Breaking free from the chains of the past Where
truth moves faster than a Holstein calf No law
waiting on some printed page We're charting new
ground in the digital age From genomic codes
to robot facts We cut through the noise, no hold
them back not your daddy's dairy news tonight
we're sparking Welcome to the Bullvine Podcast,
the dairy industry's no -BS source for insights
that actually matter to your bottom line. If
you're tired of sugar -coated industry reports
that don't tell you what's really happening on
the ground, you've come to the right place. Today,
we're diving deep into a story that's been hiding
in plain sight, and it's about to cost you serious
money. Your genetics rep has been pushing those
two -year contracts lately, right? field service
delays getting worse? There's a reason for that,
and it's not what you think. We're talking about
a hundred million dollar disruption that's reshaping
the entire genetics market. And somehow, nobody's
talking about it. Until now. This isn't your
typical market analysis. We've got the data,
the insider intelligence, and most importantly,
the action plan you need to protect your operation.
Because while everyone else is waiting to see
what happens, Smart producers are already making
moves, so grab your coffee and let's get into
it. This is information your genetics company
doesn't want you to have, but you absolutely
need to know. Welcome back to the Bullvine Podcast,
where we cut through dairy industry noise to
get you the insights that actually matter for
your operation. And today we're diving deep into
a feature piece that's been generating some serious
buzz. This isn't your typical market update.
No, definitely not. This one's got layers and
some, well, fundamental global shifts that are
going to make farmers rethink how they've been
approaching their entire breeding program starting
like yesterday. Okay, let's unpack this. We're
talking about the conversation your genetics
rep isn't having with you. Before January 1st,
right? And the sources we've looked at, they
paint a pretty grim picture. I mean, this isn't
just a slow market correction we're seeing. No,
it's way beyond that. It's a fundamental global
restructuring of the whole genetic supply chain.
Driven by what? It seems like a double whammy.
Yeah, a catastrophic loss of export volume coupled
with these skyrocketing domestic replacement
costs. It's kind of a perfect storm. What's fascinating.
or maybe terrifying, is how quickly this volatility
overseas translates, like directly to your bottom
line right here in the U .S. We need to be crystal
clear about the stakes up front. The executive
summary conclusion from the analysis is stark.
I mean, really stark. How stark are we talking?
A typical 500 cow operation is facing a potential
$12 ,000 annual jump in breeding costs. Starting
first quarter? 12 grand. Just poof. Add it to
the input ledger. And, you know, I think that
figure might even be conservative. It could well
be. Especially when you factor in this whole
market disruption happening at the same time
as the potential select sires and estrogen merger.
I mean, that inherently reduces competition.
Absolutely. It definitely stacks up. This really
is shaping up to be a perfect storm for input
cost inflation, isn't it? It really is. And it
raises a critical question, I think, for every
producer listening right now. You've got Russia
and five other nations. They essentially stopped
buying American dairy genetics, creating conservatively
this massive hole in international volume sales.
We're talking about a hundred million dollar
hole. just vanished almost overnight a hundred
million that's huge volume so the question is
who's paying to fill that revenue void yeah guess
who the answer just mechanically is you domestic
producers are footing the bill they have to through
a sort of mandatory reliance on premium high
margin genetics because the companies have to
make up that lost revenue somehow precisely there's
no other way for them really yeah OK, so let's
start by identifying the primary, the immediate
driver of this whole disruption. It's that vanishing
export market in Eastern Europe. Right. We have
the Eurasian Economic Commission's October report,
which is like the core data point here. And it's
a bombshell, truly. What does it say? It shows
that Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and
Kyrgyzstan. they cut their breeding animal imports
by a staggering 64%. Wait, 64? 54%. Between 2022
and 2024. Wow. Okay, that is not a blip. That's
not some political spat that's going to blow
over next quarter, is it? Not at all. That level
of volume loss, I mean, that's unprecedented
in such a short time frame. It signals a complete
strategic shift. you know, and how those markets
are approaching their food security. That's precisely
the point. You hit the nail on the head. It's
not a temporary trade dispute. It's a strategic
retreat from relying on imports. Okay. And we
see specific, really clear examples of this strategy
playing out in other sectors, too. Like Russia
boosting its domestic poultry breeding production
by 9 .1 million heads, while simultaneously cutting
imports by 70%. 70 % in poultry, too. Yeah. This
is the... clearest possible signal, I think,
of a long -term national commitment to self -sufficiency
in genetics. The source states it emphatically.
