Research and Development

Technology R & D at Genetics Australia Co-operative falls into two broad categories:

  1. Continuing to research and develop the technologies that are our core business – producing straws of semen from proven, elite bulls that ensure maximum pregnancy rates following insemination.Our modern semen processing laboratory and experienced staff and consultants ensure that we achieve this. This continuous research revolves around improving the production and processing of bull semen to ensure that the elite genetics represented in our top bulls becomes as widespread as possible.
  2. Research that is at the “cutting edge” of future artificial breeding technologies.

We are currently involved in collaborations researching cow fertility and controlled breeding, and genetic technologies such as gene discovery and gene and marker assisted selection.

Over the last decade we have been involved in collaborative research projects with a number of Research Institutes and Universities, together with industry, that focus the research and maximize outcomes for the dairy industry. Such collaborations have included the Victorian Department of Primary Industries,  the University of Melbourne, and Monash University.

One major involvement over the years has been with the Cooperative Research Centre for Innovative Dairy Products (the “Dairy CRC”) of which Genetics Australia was a founding partner and with which we continue to have an active involvement. The objectives of the Dairy CRC, which has inputs of around $90 million over 7 years, are to improve dairy productivity and dairy products using the rapidly emerging genetic technologies. Genetics Australia is now involved in the new “Dairy Futures CRC” as a key participant.  The aim of this CRC is to further develop gene marker technology as well as developing new platforms for semen sexing.

These R & D projects are complemented by research undertaken by post-graduate university students on scholarships supported by Genetics Australia under the guidance and supervision of Genetics Australia staff and consultants. These post-graduate students undertake appropriate research projects focused on outcomes that are relevant and applicable to Genetics Australia and to the dairy industry.