Company News

Semex is pleased to announce new leadership at Semex France, with Arnaud Botrel as its new Owner-Distributor, effective January 1, 2025.

With over 24 years of mutual success in the French dairy industry, Semex, and Semex France remain steadfast in delivering their customers the best products and services. Arnaud has been with Semex for over 20 years, beginning as an enthusiastic salesperson and working his way up to Product and Regional Manager for over five years.

“France is one of the premier dairy markets in Europe,” says Semex Vice President, Sales John McDougall. “We’re focused on deepening relationships with our clients worldwide. French dairymen should feel confident that Semex and Semex France are their best sources of industry-leading products, technologies, and services. Our team remains ready to provide producers with the industry's most advanced genetic reproductive solutions.”

"Arnaud has been an excellent Product & Regional Manager for our Semex France Team, and we're grateful for his dedication and leadership," says McDougall. “We believe Semex’s future in France remains very bright with Arnaud leading this team in the extremely important French market.”  

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Boviteq is thrilled to announce the strategic selection of a new licensee location in Spain. This new IVF partner will combine its local intelligence with Boviteq knowledge to deliver the industry’s leading IVF services to clients.

Now, clients in Spain and Portugal through Embriovet have access to Boviteq’s excellent products and services, promising a brighter future for the industry.

“With the growth in IVF services and the extreme demand for our product worldwide, we seek partners to work shoulder-to-shoulder with bovine producers.  Embriovet is a logical choice,” says Melissa Bowers, Semex Vice President, Embryo Division. “Embriovet and Dr. Daniel Bello share our values of excellent service and client relationships along with an embryo philosophy that meshes with our own, making them ideal partners.”

"We are very excited to be partners with Boviteq,” says Dr. Bello. “We have worked in the embryo world for 30 years and always seek excellence. With Boviteq, we take a qualitative leap by incorporating the most advanced technology and accessing the knowledge and experience accumulated by one of the most prestigious groups recognized worldwide. Our clients make significant efforts and investments in genetic improvement and deserve that we support them with the best tools at our disposal. Improving the production of high-quality in vitro embryos with proven freezing technology that facilitates direct transfer will rejuvenate the domestic and export markets, giving us a solid base from which to grow.”

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Semex is excited to announce that it is one of 13 semi-finalists from 86 applications in Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Agricultural Methane Reduction Challenge. Announced by the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, this $12M Challenge encourages innovators to develop and deploy economically viable and scalable practices, processes, and technologies designed to reduce enteric methane emissions produced by cattle. As a semi-finalist, Semex receives a non-refundable grant of $153,846 and is eligible to win additional funding in the later stages of the competition. With help from Lactanet, Semex proposed developing a breeding protocol and strategy that incentivizes dairymen to use low-methane genetics and measures, records, and verifies methane reductions over time. Semex is grateful to its partners, Lactanet and Dairy Farmers of Canada, for their collaboration and partnership in this project. For more information on this Challenge, click here.
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Semex is pleased to announce a new leadership team at Semex Argentina, with the retirement of General Manager Jorge Carcano and the promotion of Alejandro Luque to General Manager effective January 2, 2025. Alejandro is well-tenured at Semex, first joining in 2018 as an Administrative Manager and most recently serving as Manager of Logistics, Finance & Administration.

Alejandro will be assisted by division leaders, Dr. Joaquin Pincetti, as Semex Argentina's Director of Commercial Dairy, and Augusto Jordan, as Semex Argentina's, Director of Commercial Beef.

Jorge Carcano successfully led Semex Argentina since its inception in 1997, guiding the Argentinian Team through numerous challenges, while achieving exceptional results in both dairy and beef markets, most recently selling over 840,000 doses in 2023. Jorge remains at Semex Argentina, assisting with this leadership transition.

