as a sire of sons and he mated very well with Titanic's dam who was a tall, milky, good rear uddered Leadman," says Semex Alliance Sire Analyst Brian Carscadden.

Originally described as a great combination of dairyness, spring of rib and will to work, Titanic daughters impressed with high and wide rear udders with a silky texture, and very strong median suspensory ligaments.  Billed as being the perfect combination of profitable production and type improvement, Titanic quickly became a widely used international sire of sons.

"Titanic will have a significant impact on the Holstein breeding world as his LPI rating has hardly wavered since he arrived on the scene, and as a result was used extensively in most top breeding programs around the globe.  As we enter an era in which health traits have become increasingly important, Titanic will have a huge influence through his many sons and daughters due to his strength in the secondary traits and their inclusion in many of the evaluation systems worldwide," says Carscadden. 

Titanic's second crop daughters are now taking center stage in Canada, most notably being the newest #1 LPI cow in Canada at +4289, Comestar Lautamie Titanic VG-88-2YR-CAN with +2702M +142F +123P and +18 Conf., who was also the second place Jr. 2 Yr. Old at the 2006 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.

At Semex, the Titanic story is just beginning as over 100 Titanic sons have been sampled.  Until they are proven the world will wait and watch as Titanic daughters continue to impress dairymen worldwide. 

The strength of the CIAQ/Semex Alliance sires remains impressive as 78 of them rank among the top LPI sires in Canada. Our newly proven sires are two Breeze Allen sons, Wallaceview Aladdin and Crackholm Diablo. Aladdin, out of a Rudolph dam, makes a grand entrance in 4^th position on the LPI list. Diablo, whose dam is Derianne Rudolph Karma, pulls up to 38^th position thanks to his overall balanced proof.

Hartline Titanic remains in the top spot with the addition of several hundred 2^nd crop daughters. Many of them, including the newcomer in 1^st place, rank among the best LPI cows in Canada. Braedale Goldwyn shares the 2^nd LPI position and is 1^st for type with an index of +19. Among the top 10 LPI sires are : Fortale Lomax (5^th), Regancrest Dolman (6^th) and Brigeen Givenchy (8^th). Gen-I-Beq Salto maintains his rise in the list of the top LPI sires thanks to a gain of 227 points from his 3^rd lactation daughters, which earned him the 27^th place and the top position among red factor carriers in Canada.

Take advantage of some semen SPECIALS until 11 February 2007!

Modem makes a move up the Ayrshire Top 5 LPI List

The Semex Ayrshire sires solidify their position and Lagacé Modem makes his way up to the top 4 of the LPI ranking with an addition of 303 points. Activated last August, Modem keeps on putting fantastic numbers on the board and increased considerably his EBV for production, yields and solids. Don-Sher Hector and La Sapinière Cacylite maintain their great profile and add LPI points to move up in the ranking.

Journalist transmits will to work to his progeny with an EBV of +715 kg for milk. He should be used on bloodlines that offer low SCS and good udder texture such as daughters of Jerry, Iceman, Calimero, Harmony, Kellybuck, BBB Kellogg, T-Bruno, B-Jurist and Peterslund.

The Semex Jersey line-up dominates charts with the #1 LPI position and the #1 type bull. Hollylane Lillibet's Legacy is the new LPI leader with a gain of 378 points since August. Legacy added 14 daughters to his proof, improving all aspects of production and adding one point for type, (+7) with a significant improvement for mammary systems and feet & legs traits with last proof round. Since his release on the active list last May, Legacy has consistently improved his numbers. In second place, Pine Haven Senior remains stable in his proof at 1817 for LPI and +11 for type.

Bridon Remake Comerica makes a"Grand Entrance" into the Jersey line-up. The newcomer, sired by Remake and out of the famous show-winning Renaissance daughter, Evening, captures the #1 position of the ranking according to type and #3 spot in Canada for LPI.

Brown Swiss and Canadienne

Here is the activities program in the dairy breeds at the Royal Winter Fair :

Take out your agenda and set aside 5 and 6 December for this major rendez-vous presented by the Faculté de médecine vétérinaire at the Hôtel des Seigneurs in Saint-Hyacinthe. This year, the event will begin with an afternoon of plenary conferences on paratuberculosis, digital dermatitis, environmental mastitis and veterinarian-producer teamwork to face future health problems. At the conference banquet in the evening, we will have the honour of welcoming Mr Jacques Laforge, president of Dairy Farmers of Canada. The second day will open with a conference breakfast with Mr Alphonse Pittet, Saint-Tite, who will talk about the health management program in his herd. Afterwards, the participants will choose among one of four interactive workshops on mastitis (S. aureus), genetics (future cow-health), computerized herd management (DSA) and reproduction (fertility or fecundity?).

More details (french)

Born from a mating between Madawaska Aerostar, Ex.-Extra, and Startmore Rachelle, VG 14*, one of Butlerview Mattador's best daughters, Rudolph has become the indisputable star of a cow family that had already made the headlines on several occasions during the 80s.

Numerous superlatives apply to describe the phenomenal career of Startmore Rudolph and the exceptional performance of his progeny. This icon and ambassador of the Canadian Holstein lived 15 years in the barns of CIAQ, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec. The spectacular performance of his first-lactation progeny helped him become the #1 LPI sire in Canada at his first official proof obtained in July 1996. He maintained this dominant position eleven times between 1996 and 2001.

The quality of his offspring was largely recognised by connoisseurs in more than 50 countries in the world where his semen doses were sold. He thus marked the Holstein breed in Canada and around the world with his abilities to transmit productivity, longevity, health and fertility traits to his daughters. All types of dairy producers, from the breeders of elite animals to large dairy herd operators, have greatly benefited from the performance of Rudolph daughters and grandaughters in their herds.

Mario Séguin, sire analyst for The Semex Alliance, who at the time purchased Rudolph on CIAQ's behalf, adds : "I believe that we will see more and more females in the breed with Rudolph in their pedigree, just like it happens with Starbuck and Aerostar. Today, Rudolph daughters are especially valued for their incomparable brood cow abilities : many of them are stars brood cows, Gold Medals & Dams of Merit and have proven sons that stand among the top-ranking sires in several countries".

	Rudolph

For the time being, Rudolph counts 53 818 classified daughters in Canada, of which 62 % are GP or better, including 387 EX, 7520 VG and 25 681 GP with impressive results production-wise. His 59 404 daughters in Canada produce on average 11 289 kg of milk, 3,6%-404 kg of fat and 3,1%-355 kg of protein.

Startmore RUDOLPH was a sire who met a large scope of breeding objectives and who was able to answer the needs of breeders worldwide by siring profitable and long-lasting cows.

For more information, please contact :
Hélène Drapeau, Head of Communications
Phone : 450-774-1141
Fax : 450-774-9318