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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