These high -volume markets are gone. Oh, gone.
Gone, gone. Because these nations are aggressively
developing their own competitive, often subsidized
domestic genetic supply, they don't need ours
anymore, or at least not nearly as much. Hold
on, let's translate this into farmer economics.
I mean, genetics companies, historically, they
relied on immense economies of scale, right?
Absolutely. That was the model. They could mass
produce millions of doses of standard semen,
sell them globally, often at pretty low margins,
just to keep the whole system running efficiently.
Yeah. And that kept the straw prices for the
rest of us here in the U .S. somewhat reasonable.
That was the engine. Yeah. Low cost production
enabled by massive volume. So that means those
massive, steady volume sales that kind of kept
the baseline straw prices low, they are absolutely
gone. Vanished. And the entire financial model
for like every major genetics company has just
been destabilized overnight. That's the core
mechanism. That's the driver of the price shock
you're probably already feeling or about to feel
very acutely. Okay. If we connect this to the
bigger picture, the implication for domestic
producers is immediate. And it's severe. Genetics
companies must now redistribute all those fixed
costs, R &D, bull procurement, infrastructure,
staffing across a much smaller, much more fragmented
sales volume. So to make up the money. Right.
To replace, say, a dollar of lost export revenue
from a standard, maybe an $8 straw they used
to sell easily. Now they have to sell a premium
domestic straw, one that might be priced at $40
or $50. And this. disproportionately hurts the
small and mid -sized operations, doesn't it?
It really does. They're the ones who, you know,
traditionally utilize more of the standard conventional
genetics. for their base herd. Exactly. Now they
face this massive, basically non -negotiable
cost increase because the company is forced to
shift its entire business focus, just chasing
those high value premium sales to stay solvent.
That's it. Their volume business disappeared
and the domestic conventional product just became
collateral damage in the price hike scramble.
Okay. So here's where I get a bit skeptical because
this is where the industry spin machine usually
kicks into high gear, right? Always is. If you
look at the official numbers, the ones put out
by the National Association of Animal Breeders,
the NAAB data. It says total U .S. bovine semen
sales actually grew 4%, hit nearly 69 million
units, and dairy exports, up 5 % in volume, reaching
30 .8 million units, with a record reported value
of $326 million. Right. Record value. So if sales
volume is technically up and the export value
is at a record high, Why should we trust this
source telling us the entire financial model
is crumbling? Isn't this just, you know, temporary
pricing optimization or something? That's the
myth buster moment we really need to tackle head
on. It's a fair question. The contradiction is
the difference between volume loss and value
inflation. Think about it. If a company used
to sell, say, 5 million doses of $8 semen to
Eastern Europe, and now they sell maybe 1 million
doses of $40 sex semen domestically, their revenue
value might hold steady. It might even rise slightly,
just like the NAAB data suggests. Ah, I see.
So the total dollars look okay. Right. But the
underlying market dynamic has fundamentally failed.
They've lost the stability, they've lost that
massive volume base, and they've lost the efficient
utilization of their genetics inventory. It's
a much riskier, less stable position. So that
record $326 million export value, it isn't actually
a sign of market health at all. Not really. It's
more a sign that the remaining export marketplaces
like Western Europe, where competition is incredibly
fierce, is being charged maximum premium. Or?
Or that high -value genetics, the expensive stuff,
are being prioritized aggressively over just
shipping low -cost commodity volume. They have
to chase the dollars now, not the units. Gotcha.
They are scrambling. Make no mistake. Companies
are frantically trying to replace that Eastern
European volume. They're pushing hard into Western
Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East. basically
anywhere they might find new customers. But those
aren't the same kind of markets, are they? No.
