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BEEF CATTLE Bovance is poised to take the cloning success of the parent companies to an even higher level. Based on the deep, successful history of its parent companies (ViaGen and Trans Ova Genetics), Bovance offers more bovine cloning expertise and success than any other source. The success of Bovance was born with a strong history of technological applications. Bovance customers speak proudly of the genetic advancements Bovance offers their breeding programs, utilizing cloning technology to progressively develop their elite genetics. David Faber, owner of Faber Show Cattle in Sioux Center, Iowa, found cloning to be a progressive breeding tool. “Cloning allows for increased selection opportunities in my program and provides a means to extend the genetic impact of superior animals.” “I’ve used cloning to produce a bull that had characteristics I was striving for,” says Faber. “I was interested in producing a bull with excellent conformation and carcass characteristics that also was free from known genetic defects. Cloning allowed me to collect an ear punch from a champion steer that possessed these traits, and to use that to make a breeding bull with the same genetic endowment.” Faber recognized that cloning provided the opportunity to duplicate an elite animal that would take years and literally thousands of attempts to produce with conventional breeding practices such as artificial insemination and embryo transfer. “Cloning presents unique management opportunities,” states Faber. “Because they’re genetically identical, these animals allow us a unique ability to look at management and environmental impact. This can provide a means to evaluate research such as disease resistance. Cloning also enables us to preserve genetic lines. It’s the ultimate insurance policy for valuable genetic lines.” Houdini
With traditional breeding, there is a limit to the number of cows an individual bull can naturally breed. Artificial insemination offers a means of extending a bull’s genetic influence, but requires additional labor and animal handling. “With cloning, I’ve been able to balance the genetic influence and workload at the same time,” explains Baker. Baker chose to clone the great Houdini, a well-known bucking bull now gaining tremendous recognition as one of the greatest performance sires in the bull riding industry. Combining the options of both the original bull Houdini and the resulting genetic copy – named Hou-Made-Hou – Baker is able to use Hou-Made-Hou as a live-cover sire for cows that don’t otherwise conceive to AI breeding with Houdini himself. “Instead of using a different clean-up bull, I’m able to further extend Houdini’s genetics through each breeding, despite the fact that Houdini himself is not on pasture,” adds Baker. “It’s a unique opportunity to be selective with our best genetics and still efficiently get our cows bred.” Panhandle Slim
Nearly five years later, history repeated itself with a display of the superior Panhandle Slim, in a younger model. On February 27, 2010 in Lufkin, Texas, Scott Accomazzo and partner Superior Genetics entered #115 Mr. Slim in the inaugural Champion Bull Riding (CBR) Bull Games. Mr. Slim, one of several Panhandle Slim clones, finished third in his first competition, separated by less than a point from the top two bulls. These clones were produced by ViaGen, prior to their partnership with Trans Ova Genetics that formed the Bovance brand. “The Slims have competed in the National Bucking Bull Association (NBBA) and CBR and always have finished in the top five,” says Scott Accomazzo. “We originally had no intention of bucking them in competition,” he adds, noting that they chose to use cloning technology to extending breeding opportunities. “Panhandle Slim was not able to live breed anymore, so we cloned him for breeding purposes.” “I watched Panhandle Slim from atop the bucking chutes for years, and #115 Mr. Slim is so similar, in so many ways; it was fun to see that again,” Accomazzo comments. “Mr. Slim was rowdy in the chutes and hard to get out on, just like Slim (Panhandle Slim) himself.” Apple
In December 2007, KHW Regiment Apple 2-Red-ETN was created through cloning technology by Bovance and is a genetic copy of the million dollar Apple. This genetic copy won the Winter Calf Class at the 2008 Grand International Red & White Show. A year later, as a winter yearling, Apple 2 won her class and was named Junior Champion at the Midwest Spring Red & White Show; the next day she beat the black and white competitors to win the Midwest Spring National Show’s Winter Yearling class. At the 2009 World Dairy Expo, she also stood third in the Winter Yearling Class of the Grand International Red & White Show. Through the same genetic preservation, Apple 3 was later developed and born in March 2009, and Apple 4 followed in June 2009. Apple 3 was shown as a Spring Heifer Calf at the 2009 Grand International Red & White Show, and placed third in a strong class of 25 calves. “Cloning technology has proven to be an effective way for us to extend the Apple brand,” says Mike Deaver, one of the Apple Partners. “When popular dairy cows like Apple come along, it’s important to utilize everything you can to capitalize on her influence and marketability.” “We flushed Apple 2 as a heifer, and have a couple heifer and bull pregnancies due this spring," John Erbsen adds. Erbsen is another of the Apple Partners and has raised the Apple clone calves on his Illinois farm. “Apple 2 is due to calve in April, and we look forward to working with the growing list of Apple family members.” Carmel
