Thursday, March 18, 2021

Comparing the impacts of each (beef) breed on the semen market

 

CONCEPTIONS  Beef Cow-calf route newsletter       Winter 2020

 

The beef AI industry is unique in that you have three different supply chains:
Major dairy AI systems with beef programs;  Specialized beef AI centers;  private breeders direct-marketing custom-collected semen online and through Beef-focus publications.   Not all breeds get marketing attention from AI studs, a decision based on semen production figures provided by NAAB and their “Certified Semen Service” membership reports.   We searched out this data and here is a presentation of what it told us (rounded off to nearest 100 straws).

The NAAB reports semen sales in three categories:   Domestic,  Export, and  Custom Collected.   2019 is not totaled yet, but I have figures for 2018 and 2017 you can compare, as I did.

Breed                   Domestic                           Export                     Custom collected
                                 2018           2017                  2018          2017                   2018            2017

ANGUS              2,400,200   1,648,800         3,329,200   2,805,600         1,088,900    1,232,400
LIMOUSIN            501,700      203,900               19,000           8,900            737,000         76,000
SIMMENTAL        570,000      316,900               65,400         91,400            426,900       220,500
RED ANGUS         142,200      139,300             284,800       302,100           205,200       152,200
PL HEREFORD        81,900        78,300               66,900         87,900              85,100         84,400
CHAROLAIS            78,400        23,200               28,200         56,500              58,500         76,500
WAGYU                  27,800        22,600                 8,700          13,400           128,400         94,300
BRANGUS                4,800          2,100                78,700         78,800              71,700         34,900
AMERIFAX             23,900             -0-                  16,400              -0-                75,100               100 
GELBVEIH              37,400        38,000                     min              min              72,800         41,800
BEEFMASTER             min             min                       -0-               -0-              104,800         61,200
BRAHMAN              8,400          7,300                19,300          26,000             60,000         68,400
HO HEREFORD     25,200        29,500                 2,100             3,100             56,200         66,200
MAINE ANJOU       6,200          7,900                     min                min             40,300         34,100
SHORTHORN          2,800          3,100                     min                min             39,000         41,900
CHIANINA              3,800           3,800                     min                min             36,700         19,600
GYR **                   2,700           1,400                17,900          11,500                   min              min
BELG BLUE                min              min                      -0-                 -0-               16,100          3,500
TX LONGHORN         min             min                       -0-                 -0-               15,300        16,700
CHI MAINE            2,500           1,500                     min                min              10,900        15,800
BLK BALDY                -0-               -0-                         -0-                 -0-                13,100          3,700
SANTA GERT.           min              min                       -0-                -0-                 12,900        11,200
BUCKING                  min              min                       -0-                -0-                 11,500        18,600
RED BRANGUS        min              min                  6,900           20,100                 3,000          4,500
DUTCH BELT**       min               min                      -0-                 -0-                  8,700         26,600
SOUTH DEVON        -0-                -0-                        -0-                 -0-                  6,500           4,400
MASHONA               -0-                -0-                        -0-                 -0-                  6,200           3,800

BREED                Domestic                         Exported                   Custom collected

PIEDMONTESE         min           min                        -0-           -0-                      5,000               600
IRISH BLACK              -0-            -0-                          -0-           -0-                      4,500            9,800
SALERS                       min          min                        -0-           -0-                      3,900            4,200
BEEFALO                    -0-            -0-                          -0-           -0-                      3,800            1,300
SIMBRAH                   -0-            -0-                          -0-           -0-                      3,700            7,600
BRAUNVEIH              min          min                        min         min                     3,300            5,500

OTHER BEEF *        116,400      12,500                10,100      7,500               244,800       223,500

Under the category of “other” beef breeds the obvious big one is “Club Calf Composite”-- but also includes Barzona, Belted Galloway, Bonsmara, Braford, Brahmousin, Brit White, Corriente, Devon, Dexter, Galloway, Guzerat, Indu-Brazil, Marchigiana, Murray Grey, Nellore, Normande, Pinzgauer, Red Poll, Romagnola, Scotch Highland, Senapol, Tarentaise, Watusi and White Park.

** these are considered dual-purpose breeds:  also add Devon, Dexter, Normande, Red Poll,

Conclusions

Choice of breeds in the USA can be quite different from Europe as well as South America (which is the largest export market for US-produced beef semen).  Thus we see the differences where minimal USA use is supplemented by significant export markets.
We also see the prejudices in favor of EBV-driven breeds that have the major dairy-based AI systems favoring a more limited number of breeds than are actually in wider usage.   Thus the custom collection business remains quite strong for club calf composites, heritage breeds (often focused on grass-only beef production), breeds that fulfill specialty consumer demands (examples: Piedmontese, Beefalo, Texas Longhorn) or are favored for crossbreeding beef quality into dairy herds selling deacons and feeders (examples: Belgian Blue).

In the USA’s AI establishment, no distinction is made between the Simmental and the Fleckveih, however among grass-based dairymen there is a strong growth trend for the German Fleckveih “dual purpose” (and the French Montbeliarde, another Simmental derivative).    Auction barns are now seeing lots of Fleckveih-cross deacons, and basically sell them like a Simmental-cross. 

It is casually reported that Alta Genetics, which recently acquired CRI Genex’s AI divisions, has seen increased beef semen sales gaining one million straws in 2019 over 2018, also over 2017.  They are the dominant establishment AI player for beef sires in the South American market.   

When you add up the numbers, it is clear that ANGUS (with 6,818,400 straws out of 11,687,700 total straws sold, represents 58% of the sales total) maintains a dominant place in the USA Beef industry.    This reinforces the success of their “Certified Angus Beef” label marketing program.     But each breed has its own advantages that can be marketed either to consumers or producers, especially as niche markets grow.

 

We are here to help you.

Just ask us for options we can make available, in AI supplies, in feed supplements, in heat detection aids and semen from sires that fit your goals.

If you think you need a “brush up” on your AI technique, give Greg a call.

 

Mich Livestock Service, Inc ** Ovid, MI 48866 ** ph (989) 834- 2661

Website:    www.michiganlivestock.com

Also check out   “Van Beek Natural Science”  and   “Byron Seeds”

Dealer for  “Cattle Visions”

We offer International Cryogenic and MVE Chart semen tanks



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