Welcome to the Bullvine Podcast. I'm your host,
Bella, and today we're diving into what might
be the most transformative story in modern dairy
genetics. We're talking about a man who's been
called the Steve Jobs of our industry, Juan Moreno.
And I'm Douglas. Today's episode is particularly
special because we're exploring how one individual
fundamentally changed dairy breeding worldwide.
From gender -sorted semen to genomic testing,
Juan Moreno's innovations have reshaped how every
dairy farmer makes breeding decisions. We'll
trace his journey from a Colombian cattle farm
to becoming this year's World Dairy Expo International
Person of the Year. You know, Douglas, when people
say bull in a china shop, they usually mean something
destructive. But that's not what we're talking
about today, is it? Not at all, Bella. We're
redefining that metaphor completely. Moreno is
like a bull who knew exactly which outdated practices
needed breaking to build something better. Let's
dive in. So how exactly does a kid from Colombia
end up transforming the entire dairy genetics
industry? It's actually a fascinating story that
begins on his family's cattle operation. Moreno
himself has said, quote, It all started on my
family's cattle operation, where an early fondness
for animal husbandry took root. Those early experiences
shaped my understanding of the practical challenges
farmers face every day. What I find incredible
is that from the beginning, Moreno wasn't satisfied
with how things had always been done. He had
this constant curiosity about why practices existed
and whether they could be improved. That curiosity
led him to The Ohio State University, where he
earned his Bachelor of Science in Dairy Science.
But he didn't just focus on academics. Moreno
was actively involved with The Ohio State University
Dairy Judging Team. Anyone who's been around
dairy judging knows that's where you develop
that critical eye. You learn to see what makes
a truly exceptional animal. Absolutely. And Moreno
continued building his expertise at Texas A &M
University with graduate work in reproductive
physiology. That specialized training became
the foundation for his later innovations. But
making the leap from academia to entrepreneurship
is huge. How did that transition happen? After
his education, Moreno took the gutsy step of
founding Sexing Technologies, or ST for short.
Can you imagine those early investor meetings?
We're going to revolutionize dairy breeding by
sorting sperm cells. It wasn't exactly a conventional
business plan. I would have loved to be a fly
on the wall during those pitches. But clearly,
he was on to something big. Let's talk about
what made Moreno's work so revolutionary. Before
his innovations, dairy breeding was essentially
a coin flip. That's right. Before gender -sorted
semen, farmers had no control over whether they'd
get heifer or bull calves. With conventional
semen, it was roughly 50 -50 odds. And for dairy
operations, most bull calves have limited value.
ST's technology changed this equation completely
by pioneering gender -sorted semen with over
90 % accuracy in predetermining offspring sex.
This meant dairy farmers could reliably produce
predominantly female calves. It's hard to overstate
what a game -changer this was. Suddenly, resources
weren't being wasted on raising animals that
wouldn't contribute to milk production. The science
behind this is fascinating. ST's team developed
a method to separate X chromosome -bearing sperm,
which produce female offspring, from Y chromosome
-bearing sperm, which produce male offspring,
using a technique called flow cytometry. You're
tough today. That sounds simple when you say
it like that. but I'm guessing the actual bioengineering
challenges were enormous. They absolutely were,
and Moreno has been refreshingly honest about
those challenges. He said, quote, We've been
investing in these projects for years, testing
both beef and dairy animals. It's a long -term
commitment that requires patience and persistence.
Not every farmer immediately sees the value,
and communicating that value effectively has
been one of our biggest hurdles. End quote. I
love that honesty. Innovation isn't instant.
It takes years of persistence and overcoming
skepticism. But Douglas Moreno didn't stop at
gender -sorted semen, did he? Not even close.
He expanded sexing technology services to include
genomic testing, whole genome sequencing, bioinformatics,
and bioelectronics. Each of these fields could
support an entire company, but Moreno recognized
how they interconnected to create a comprehensive
approach to genetic improvement. And one of ST's
more recent innovations is Ecofeed, right? What
exactly does that technology do? Ecofeed focuses
on enhancing feed efficiency and reducing environmental
impact. Moreno explains it this way, quote, Feed
is essentially 65 % of the cost to operate a
dairy. So if you are able to save 10 % of feed
costs through feed efficiency, you are saving
a substantial amount of money. And what's more,
ecofeed is a heritable trait. So it's both economically
beneficial and environmentally responsible. That's
the definition of a win -win. Exactly. By selecting
for animals with improved feed conversion efficiency,
Ecofeed helps reduce resource inputs required
for milk production while decreasing agriculture's
environmental footprint. Now let's talk about
what these innovations mean for the average dairy
producer. How can farmers actually implement
these technologies? Yeah, that's what our listeners
really want to know, right? If you're milking
cows twice a day, how does this high -tech stuff
translate to your operation? According to Moreno,
quote, In the U .S., about 30 % of dairy producers
are now using genomic testing to make early decisions
about whether a female is going to be productive
long term. The figures show us that we get 76
% accuracy on that genomic prediction. End quote.