These are highly competitive, really fragmented
markets. It's nothing like the mass volume, almost
guaranteed bulk sales they lost. It's a far more
expensive, much more labor -intensive way to
generate revenue. The crucial connection then
is this shift, this forced shift to the premium
chase domestically. That's the link. The loss
of stable, high -volume standard semen exports
forces genetics companies to maximize every single
domestic sale just to maintain profitability.
And that's precisely why we see the specific,
almost astronomical surge in the expensive products.
They have to sell these highly valuable straws
to make up for the hundreds of thousands, maybe
millions of low -cost straws they're no longer
shipping abroad. And the data backs that up.
Oh yeah, the data's clear. Gender -selected dairy
semen jump 18 % to 9 .9 million units. That's
a huge leap. 18%. And beef on dairy, you know,
the ultimate optimization product, hit 7 .9 million
units, also a big jump. Okay, and here's the
kicker. Here's what they're not telling you.
That surge in demand for sexed semen and beef
on dairy. Yeah. It isn't just because farmers
suddenly got religion on better planning or love
the idea of dual -purpose genetics. No, there's
a much bigger force at play. It is a direct defensive
response to the absolutely astronomical increase
in replacement costs we are seeing. You use premium
genetics not because you want to spend $50 a
straw, but because you absolutely cannot afford
the mistake of breeding a $4 ,000 heifer with
a conventional straw anymore. The risk is too
damn high. Let's quantify that financial shock
then. Starting with the primary cost driver replacement
value. I mean, I remember the days when a heifer
was maybe $1 ,000. Oh, yeah. I remember those
days fondly. The July USDA average for dairy
replacements was a staggering $3 ,010 per head.
The $3 ,000. That is the new reality. That defines
every single breeding decision we make now. It
really does. And just to put that in perspective
for producers who've been in the game a while.
Yeah. Back in April 2019, just six years ago.
That same replacement heifer cost $1 ,140. Wow.
We are nearly triple the cost in just six years.
This isn't just, you know, normal inflation.
This is a structural revaluation of the asset
itself. And those are just the national averages,
remember. If we drill down into specific high
-end data, auction reports from places like California
and Minnesota back in August, they show quality
heifers bringing over $4 ,000. $4 ,000. Four
grand for an animal that hasn't given you a single
drop of milk yet. Right. This means every single
straw you use, every technician decision, every
conception attempt, it counts now in a way it
never did before. Because a breeding mistake
isn't just an inconvenience anymore. No, it's
economically catastrophic. A misstep costs thousands.
Exactly. And the genetics companies, they absolutely
know this, which is why we're seeing those corresponding
semen price hikes. Makes sense. They see the
value of a successful pregnancy has gone way
up. Precisely. Industry reports are suggesting
that premium Holstein semen, the stuff that was
reliably in the mid -30s to mid -40s maybe 18
months ago, now consistently in the upper 40s
to low 50s, that's a minimum 20 % jump on your
base premium product right there. 20 % minimum.
And what's fascinating here is the really top
genomic bulls. The source reports prices climbing
up to $60. even $75 per dose in some markets.
75 bucks a straw. $75. And those prices are sticking.
People are paying it because the alternative,
not getting that pregnancy or getting a low value
calf is even more expensive now. And then you
add the sex semen premium on top of that. Right.
Generally another $15 to $20 per dose on top
of the bull's price. So you're talking about
input costs that are now demanding an extremely
rapid and frankly, very high return on investment.
Let's run the math again on that $12 ,000 annual
impact. For a 500 -cow operation, say, 30 % replacement
rate, needing roughly 1 ,500 breeding doses a
year. Okay. If you just shift your mix maybe
10 % more toward those $75 straws, and your conventional
dose jumps from, say, $15 to $20. Seems plausible.
Very plausible. That $12 ,000 annual cost jump
becomes entirely believable. We are talking about
serious cash flow hemorrhaging from the farm,
simply because the global market shifted away
from selling cheap straws overseas. Yeah. It
connects directly. And this brings us right back
to the market structure itself. We are simultaneously
seeing these consolidation attempts, most notably
that intent for select sires and STGEN to combine.
