Company News

Semex UK has once again teamed up with its parent company The Semex Alliance to offer two young dairy cow fanatics the opportunity of a lifetime via its annual "Walk of Fame" competition. The winners will help look after some of the best of the best Holstein cows at the Royal Agriculture Winter Fair in Toronto this November, and will take part in the famous Semex Walk of Fame progeny showcase. They will join other winners from Germany, Japan and Australia in one of the most challenging, demanding but ultimately rewarding and educational experience for dairy motivated young people.

"They will look after some of the world's best and most valuable dairy cows, worth many �thousands," says Peter Arthur, Semex Marketing Manager. "And the they will be sharing their experiences and knowledge with like-minded dairy people, and learning from some of the best breeders in the dairy industry. It is a fantastic opportunity, and a great experience to be able to put on a CV," he adds.

This unique 12-day experience will take place between 5 and 16 November. The competition is open to Holstein UK HYB members aged 18 and over and knowledgeable on how to handle and look after show cows.

"Semex is keen to encourage young people into the dairy industry, which is why we continue to offer this opportunity to Holstein Young Breeders," adds Mr Arthur. "Competition for the two places will be immense. It is a fantastic opportunity, and I urge all young people who love dairy cows, and know how to handle them, to enter."

Applicants can download entry forms and apply online at www.thehyb.co.uk or are available from their local club. The closing date is 21 August 2009.
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Fancy a trip to the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto this November with dozens of other like minded dairy farmers? Then now's the time to book as places for the "best value package the firm has ever put on" are going fast.

The tour programme consists of a mix of business and pleasure, with one night spent at the well known Sheraton on the Falls at Niagara; two days of farm visits to well known dairy businesses in the Guelph and Cambridge areas; four nights in Toronto at the InterContinental Hotel with one day spent at leisure; two days at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and a day for shopping and taking-in Toronto.

The price of �995 includes return flights by Air Canada from Heathrow to Toronto; seven nights in four star hotels in Niagara, Guelph and Toronto; all passenger, hotel and airport taxes; the trip to Niagara Falls and an adjacent winery (with tasting, naturally; de luxe coach travel and entry to the famous Winter Fair and Semex gala reception evening with drinks buffet and entertainment.

"This is a fantastic tour which embraces the best that Canada has to offer from scenic, dairying, business and show point of view," says Peter Arthur, marketing manager of Semex UK. "And all for less than �1000. It's the best value tour programme we have ever put on.

"But places are limited and demand is always high, so anyone interested in going should talk to their local Semex area manager pretty quickly!"

Connecting flights to Heathrow are available from Manchester, Glasgow and Belfast for �90 return supplement.

Farmers interested in seeing a tour brochure, or wish to receive more information should contact Helen Miller on 0800 86 88 90 or email helenm@semex.co.uk
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After the success of the first 'Semex Promate field evaluator gap student placement', the company has appointed its second student - Stephanie Whittaker - to the position. She replaces Jennie Booth in July, who returns to Harper Adams for her final year in September.

Stephanie is currently in the third year of her BA (Hons) degree in Business Management at Leeds Metropolitan University, and has a keen interest in agriculture and dairy cows. She has worked as an assistant herdsman at her family's well known pedigree Knowlesmere herd in Shrewsbury for several years, and understands the need to continually improve the next generation of dairy animals.

Her role as a Promate field evaluator will involve her looking at individual dairy cows, and determining how her daughter's can be improved by the best corrective mating. The information is then fed into the Promate programme and determines the best four sires to improve the desired traits and reduce in-breeding. Stephanie will also play a role in expanding the company's rapidly developing technologically advanced ai24 fertility and health management programme.

"Jennie has been fantastic asset for Semex and has built-up a strong customer base and following with farmers," says Gordon Miller, Semex Managing Director. "She will be a hard act to follow, and I thank her for her contribution to our business. Stephanie knows cows and wants to make a positive contribution to the industry. I'm confident she will do a fantastic job for Semex and our customers, and I welcome her to the company."

"I've always had a very active role on my family's farm, finding the breeding side of the farm's activities very interesting and assisting with the breeding decisions that are made," says Stephanie. "To secure the position with Semex will give me a great opportunity to develop my skills and my business experience. I'm really looking forward to ... Read More...

Following the April 09 proof run two new Titanic sons have been introduced -GEN-I-BEQ SOUDAN and DOMICOLE SIMMS.

GEN-I-BEQ SOUDAN is a Titanic son out of Gen-I-Beq Igniter Shana, who yielded 12,000 litres as a heifer and over 14,000 litres in her subsequent lactations, with her dam being Glen Drummond Splendour VG-86-2yr-CAN 26, who is from the same family as September Storm.

Soudan has a Canadian Conformation score of +13, equating to a UK type merit of +2.86; a Mammary of +2.75. He has plenty of milk at +490kg, with positive protein perecentage contributing to higher milk value. As his proof shows he throws daughters with well-attached soft and silky udders which have a very deep, strong centre ligament and tremendous width in the rear. He has good calving ability and temperament scores which makes his daughters exceptionally easy to work with.

DOMICOLE SIMMS has been used as a young bull in the UK, and has daughters milking here already. He is a Titanic son out of Sunnylodge Allen Shelly VG-87-2yr-CAN, herself out of a Rudolph from the Spottie family. He is a high type bull scoring +14 Conformation in Canada and +2.61 in the UK, with +12 in Canada for Mammary (+2.58 UK). He breeds more like the Allen side of his pedigree with daughters having tremendous dairy strenghth and rumps that are wide and consistently good pin setting. Feet have a steep angle and very high rating for rear leg rear view, an indication of very good locomotion and longevity. Adding to the all-round package offered by Simms is his low somatic cell count.

