THE future of a local Australian Red breeding program has been secured with Genetics Australia (GA) taking on marketing and distribution of the Auzred XB genetics portfolio.
From January 1, 2024, GA in Bacchus Marsh will assume ownership and management of the Auzred XB Semen portfolio which is made up of six main active sires.
Auzred XB is the biggest Australian Red breeding program in Australia outside of GA’s existing program.
The portfolio will be merged with the GA Australian Red genetics program.
GA CEO Anthony Shelly said the acquisition was a strategic decision to grow the Australian Red breed to maintain sufficient scale to continue an Australian breeding program, strengthen GA’s position in the market, and to pursue export opportunities.
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“It also ensures that Genetics Australia is the largest and most complete supplier of Australian Reds to farmers,” Mr Shelly said.
Co-owners of Auzred XB, Karen Moroney and Steve Snowdon, said they were excited to complete the transaction.
Mr Snowdon said they had both wanted to slow down and were keen for the portfolio to go to Australia’s biggest genetics company.
“We both have farms and I’m looking to slow down and sell and Karen has other industry duties,” he said.
“We’ve got a really good team of Australian Red bulls and having Genetics Australia’s presence in the market will do more justice to them than we could.”
Mr Snowdon said he and Ms Moroney thanked their valued clients and looked forward to seeing them continuing to source quality Australian Red products.
“I think the Australian Red dairy breed has a really strong future,” he said.
“It’s the number three breed in Australia and numbers are slowly increasing, with people often using them in cross-breeding.
“The quality of Australian-bred bulls we and Genetics Australia have been able to produce is world class and they are bred for Australian pasture-based conditions.
“Merging the two portfolios strengthens the Australian Red breed offering.”
Two of the active sires, REDROLLO and GEORGE2 are starting to add their first milking daughters.
Mr Snowdon added that a couple of young Australian Red bulls coming into the system were very promising, particularly ARRAGNA.
“We feel that with Genetics Australia’s presence in the market they will be taken to the next level,” he said.
Ms Moroney’s, whose father Bill Thompson introduced Red genetics in Australia, said she was excited about the future of the breed because GA had the resources to help it grow.
“This is like closing the loop because GA purchased Wacol AB in 1994, recognising the creation of this new breed and what it could add to the dairying landscape in Australia,” she said.
Mr Shelly said Genetics Australia had shown a long-term commitment to develop the Australian Red breed and securing the AUZRED team would further strengthen GA’s position, allowing continued investment in the breed for local growth and to pursue export opportunities.
“In the past 12 months, publishable genomic breeding values have been introduced for Australian Reds, making it a breed that is more equipped to improve its base genetics,” he said.
Auzred XB distributed Montbeliarde semen sourced from Coopex and GA will also take over this distributorship.