"Jorge has been an excellent General Manager for our Argentinian Team and we're grateful for his dedication and guidance through this transition," says Horacio Larrea, Semex’s Director of International Sales. “I know this new team puts our future in good hands. Alejandro, Joaquin, and Augusto have each developed their careers at Semex Argentina, and we look forward to them taking our business to new levels of success.”
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Semex proudly announces that former CEO Paul Larmer will be inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame.

"Paul's contribution to Canadian agriculture is unparalleled," says Semex Director Global Marketing Joan Lau. "He has dedicated his life to Canadian producers, beginning at the grassroots level and rising to CEO of Semex. Paul's goal has always been to showcase our genetics to the world, as he says, 'punching above our weight.' Undoubtedly, his leadership solidified Canadian genetics and Semex's position as a global leader."

The official announcement reads, "Paul Larmer has dedicated his professional life to improving cattle genetics and establishing Canada as a global leader. From his early days as a dairy cattle sire analyst, to overseeing the formation of the Semex Alliance and 17 years at the helm as CEO, Paul’s lifetime leadership and vision have made a profound impact on the success of the Canadian, farmer-owned companies in the global cattle breeding improvement industry. A mentor to many, Paul seamlessly led Semex through a transition from a Canadian company exporting Canadian genetics to an international company providing global solutions in cattle genetics. Paul Larmer lives in Guelph, ON, and was nominated by Semex."

Paul will be formally inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 2, 2024, at the Liberty Grand in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

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At Semex we know Beef production must increase from 60 million to 130 million tons by 2050 to feed our growing world, and it’s estimated 70% of this production will come from subtropical and tropical regions of the world. Therefore, Semex is excited to announce the expansion of its Progenesis Product Development Program to include the valuable tropical breed Nelore.     The Nelore breed is uniquely suited to tropical climates. It is extremely hardy, having both physical strength and an ability to thrive under harsher climates, it is heat and insect-resistant, easily converts poorer forages to beef, and has meat that is highly palatable being low calorie and lean with no compromise for taste.    Brazil leads the world with its Nelore breeding program, having the highest quality and largest populations, making it a natural home for the Progenesis Tropical Breed Program.     “Over 12 million doses of Nelore semen are sold in Brazil alone,” says Nelson Eduardo Ziehlsdorff, Semex Brazil General Manager. “With this new program, we will partner with local Nelore breeders to deliver the best bulls for Brazil and other tropical climates.”   “Semex continues to see unprecedented growth in our Nelore and Bos Indicus products in Brazil and around the world. This initiative will build on the great relationships Semex has with our genetic partners and drive future growth of genetic sales from this important market segment,” says Brad Sayles, Semex Chief Operating Officer.
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Semex is pleased to announce its 2024-2025 Board of Directors. Jean-François Morin (CIAQ) will serve as President of the Board, assisted by Curtis McNeil (EastGen) as Vice President, and Executive Member Jean Bissonnette (CIAQ).

We look forward to working closely with these individuals as we navigate the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

Semex is comprised of three Partner Owners: WestGen, CIAQ (Centre d'insémination artificielle du Québec) and EastGen. As a leading global genetic company, Semex is focused on providing our clients with the solutions, innovations, and technologies that positively impact their lives, as well as the lives of the animals on their operations and within our global community. This is Genetics for Life.

Photo Caption: L – R: Gerrit Wensink (EastGen), Jean Bissonnette (CIAQ) Executive Member of the Board, Tom Pasco (EastGen), Jim Ross (WestGen), Jean-François Morin (CIAQ) President, Amanda Jeffs (EastGen), Tony Van Garderen (WestGen), Curtis McNeil (EastGen) Vice-President, Richard Lagacé (CIAQ), Michel Frigon (CIAQ)
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At Semex, we’re focused on pursuing profitable growth and ensuring we’re structured properly in our most important markets. Brazil is one of the world’s fastest-growing markets. Therefore, we are pleased to announce the integration of Semex Brazil, its specialized A.I. center Tairana, and leading Brazilian embryo facility Cenatte into our global subsidiary network effective November 1, 2023. Additionally, we’re excited to announce that Semex Brazil’s General Manager, Nelson Ziehlsdorff, will join Semex’s Global Management Team.

