MAY 2019 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC
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Westgen celebrates 75 years of excellence Producers reflect on the long history of an icon in BC agriculture
by DAVID SCHMIDT
ABBOTSFORD – In 1944, a handful of dairymen in Surrey and Langley formed the Lower Fraser Valley Artificial Insemination Centre – later the BC Artificial Insemination Centre (BCAI) – to take advantage of the latest innovation in dairy genetics, artificial insemination. Now known as the
WestGen Group of Companies, the member- owned association celebrated its 75th anniversary during its annual meeting in Abbotsford, March 19. “Thank you to the
founding farmers who set a path of progress, ingenuity and pride,” said president Eric Iversen. Today’s WestGen looks nothing like the association founded in 1944. It hasn’t owned any bulls for more than 20 years, and hasn’t housed any for almost a decade.
sexed semen and in vitro fertilization (IVF) to maximize heifers from top cows and minimize dairy calves from the lower end of the milking herd. Parry noted WestGen has
experienced “significant growth” in sales of sexed semen as well as 40% growth in the use of IVF technology in BC and Alberta through Boviteq West. WestGen recently built a new barn for BW’s IVF donors and recipients in Abbotsford and just acquired Bow Valley Genetics, which provides IVF services on behalf of BW in Alberta.
IVF was originally aimed at GOOD GENES. Westgen celebrated its 75th anniversary during its AGM in March. DAVID SCHMIDT PHOTO
the purebred dairy sector but beef producers now lead the way in adopting the technology, says BW operations manager Eric Carmichael. Two-thirds of last
But CEO Chris Parry stressed that it’s important “not to waver from what we
were built on” – continual growth built on service and innovation. Service and innovation are critical. The shrinking size of Western Canada’s
dairy herd is putting pressure on WestGen’s core business: dairy semen sales, which declined slightly in 2018. The trend is offset by increasing sales of beef semen to both beef and dairy producers. Parry noted that using beef semen on dairy cows is becoming “a bigger part of the solution on farm,” due to the increasing use of embryo transfers (ET),
year’s 3,200 embryos were beef breeds, he noted, adding that use of pooling strategies to lower IVF costs is piquing the interest of commercial dairy producers. Besides BW and Bow Valley, the WestGen Group of Companies also includes
Cryogen, a liquid nitrogen distribution company undergoing rapid expansion in both Canada and the US, AgWest Veterinary Clinic, XL Vets and Proventus. Finalized in the past year, Proventus “delivers on a vision begun in 2010 to give our producers access to unbiased decision-making information,” Parry said,
See WESTGEN on next page o
Thank you for supporting WestGen for 75 years! We look forward to serving you for the next 75 years.
Contact Your Genetics Advisor Chris Bartels
Genetic Advisor - West Fraser Valley/IsI. tel 604.626.8748 |
cbartels@westgen.com
Chris Maher Genetic Advisor - East Fraser Valley tel 604.626.7396 |
cmaher@westgen.com
Duncan Kennedy
Genetic Advisor - BC Interior tel 250.463.2025 |
dkennedy@westgen.com
1625 Angus Cambell Rd, Abbotsford V3G 2G4 tel 604.426.1944 | toll free 1.800.563.5603 fax 604.425.1876 |
www.westgen.com
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