FIFTEEN YEARS PROVEN – Anne Burt
This year marks the fifteenth anniversary for Liberty Genetics, number 3 in the NZ dairy semen
market, with a sound reputation as a small company punching well above its weight. Fielding 9%
of the AEU RAS list (daughter-proven bulls) Liberty Genetics is doing something superbly right.
The May AEU run strengthened their bulls’ proofs further, with increases to fertility and residual
survival.
Liberty’s emphasis on high parent-average BW young sires, despite no use of genomics, is
producing the goods. The initial proofs their bulls receive are strongly reliable with around 250
daughters herd tested, and a high re-use rate for the re-proof sires, a testament to Sire Analyst Dr
David Hayman’s expertise in selecting strong cow families suited to commercial farming
conditions. These young bulls come from the same herds the bigger company’s source their bulls
from, and in a lot of cases are full or half brothers.
Fertility of the semen provided is non-negotiable and reports from farmers of excellent
conception rates from Liberty Genetics young sire semen confirm the wisdom of their policy of
20 million sperm/frozen straw, and 2.5 million sperm/fresh straw. Compare that with their
competitors. Liberty’s emphasis is always on getting cows in calf.
But their real strength is price, and farmers need go no further for best value in the market place
for a mix of young and proven sires @$6.50/straw DIY, and $12/straw in the cow. This
compares exceptionally well with other AB company pricing. If profitability is your motivation,
Liberty Genetics must be a consideration.