Right. The merger. If that actually goes through,
we're looking at significantly reduced competition,
especially in that proprietary sext semen technology
space where STGEN is strong. And less competition
in a high demand, high cost environment. That
usually means only one thing for pricing, doesn't
it? It generally only points one way. Prices
will likely continue to trend upwards almost
regardless of the company's internal volume issues
or cost structures. Less choice equals higher
prices. Okay, so given this market pressure,
this impending price shock, analyzing the strategies
of the major players becomes absolutely critical,
doesn't it? It really does. Farmers are essentially
betting their future operation on their supplier's
stability right now. That's a great way to put
it. It's a bet. Let's start with Select Sires
and Estigen, because they're clearly making a
big move to gain leverage in this volatile market.
Their announced intent to combine back in August
2023, it's a survival move. Absolutely. It's
clearly intended to merge Estigen's proprietary
sext semen technology. Which is generally seen
as pretty top tier, right? Yeah, specifically
their superior flow sorting accuracy and the
proprietary buffer systems they developed. Really
good tech. Merge that with Select's massive distribution
network and their huge bull inventory. So Select
needed the tech. And Estesian needed the volume,
the reach, and maybe the financial stability
Select offers. It's a symbiotic move on paper.
Wait a second, though. If Estesian technology
is so superior and they really specialized in
innovation, why are they seeking the merger?
Aren't they perfectly positioned for this? premium
chase the market is now demanding? You'd think
so, wouldn't you? And they are to an extent.
But innovation is incredibly expensive. R &D
costs a fortune. And distribution requires massive
infrastructure. In a rapidly contracting, uncertain
market, just having the best tech isn't always
enough. You need that massive, stable infrastructure
to actually monetize it globally and efficiently.
So even with good tech, scale matters. Scale
and stability matter hugely right now. So while
they currently maintain independent sales networks,
the potential combination offers production and
R &D efficiencies critical to cutting overhead.
But, and this is a big but, the status of the
regulatory approvals is still really unclear,
and that uncertainty just hangs over the entire
market, signaling instability across the board.
Nobody knows quite how that will shake out. Okay,
so that's select tridentugin. Then you have altigenetics.
Owned by URUS, their strategy seemed centered
on a big international focus, right? Building
huge logistical networks abroad. That was definitely
their play. Significant investment overseas.
And how's that working out now? Well, that strategy
is now proving incredibly challenging. That huge
reliance on often volatile international markets
has hit severe turbulence with the loss of Eastern
Europe. Because they built the infrastructure
for volume that isn't there anymore. Exactly.
You build a massive, complex, global infrastructure
designed to support high volume when suddenly
64 % of a key part of that volume just vanishes.
That infrastructure immediately becomes way too
expensive to maintain. The overhead is crushing.
And are we seeing the fallout here domestically?
We absolutely are. I'm hearing consistent reports,
particularly from producers in the Midwest, that
Alta service territories are already being restructured,
combined, or that long -term reps are suddenly
gone. Wow. When a company starts cutting or can't
maintain its core field service network, especially
in stable dairy hubs, that is a serious canary
in the coal mine for their operational stability
and maybe their future investment plans. Okay,
so that's Alta. What about ABS Global? They're
owned by Genus Plank. Right. ABS. They've been
aggressively pushing what they call an industrial
genetics model, basically trying to treat dairy
breeding more like their highly mechanized pig
and poultry operations. Standardization, high
volume, predictable results, that kind of thing.
That's the goal. Standardization across vast
numbers. But hang on. Isn't industrial efficiency
exactly what dairy needs right now to try and
cut these soaring costs? Why would the source
suggest that model is inherently flawed for dairy?
It's a good question. The problem is dairy doesn't
really operate like a highly centralized, uniform
poultry shed. No, definitely not. We manage individual
cows, right? their specific health histories,
their local environments, nutrition nuances.
The industrial model, which thrives on uniformity,
really struggles with the high variability reality
of dairy farming. Okay, that makes sense. So
when you pair that somewhat inflexible high volume
structure with shrinking or destabilized markets,
again, that operational overhead becomes unsustainable
really quickly. And are there instability indicators
for ABS2? Similar signals, yes. Just like Alta,
we're seeing reports. Several California producers
mentioned they're seeing fewer ABS reps on the
ground lately. That suggests significant cost
-cutting efforts, even in territories that require
high service levels. It's another worrying sign.
