Semex Timeline

Frozen Semen Commercialized

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.

First Canadian semen export

The first Canadian frozen semen was exported to Germany.

Semex Canada Formed

Records 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.

Boviteq Established Specializing in Embryo Transfer and R&D

Located 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.

Hanover-Hill Inspiration

produces his one millionth dose.

Madawaska Aerostar

produces his one millionth dose.

Formation of Semex Alliance

Joining forces in leadership and partnership, four Canadian A.I. organizations formed one genetics and marketing organization, Semex Alliance.

Startmore Rudolph

produces his one millionth dose.

Comestar Leader & Comestar Lee

produce their one millionth doses.

Oliveholme Aeroline

produces his one millionth dose.

Partnership with Swissgenetics Established

Sexed Semen Commercialized

Commercialization of sexed semen in the United States was initiated with a 2003 license granted to Sexing Technologies (ST). ST provides the technology to Semex.

Comestar Outside

produces his one millionth dose.

Stouder Morty

produces his one millionth dose.

Comestar Lheros

produces his one millionth dose.

First Official Genomic Evaluations

The 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.

Semex ai24® Global Launch

First in the industry to offer activity monitoring solutions.

R-E-W Buckeye & Ladino Park Talent*RC

produce their one millionth doses.

Immunity+® Launched

After 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.

Semex Invests in Tairana Central de Inseminaçåo Artificial, Brazil

With a commitment to global production expansion, Semex invests in an A.I. center in Brazil.

Semex Invests in Partnership with Cenatte Group in Brazil

Progenesis™ Program Founded

Progenesis was founded as Semex’s industry-leading internal dairy breeding program.

Boviteq Lab Established in the USA

The first oocytes arrived for fertilization at the new lab in Madison, Wisconsin.

Mainstream Manifold

produces his one millionth dose.

European Production Facility Opens

Semex opens its newly expanded Génbank-Semex Hungary facilities in Mezohegyes, Hungary, meeting the company’s global sire housing, semen collection, processing and distribution needs.

New Isolation Facility Built in Brockville, Ontario, Canada

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

New Global Headquarters

Semex moved its administration staff to its new Global Headquarters at 5653 Hwy 6 North, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

Crackholm Fever

produces his one millionth dose. Semex leads the industry with 13 sires with at least 1 million doses produced and sold.

Elevate® Delivers Female Immunity Results

A first in the industry, and a Semex exclusive, Elevate testing ranks females based on their genetic merit along with their immunity genomic test results.

Internal Product Development Partnership Established with Vierra Dairy Farms

Boviteq USA Growth

Boviteq California opens in partnership established with Vierra Dairy Farms while also introducing the Boviteq Blue Box technology to the farm, a mobile IVF lab.

Boviteq Grows Globally

Boviteq opens lab in Syracuse, New York, USA and expands with global licensees in UK, France, Switzerland, Italy and Western Canada.

Barn and Sexed Semen Lab Expansion

With a commitment to enhanced animal care, maximum bull comfort and increased capacity, Semex makes a major investment in its facility expansion at the Global Headquarters in Canada.

World’s First Methane Index Introduced

Semex collaborates with LactaNet to create a methane index. Elevate users receive a methane index on all genomic tested females to monitor and reduce methane in herds in association with methane efficiency ratings on all Semex sires.

We are ever changing and ever growing

Semex is represented in 80 countries with 110 Distributorships. In Canada, there are 380 employees and another 520 are employed by our global subsidiaries. Yearly revenues of over $180 million includes dairy and beef semen, live bulls, embryo services, dairy solutions and non-semen sources.