"Dream calves" from the USA
Cow or bull? With "sperm sexing" the farmers of Switzerland can in the future determine the sex of their calves themselves.
By Andreas Seeholzer
Neue Zuger Zeitung

Dec. 6, 2000

Page 36
SWITZERLAND - Through a biotechnological separation of male and female sperm cells experts can predict the sex of calves nowadays. "Sperm sexing" it is called in the terminology of the field, and first results could be seen in Switzerland yesterday: twelve calves were standing in front of the Ital-Reding-House and were presented to the public.

From XY Inc. to Big X AG
The separation of sperm was developed by the research department of the USDA and the US-based company XY Inc. Big X AG has applied this technology for the first time last December; the results are the calves that were presented yesterday.

"At the moment there are field tests going on with six Swiss veterinary clinics," said canton veterinarian Josef Risi, "in the canton Schwyz thirty sexed calves will be born by next spring."

All those people who are also involved financially with Big X got preference for the field tests. In the canton Schwyz this includes, apart from the veterinary clinic of Josef Risi, the breeder Roman Moser from Sattel, president of a breeders association, together with thirty Swiss farmers who are connected with the association.

Fewer difficult deliveries
"With sexed sperm the farmers can better plan their breeding'" said Peter Reichert of the company Big X Inc. The male calves that are not desired in the dairy breeds can be reduced from 40% to 5%. This in turn leads to fewer difficult deliveries and thus less stress for the mothers since the male calves have bigger limbs. Within the whole of Switzerland 80 percent of the calves are already bred through artificial insemination. In the canton Schwyz this number is at 70 percent, according to the canton veterinarian.

Not yet profitable for feeder cattle
At the moment the cost for this sperm sexing is still relatively high, said Peter Reichert, since the price is determined by the demand. At the moment one insemination costs around 50 Swiss francs, which is still regarded as too high for feeder cattle.

The rate of getting the desired sex of calves is at about 90 percent, the success rate of the insemination is at about 50 percent. So far no side effects have shown up that might not have shown up with natural insemination as well.

"This technology harbors the chance that Switzerland may become a cattle exporting country again, just like in former times," said Alfred Binder from Knonau, the representative of the breeders yesterday.

Biotech in Schwyz
The company Big X Inc. plans to produce in the canton Schwyz in the future. This is what board president Peter Reichert declared in Schwyz yesterday. And the Schwyz canton veterinarian gave some more precise information: "We have already conducted negotiations with the Seebner farmer Peppino Mettler, as well as the company Max Felchlin Inc."

If things work out the Big X Inc. will be using the lab rooms of Max Felchlin in the Bahnhof street. This will be an option since this company has moved its chocolate production to Ibach.