And finally, Cemex. They seem to be the quiet
contender in all this turmoil. Yeah, Cemex. They've
really continued to focus intently on their core
established markets. Places like Canada, Brazil.
Markets they know inside and out. And that's
an advantage now. It seems to be. The advantage
of focusing on core markets is stability and
deep local knowledge. Instead of trying to be
everywhere globally and then losing 64 % of your
business overnight, they invest more heavily
in localized R &D, they can offer better service
continuity, and they largely avoided those really
aggressive low -margin international pricing
wars that are now coming back to bite their competitors.
Sometimes, you know, avoiding global dominance
actually pays off when the supply chain implodes.
This whole instability mess. It really forces
us to look forward, doesn't it? And ask, what
did other regions figure out that maybe we missed?
Especially when it comes to things like climate
preparedness and resilience. Yeah, that's a big
one. We've been so intensely focused on just
maximizing those production records, chasing
the highest TPI or NMA that maybe we missed building
actual resilience into the herd for the conditions
cows actually face. That is so true. We often
feel like we're constantly reinventing the wheel
here when it comes to managing heat stress, for
example. Right. But if you actually look at the
research, the Journal of Dairy Science has published
fascinating studies for years on genetics used
elsewhere, like Brazilian gear cattle. They maintain
production under heat stress, where our traditional
Holsteins just... Exactly. And what's even more
encouraging or maybe frustrating, depending on
how you look at it, is the proactive approach
taken by Australia's data gene. What do they
do? They saw climate change coming. Way back
in 2017, they introduced genomic breeding values
specifically for heat tolerance. They were building
the solutions seven years ago. Seven years ago.
Wow. while we were still just chasing milk pounds.
Pretty much. The learning here is crucial, I
think. While the U .S. genetics market was laser
-focused on that next high -ranking production
trait record bull, others were already developing
practical solutions for real -world challenges
like climate change. So this forced shift in
the market, it means American farmers now have
to prioritize genetics that build resilience,
not just records. It's becoming non -negotiable.
It has to be. We also need to recognize that
This disruption, it's going to hit different
regions unevenly. How so? Well, for regions with
really established, dense genetics infrastructure,
think Wisconsin, California, Pennsylvania service
will probably remain decent, maybe more expensive,
but decent. Because the companies just can't
afford to abandon those major stable dairy hubs.
Exactly. Those are their anchor points. But if
you're in one of the expansion areas. Or maybe
more remote locations, especially where service
might have been a bit marginal even before this
market shift. Yeah, if that's you listening,
you need to brace yourself. Prepare for service
cuts immediately. Because... Changes like ALTA
restructuring their territories or fewer ABS
reps being seen, those kinds of cuts show up
in those more vulnerable, higher cost of service
territories first. Always. If your service has
always been kind of marginal, waiting around
for a plan B now is probably a recipe for disaster.
You need to be proactive. Is there any silver
lining in this regional picture? There might
be, actually, particularly for Southern Operations.
Texas, Florida, you know, the area is really
grappling with severe heat stress day in, day
out. Okay. The source reports increased interest
already in adapted genetics from producers down
there. This massive market disruption, ironically,
might finally accelerate the necessary heat tolerance
research and the wider availability of adapted
genetics like Duracrosses or heat -tolerant Holsteins
that these producers have desperately needed
for years. The market pressure might finally
force the change. We've kind of hit on this a
few times already, but let's just state it clearly
as a contrarian take. You know, the kind of analysis
you expect from the bullvine. Let's do it. Everyone
in the industry narrative, all the official channels,
they're telling us sales are up, everything is
fine. Right. Pointing to that record, $326 million
XCert value. That's the headline they push. But
what if the exact opposite is true? We really
shouldn't trust a narrative based purely on revenue
value when the underlying market dynamics are
clearly crumbling due to massive volume loss.
Right. That record value is entirely being paid
for by you, the U .S. farmer, through higher
domestic prices and maybe a few remaining high
-end export customers paying top dollar for premium
products. It's not sustained by stable, broad,
high volume export markets like it used to be.
