They were removed from some of the hundreds of cows Genex Cooperative houses at one of its northeast Wisconsin locations. The cattle breeding co-op is known for its research seeking elite bulls to produce superior cows for milking or cattle for beef. Nine years ago, the company started its Genesis program, which takes a small group of cows and evaluates its characteristics with the help of embryo transfers. Genex is the only company in the United States with such a program. There's a financial incentive for some farmers to make the cow look better than she is genetically.
Some farmers take care of certain cows better than others, which can enhance the milking process.
However, at Genex, all cows are treated the same, so the genetic cream of the crop, so to speak, rises to the top. They're given fertility hormones and have multiple ovulations. They average six embryos a year, said Terri Dallas, information and public relations manager. The calves are sent to a herd in Stratford in central Wisconsin, Dallas said. The process, in its third generation of birthing, might take as long as 15 years to breed an ultimate female.