Both these two excellent Titanic sons will produce daughters that fit into and perform well in a wide variety of production systems in the UK. They will be easy to look after and be robust to last a long time in the herd.
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Having bulls to suit every dairy breeder in the UK whatever their management system or breeding objective: that's the Semex Works Everywhere philosophy, and bearing that out is the recent proof run and latest new entrants to the Semex product line-up.

Sons of Semex legend Talent have proofed-up strongly with two excellent Talents introduced this proof round.

But bringing a new dimension to Semex's portfolio is 'the commercial dairyman's dream' - CROCKETT-ACRES EIGHT. This O Man, out of Crockett-Acres Mtoto Elly, is currently ranked No.3 for PLI in the UK with a score of �226, with +547kg milk, high fat and protein %. Moreover he has a staggering -26 somatic cell count.

Plus for type, mammary, and legs and feet his daughters are medium in stature. Daughters milk out easily and his high Lifespan score shows they have the ability to last for many lactations.

Semex continues to build on the Talent bedrock by introducing two of his sons -MORSAN FRONTRUNNER RC and WEST PORT BOOKMAN RED.

FRONTRUNNER is from the Raven family via Rudolph and out of the superb Markwell James Fiona VG-89. Proven in the US as well as Canada he has a very balanced, all-round type, scoring +2.62 Type Merit, +2.22 for mammary and +2.16 legs and feet with a PLI of �120.

His daughters are good producers with positive fat and protein % and a lower somatic cell count. Overall, breeders can expect quality mammary systems, with the tremendous rumps that Talent delivered.

WEST PORT BOOKMAN RED is a true Red and White sire combining Semex's two most famous RC sires - Rubens on the maternal side and Talent on the paternal side. Also proven in the USA and Canada, Bookman shows many of the same characteristics of Talent. He scores +3.10 for UK Type, +3.13 for mammary and 1.52 for feet and legs, with +221kg for milk at positive fat and ... Read More...

Calling all Jersey fanatics between 18 and 25 years of age!

If you fancy a three week study tour exchange trip to Canada on a leading Jersey farm, and with all travel and accommodation paid for, then get your thinking cap on as to why you're an ambassador for the Jersey breed, and put it down in writing in not more than 500 words. The exchange is co-sponsored by Semex UK and Semex Alliance in conjunction with Jersey Canada and UK Jerseys. The placement will take place in July/August 2009.

Application forms are availble by contacting UK Jerseys, or on-line at www.ukjerseys.com

"The 2009 exchange to Canada will involve exciting travel and educational opportunities for a Jersey enthusiast from the UK," says Peter Arthur, Marketing Manager at Semex UK. "It is a great opportunity for any young person interested in the breed to further their knowledge and experience."

Last year's successful Canadian exchange applicant was Jenny Butcher from Paris, Ontario. Commenting on her experience she says. "I encourage all Jersey youth to apply for the 2009 exchange because it truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity".

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Semen from Silky Powerplay - from the same family as the acclaimed premier sire Silky Gibson - is now available sexed at a price of just �26/straw. His proof and price positioning make him "the highest type, best value sexed bull on the market", claims Semex UK.

Out of Silky Storm Impala, and sired by Summershade Inquirer, his Type Merit is considerably higher than his nearest rival in the same �25 to �30 per sexed straw bracket. Where Powerplay comes in at 2.69TM, his nearest rival has one of 2.13, but Powerplay is �2 a straw cheaper. After that the TM scores of the other bulls drops below 2.00 with the average score for the group being just 1.60. However in nearly every case the price of the semen is higher than Powerplay.

This demonstrates that the choice of sexed bulls for this price band is almost entirely production-orientated, with few, if any, high type bulls being available.

Over and above his impressive type proof Powerplay has a production score of +352kgs milk, with +18kgs fat and +8kgs protein. He has a mammary score of 2.61,a feet and legs rating of 1.92 and a somatic cell count of -9. Desirable milking speed and temperament adds to the appeal of this value for money sire.

The bull produces flat-boned, clean dairy cows with good feet that are ideal set to the leg and udder that are silky textured with a strong centre ligament and with longer, ideally placed teats.

Although available in non-sexed form before, Semex believes that his availabilty in sexed form will show the real value of this well-balanced bull for many UK dairy farmers.
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Semex regrets to announce that the international breeding sensation Braedale Goldwyn has passed away.

Widely believed to be one of the greatest sires of his time, Goldwyn's popularity has continually been on the rise, adding numerous accolades to his already impressive resume each and every day.

"Rarely a day goes by that we do not hear from someone about their individual sucess with their Goldwyn daughters," says Paul Larmer, Semex Alliance Chief Executive Officer. "Never before have we seen a sire with such impressive results in production, index, type and show ring like we have from Goldwyn. Being named the first-ever top 10 TPI Premier Sire at World Dairy Expo 2008 is certainly a testament to his breeding power and popularity."

Used worldwide as a sire of sons long before the arrival of his second crop in April 2008, Goldwyn's influence through his numerous young daughters and the eventual arrival of his sons will certainly be highly anticipated. Semex has over 100 Goldwyn sons in waiting, with their debut scheduled for early 2010. Used on varying maternal grandsires, Semex's Goldwyn line-up is not only highly anticipated, but will offer dairymen a variety of mating choices to increase their profitability.
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