“Nelson, his Brazilian Management Team, and each of these entities have always worked closely with the Semex Team and exemplify Semex’s Vision of ‘Demanding The Best,’’’ says Paul Larmer, Semex CEO. “We’re excited that Nelson will continue leading this outstanding team and will join our Global Management Team. This integration underscores our commitment to and the pursuit of establishing Semex Brazil, Tairana, and Cenatte as the industry’s leading companies in Brazil.”

Semex Brazil joins Semex Argentina, Semex Australia, Semex China, Semex Deutschland, Semex Mexico, Semex N.Z. Ltd, Semex Uruguay, Semex UK, Semex USA, and Genbank (Hungary), as Semex-owned subsidiary companies.

Semex is a leading global genetic company focused on providing its clients with solutions, innovations, and technologies that positively impact their lives and the lives of the animals on their operations and within our global community. This is Genetics for Life. For more information, please visit www.semex.com. For more information on Semex Brazil please visit www.semex.com.br
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Partnerships are very much a part of the Canadian dairy scene that supports dairy farmers and the industry at large. Lactanet Canada and Semex have a long-standing synergy working collaboratively and last night received a prestigious Dairy Innovation Award: “Innovation in Climate Action”, from the International Dairy Federation (IDF).

Nominated by Dairy Farmers of Canada, Lactanet and Semex were recognized during the IDF World Dairy Summit in Chicago, Illinois, for developing Canada’s Methane Efficiency genetic evaluation. This is the world's first official genetic evaluation that helps dairy producers genetically select animals that will contribute to reduced methane emissions from dairy cattle, without impacting production levels.  

 

“As the dairy sector works together towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, we know the important role research and innovation plays along our shared path,” says David Wiens, President of Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC). “The funding this initiative received from DFC in collaboration with other engaged partners, helped demonstrate the accuracy of predicting individual animal methane emissions. We are excited and honoured to be part of the future of dairy farming, and we thank the IDF Dairy Innovation Awards for recognizing the continuous efforts of dairy farmers in striving for a more sustainable future for everyone.” 


Lactanet’s Methane Efficiency genetic evaluation was launched in April 2023 after 10 years of research and development, led by the University of Guelph, using innovative technologies to evaluate and predict a cow’s methane production. This achievement is a cardinal piece of the dairy industry’s national strategy to reach net zero by 2050.

 

“Accelerating sustainable and innovative dairy management practices is important to our industry and we all have a role to play,” states Barbara Paquet, ... Read More...

Semex and Milc Group are excited to announce a global partnership providing clients with cutting-edge technology that simplifies dairy management and drives unprecedented efficiencies. "When we look for partners what we're looking for are folks that are passionate about solving our industry's real issues," says Matt McCready, Semex CCO. "Milc Group’s single goal is to build simple, affordable, and powerful technologies, and their substantive package of solutions is impressive."       Milc Group’s powerful and user-friendly cloud-based software, Milc Group One™, provides a suite of software solutions such as feed and animal management, people training, and dairy facility monitoring.      Feed™ and Animal™ were developed to drive efficiencies like never before with the goal of accuracy, efficiency, and accountability, all while spending less time managing herd health protocols and the feed process. Facility™ is a suite of tools that optimize barn efficiency by monitoring pulsation, tank and pipeline conditions, milk production, fluid levels, and motor performance. These features allow dairy producers to proactively detect and address issues, ensuring smooth operations and maximizing productivity. Train Trac™ is an e-learning management system that stores, delivers, and tracks training for each organization’s employees.      “We share a goal of simplifying processes for producers, and we believe it shouldn't be complicated or expensive," says McCready. "We've already begun working together in Brazil and the US, and we're confident together we will give clients around the world the actionable data they need to be more efficient, sustainable, and profitable.     “We are excited to partner with Semex who shares our unwavering passion for the industry and is actively present on ... Read More...