Carmel’s owner, Jeff Rugg, D.V.M., cites several reasons for his decision to clone her. “First of all, it was an added insurance policy to preserve her genetics in case something would cause her to die,” says Rugg. “Secondly, it became evident that it would be impossible to produce enough female offspring for me to develop, due to the tremendous international demand for her embryos,” he adds. “Finally, I really wanted to see Carmel develop as a milk cow normally would, which would mean that I couldn’t have her both producing embryos and pregnant at the same time.” Five months into her first lactation, Rugg decided to begin the cloning process with Carmel. In March of 2009, four beautiful clone heifers were born, surpassing his expectations. According to Rugg, all four heifers are very similar to Carmel, and all four already have begun producing embryos using in vitro fertilization (IVF) and reverse-sorted semen from high genomic young sire matings to produce the next generation of outstanding, genetically superior females. “With the four clone copies of Carmel, I am able to generate genomically-superior females through the use of IVF – and still allow these heifers to develop and mature as lactating cows as well,” says Rugg. He intends to have all four heifers calve at two years of age, and allow them to develop as productive, multiple-lactation cows. “It has been an honor to work with Carmel and her clones,” states Rugg. “I hope to use these gifts that God gave me in a manner that allows the Holstein breed to accelerate its genetic progress.”
“Through the use of cloning, I’ve been able to bring back the best genetics from these animals, and continue the evolution of genetic progress within each family,” says Marquess. “We have been able to preserve the genetic history and can now move forward with advancement of those genetics.” The first cow that Ron Marquess cloned didn’t reproduce well. At age 13, she never had naturally bore a heifer calf. After several attempts with conventional embryo transfer, this cow did not produce viable embryos either. Marquess chose to clone the cow, with hopes of maintaining and extending her unique genetic legacy. This technology successfully produced genetically identical copies of the original cow. “Thanks to this effort, I now have daughters from these animals, and they will be giving birth to their own natural offspring in the near future,” states Marquess.
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CONTACT MEDIA CONTACT media@bovance.com |
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Gene Baker, Homestead Genetics of Anson, Texas, first considered cloning technology to reduce the intensive constraints on time and labor involved in his bucking stock breeding program. “I wanted to reduce the amount of time spent on our AI program without sacrificing the quality of genetics I wanted to use,” says Baker. 
Panhandle Slim not only has become a legendary name in the bucking bull industry, he’s become a common name in the pedigree of champion bucking bulls, as the genetics of this superior bovine athlete have contributed to the quality and success of current generations of bucking bulls and brood cows. In the height of his career, Panhandle Slim averaged 90 points – when riders could stay on – and he owns the title of 1997 PBR Bucking Bull of the Year. Sired by the also-legendary White Sports Coat sire, and out of a famous cow named Kung Fu, Scott Accomazzo and Superior Genetics purchased Panhandle Slim at the end of his bucking career, in 2005.
KHW Regiment Apple-Red, now EX94, is best known for upstaging her black and white Jr. Two-Year-Old counterparts at the 2006 International Holstein Show in Madison, Wis. A unanimous All-American that year, Apple went on to command a million dollar price in the Global Glamour sale in 2008. More recently, she was named Reserve Champion of the Red & White show at the 2009 Royal Winter Fair in Toronto.
Ralma Goldwyn Carmel-ET is a Holstein that as a two-year-old achieved the maximum classification score of Very Good 89 points. Her dam, sired by one of the most popular Holstein sires in history, O-Man, achieved the same remarkable feat. Carmel’s sire, Goldwyn, also is known as a top sire for breed-leading type and production. This pedigree combination and Carmel’s own outstanding first-lactation production of more than 36,000 pounds of milk, 1400 pounds of butterfat and 1200 pounds of protein have made her one of the most heavily contacted cows for embryos, bulls and female offspring.
Over 20 years ago, Ron Marquess, Marquess Arrow Ranch of Ben Wheeler, Texas, began looking for the best animals from the original seven families of longhorn cattle that were saved from extinction in the early 1930s. After extensive searching, Marquess located members of each family. However, many of them were between 22 and 25 years old, and incapable of reproduction.