Let me explain the economics, because this is
where it gets really compelling. For the first
60 days of a calf's life, it costs about $5 per
day to feed it milk. After that, it might cost
$2 per day. By the time that heifer reaches calving
age, you've invested around $1 ,400 to $1 ,500
just in feed costs. And that's the key insight.
Why would you wait two years to find out if that
animal's genetic value is below average after
you've already invested all that money? With
genomic testing, you can spend just $30 as a
calf and know her genetic value immediately.
That $30 investment could save you $1 ,400 by
not raising inferior animals. When you put it
that way, it's a no -brainer. For farmers considering
these technologies, Moreno recommends starting
with genomic testing. He says, Most people look
at genomic testing in terms of genetic gain,
and while there is a lot of value in genetic
gain, there is a lot of money to be saved in
not having to raise animals that are not going
to perform. I love that Moreno doesn't push a
one -size -fits -all approach. He understands
that different operations have different priorities.
He's actually quite clear about this. It might
be more important to breed a cow that excels
at grazing. Another part, it might be milk solids.
And in a third part, it might be how that cow
looks. There is not one trait that fits all.
End quote. So Douglas, let's talk about how Moreno
has turned these innovations into a global enterprise.
Under Moreno's leadership, Sexing Technologies
has expanded from its initial focus to become
a comprehensive genetic improvement company with
truly global reach. They now operate approximately
60 sperm sorting facilities worldwide, 8 in the
United States and more than 50 across 19 other
countries. That's not just global expansion.
That's global domination. And it means farmers
around the world can access these game -changing
technologies. Beyond the sperm sorting facilities,
ST also manages seven bull stud farms, four in
the United States, one in Canada, one in Italy,
and one in the United Kingdom. These facilities
house elite genetics that form the foundation
of the company's offerings. Moreno has also grown
through acquisitions, right? What companies has
ST acquired? They've acquired several strategic
entities, including Transworld Genetics, Taurus,
TAG, Cogent, and Insimi. When asked about the
Cogent acquisition specifically, Moreno said,
quote, It was a very fortunate situation for
us to be able to purchase Cogent. We're excited
about all the opportunities this brings. ST Genetics,
we house a lot of bulls and a lot of genetics
in the UK, and we see it as the launching pad
for many parts of the world. We will continue
to invest heavily in Cogent in the UK to make
it bigger and greater than ever before. End quote.
And in 2015, he launched ST Genetics to focus
specifically on livestock genetics development
and sales, right? Correct. This vertical integration
created a powerhouse offering both breeding technology
and superior genetics directly to producers.
And most recently, Moreno orchestrated the impending
merger with Select Sires, combining ST's advanced
reproductive technologies with Select Sires'
will establish market presence, and distribution
network. Douglas, one aspect of Moreno's impact
that's often overlooked is how he's connected
the academic and commercial worlds. Can you tell
us more about that? Absolutely. Moreno has fostered
strong connections between academia and industry
by providing employment opportunities for Ohio
State graduates at ST Genetics facilities in
Ohio, Wisconsin, and Texas. This helps create
a pipeline of talent from university to industry.
And I understand the company also offers internships
for students. That's right. These internships
allow students to gain hands -on experience in
cutting -edge reproductive technologies, preparing
the next generation of agricultural scientists
and practitioners. It's an invaluable opportunity
for students to see how theoretical knowledge
gets applied in real -world settings. I imagine
that creates a really dynamic environment with
fresh ideas constantly flowing into the company.
It does. And Moreno takes it a step further by
encouraging ST Genetics employees to engage in
academic activities. Some have even become adjunct
faculty at universities. Two employees currently
serve as adjunct faculty in the Department of
Animal Sciences at Ohio State University. So
they're actually teaching the next generation.
while working in the industry. That's a powerful
combination. And perhaps most significantly,
Moreno provides access to ST Genetics' state
-of -the -art animal facilities for research
projects. This support enables academics to conduct
studies that might otherwise be impossible due
to resource constraints. That really closes the
loop between research, education, and practical
application. Academic researchers get access
to cutting -edge facilities, Students learn from
industry professionals, and the company benefits
from fresh research insights. Let's talk about
the overall impact Moreno has had on the dairy
industry. Just how extensively have his innovations
been adopted? Today, approximately 30 % of all
semen sold worldwide utilizes ST's sex -sorted
technology. That statistic alone demonstrates
how thoroughly Moreno's innovations have transformed
standard breeding practices globally. Beyond
the immediate benefits to dairy operations, Moreno
and ST's work also addresses broader challenges
in global food security, doesn't it? Absolutely.