That foundation is gone. Absolutely. And this
shift, it's forcing a massive strategic realignment
among the suppliers. The source we analyze actually
suggests that due to the structural pressures,
the lost volume, the cost increases, the potential
consolidation, maybe three major suppliers might
not even exist in their current form by 2026.
Three might not exist. Wow. That's a bold statement.
It is. But it highlights the stakes. This isn't
just about price anymore. Farmers are being forced
to make a huge bet on supplier stability. Because
your breeding program, that's a three to five
year commitment easily. At least. So you absolutely
have to choose which company seems structurally
sound enough, meaning maybe lower international
exposure, strong proprietary tech, demonstrated
domestic service stability to bet your entire
operations future on. It's a big decision. And
the disruption itself. It's kind of encouraging
a necessary reduction in dependence, isn't it?
If your rep is suddenly unstable or maybe just
gone, you have no choice but to bring that capability
in -house. It's the strongest argument yet. This
market instability is probably the biggest driver
we've seen for investing in farm capability.
Precisely. The 90 -day plan we're about to detail
really emphasizes evaluating things like automated
heat detection systems, systems that have a proven
18 to 24 -month ROI in many cases. Because you
have to build that on -farm breeding capability,
both to reduce reliance on external service that
might disappear, and also to address these mounting
labor issues at the same time. You just cannot
afford to sit around and wait for the rep who
might not show up next month anymore. That era
is ending. All right, let's make this really
practical. Let's assume the farmer just finished
morning milking. Maybe they're driving to the
feed store right now, cup of coffee in hand.
They need immediate practical steps. What are
the three crucial things they need to take away
from this discussion? Let's break it down. Immediate,
midterm, long term. Okay, let's do it. Your first
action, like this week, has got to be proactive
due diligence. You need to know your supplier
better than they know themselves right now. Go
beyond the glossy brochure. Way beyond. Look
past the slick marketing. Evaluate their structural
stability. What's their real financial position
look like? What's their technology position?
Are they just distributing someone else's tech
or do they actually own proprietary technology
like STGEN does with sexing? And critically,
assess their international exposure and their
market focus. Because as we've discussed, that
instability overseas translates directly to instability
in your breeding program here. Who are they relying
on? And then absolutely, weeks one and two must
involve finding your tribe. Get on the phone,
contact your neighbors now, talk about forming
buying groups, explore state dairy association
programs for bulk purchasing leverage. This is
so critical right now because volume is truly
the only way you're going to regain any pricing
power in this market. Are we seeing this work
already? We are seeing real concrete results.
Reports from Wisconsin show producers pooling
orders like 10 ,000 dose orders are already locking
in 15 percent discounts. 15 percent. That's significant.
It's huge because they are creating the volume
domestically that the genetics companies have
so desperately lost abroad. You have to band
together and create that volume internally to
regain leverage. Don't go it alone. OK, so once
you've done your homework and know who you might
be able to trust long term. You need a solid
financial strategy. That's the medium term strategy
covering the next, say, three to six months.
It starts with doing the math properly. Know
your true costs. Exactly. Calculate your true
breeding costs. You absolutely must factor in
that $3 ,010 plus replacement cost for heifers
when you're trying to calculate the ROI of using
a $75 straw versus a $20 straw. The cost of not
getting a good pregnancy has skyrocketed. It
really has. Use those advanced ROI calculators.
Good ones are available through places like Penn
State Extension or Wisconsin Extension. Run different
scenario analyses for pricing levels, for different
adoption rates of sex semen or beef on dairy.
Know your numbers cold. And once you've done
that math, maybe around month two, it's time
to think about locking it down. But, and this
is critical. Lock it down carefully. I see. Negotiate.
Try for 18 to 36 month contracts. Right now,
companies are likely desperate for cash flow
and need those guaranteed commitment dollars
to offset their own market uncertainty. You might
have some leverage there. But be careful who
you log in with. That's the crucial cautionary
note. Do not just prioritize the lowest sticker
price per straw. You absolutely must prioritize
verifiable supplier stability and access to proprietary
technology, especially in sex semen over saving
a few pennies today. Because you need a partner
that will still actually be there in 2026 to
fulfill that contract. Precisely. A contract
with a company that vanishes in 18 months is
completely worthless, no matter how cheap the
straws were supposed to be. Stability first.
price second right now. All right. So looking
longer term now, you're positioning over the
next year or two. This really centers on building
resilience and reducing that external dependence
we talked about. It has to. You've got to tech
up. Seriously evaluate. where it makes sense,
invest in automated heat detection systems, activity
monitors, rumination monitors, whatever fits
your system. Why now specifically? Because it
improves breeding efficiency. It cuts down labor
hours spent just watching cows. And maybe most
importantly right now, it dramatically reduces
your dependence on external service reps whose
stability is frankly questionable in some cases.
And the ROI is there. The numbers suggest an
18 to 24 -month ROI on many of these systems
is achievable, especially when you factor in
current high labor costs and the potential cost
of missed heats or unstable service networks.
It's becoming a necessary investment. And finally,
for our Southern Operations listening, this is
absolutely the time to actively commit. to adapted
genetics move beyond just holsteins look beyond
just traditional holsteins if heat stress is
hammering your performance investigate cross
breeding options dig into the heat tolerance
research coming out of places like the journal
of dairy science talk to suppliers about bulls
specifically selected for heat tolerance even
if their production proofs aren't chart toppers.
You have to actively position your herd for resilience
against these climate challenges now, before
this global market disruption hits your production
line and your bottom line even harder through
lost pregnancies and lower efficiency. Couldn't
agree more. Proactive resilience is the name
of the game long term. Hashtag tag Enhanced Show
Outro. Well, this has been another deep dive
from the Bullvine podcast. It's pretty clear
the genetics market we've all known just shifted.
Fundamentally. driven by these huge global forces
and painful domestic cost pressures. It really
has shifted. And those who recognize this shift
now, the ones taking action in these next 90
days, finding those buying groups, locking in
stable technology -backed contracts, they're
the ones who will secure a necessary competitive
advantage moving forward. If this kind of impartial,
data -driven analysis helps your operation make
better decisions, head over to www .thebullvine
.com. We've got more articles there that really
tell you what's actually happening in the dairy
industry beyond the headlines. And seriously,
subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. We're
releasing these deep dives twice weekly now.
And trust me, you really don't want to miss what
we've got coming next week. We're digging into
the true cost analysis of feed additives. You
know, the ones that are supposed to save you
money. But often fail to deliver on the promise
of their ROI. Yeah, that'll be a good one. It
should be revealing. Okay, one final thought
to leave you with. Remember this. Your breeding
decisions made in these next few months, they
matter more than they ever have before. It's
about not just which bulls you pick, but fundamentally,
which companies you are betting your farm's future
on. Use the resources available to you. Your
state extension dairy specialists, for example,
they often offer free strategy consultations.
Use them before you sign those long -term contracts.
Good advice. Use them, stay informed, and we'll
talk again soon. There you have it. The $100
million genetics disruption that's about to hit
your farm, whether you're ready or not. Look.
I've been in this industry for 30 years, and
I've seen a lot of changes. But this one's different.
This isn't just another market cycle. It's a
fundamental reshuffling of how genetics get developed,
priced, and delivered. The producers, who recognize
what's happening and take action in the next
90 days, they're going to look back at this moment
as when they secured a competitive advantage.
Those waiting for things to go back to normal
Well, they'll be paying premium prices to fewer
suppliers. Your breeding decisions over the next
few months matter more than usual. Not just which
bulls you're using, but which companies you're
betting your future on. Head over to thebullvine
.com for the complete analysis, including our
90 -day action plan and that company risk matrix
everyone's going to be talking about. You'll
also find links to all the data sources we discussed
today. And hey, If this episode opened your eyes
to something you hadn't considered, do us a favor,
share it with another producer who needs to hear
this. The industry works better when we're all
informed. Until next time, this is the Bullvine
Podcast. Keep asking the tough questions and
don't let anyone tell you that's just how things
are. You deserve better answers. Thanks for listening.
Thank you.