As the world population continues to grow, the
demand for efficient, sustainable protein production
becomes increasingly critical. By enhancing the
genetic quality and production efficiency of
dairy cattle worldwide, ST's technologies help
meet this demand while minimizing resource use.
I like how Moreno frames this himself. He says,
quote, If farmers are profitable, they are more
likely to do business with us. If they are not,
companies like ours won't be around. We want
to develop the genetics that will make the farmer
profitable and the end product something consumers
want to buy. That direct link between his company's
success and farmers' success is refreshing. It's
not just talk. His company now employs over 1
,815 people across 16 countries. Douglas Moreno
seems particularly concerned about balancing
innovation with consumer perceptions, isn't he?
Absolutely. He said, quote, We believe that not
only can we make progress with some of the environmental
traits so that the public feels comfortable about
buying our product in their grocery store, but
it can also be of great benefit to farmers. End
quote. His eco -feed innovation really exemplifies
this balanced approach. It reduces methane emissions
while saving farmers money on feed costs. That
forward -thinking approach earned ST Genetics
the Innovation in Climate Action category award
from the International Dairy Federation in 2024.
What about Moreno as a leader? What makes his
management style unique? Moreno's leadership
philosophy is characterized by openness, innovation,
and a commitment to nurturing talent. He maintains
an open -door policy that encourages employees
at all levels to share ideas and concerns directly
with leadership. That creates a very different
corporate culture than what we often see, doesn't
it? Definitely. Rather than imposing a rigid
hierarchy, Moreno has built an organization that
values input from all levels, recognizing that
groundbreaking ideas can come from anywhere within
the company. And he's known for being hands -on
too, right? Visiting farms and staying connected
to the practical realities of agriculture. Yes,
and that's crucial. It ensures his innovations
address real needs rather than theoretical problems,
making them more readily adopted by producers
worldwide. With all these achievements, Moreno
has received some significant recognition, hasn't
he? In 2013, he was named one of the 100 Colombianos
by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and
received the Peace Award for International Excellence.
In 2022, he received the CFAES Distinguished
Alumni Award from Ohio State University. And
now, in 2025, he's been recognized as the World
Dairy Expo International Person of the Year.
And let's not forget the 78 patents granted to
him. and the ST team throughout his career. Each
one represents a unique contribution to advancing
animal reproductive technologies and genomics.
Can you imagine having 78 patents to your name?
I'd be happy with just one. What about the future,
Douglas? What's next for Moreno and livestock
genetics? Despite his numerous achievements,
Moreno continues to push boundaries with a focus
on global food security and environmental sustainability.
However, he's also very clear about certain ethical
boundaries. He said, quote, His reasoning is
quite compelling. Moreno points out that about
87 % of consumers live in large cities and have
a total disconnect with farm production. If those
consumers don't want genetic modification, he
asks why the industry would risk alienating them.
That thoughtful approach to innovation, working
with nature rather than against it, might be
the most important lesson from Moreno's career.
As we wrap up today's episode, Let's reflect
on Juan Moreno's extraordinary impact. From his
beginnings on a Colombian cattle farm to becoming
a global innovator, Moreno has redefined what
it means to be a bull in a china shop. Instead
of accidental destruction, he represents purposeful
disruption and creation, dismantling outdated
approaches to build something better. Through
gender -sorted semen technology, genomic testing
and creating a global enterprise bridging science
and practical agriculture moreno has forever
changed how dairy farmers approach breeding decisions
his vision perseverance and innovation demonstrate
how one person can transform an entire industry
as the 2025 world dairy expo international person
of the year Juan Moreno stands as proof that
sometimes the most valuable thing in agriculture
is someone willing to break with tradition. In
the delicate china shop of conventional farming,
he's shown that sometimes it takes a bull to
create something beautiful. We hope you've enjoyed
this episode of the Bullvine Podcast. If you're
interested in implementing genomic testing or
sexed semen technologies on your operation, visit
our website at www. for more resources and articles
on getting started. And if you've already been
using these technologies, we'd love to hear your
experience. Leave us a comment or send us an
email at feedback at thebullvine .com. Thanks
for listening. Join us next week when we'll be
discussing emerging trends in crossbreeding strategies
for commercial dairy herds. Until then, keep
breeding for better.