YPERIOS, the winning choice

Three specialists from areas where crossbreeding is practiced on suckler cows talk to us about the benefits of YPERIOS crossbreeding and the qualities of bulls from the YPERIOS 95 and YPERIOS EXC breeds.

ERIC JOUVE, Inseminator-XPERT XRREPRO

Would you say that today, breeding means crossing?

Yes, I’m convinced of it, both because we have hindsight on the practice, because there are results, because it’s a real means of selection in purebred breeding and because there’s real added value to be made.

I’d say that a crossbred is always worth almost 20 centimes more per live kilo; it would be a shame not to do it.

Can you "cross with your eyes closed"?

Yes ! Today, calving with YPERIOS is a formality. As we can see, breeders are happy, and the ease of birth is now fixed. Those who weren’t convinced have often moved on to YPERIOS 95, and don’t regret it. In periods when it’s a little harder to sell heifers for renewal, more crossbreeding is a real solution. The regularity of calving is there, as is the quality of the offspring, and there are no nasty surprises, especially when compared with natural breeding.

PATRICE PRIVAT, COOPELSO inseminator

Crossbreeding also means progress in purebred breeding?

Indeed, with YPERIOS and crossbreeding in general, we are increasing selection pressure.

Not everything in a herd is interesting in genetic terms, but with the logic of renewal/crossbreeding/sexed semen and tomorrow, on a larger scale, genotyping, we’re increasing rigor and genetic progress: it’s the logic of the virtuous circle.

Are your breeders satisfied with the bulls YPERIOS?

Whatever the breeder’s objectives, production system, market (export, Fleurs d’Aubrac, boeuf fermier d’Aubrac…), female support, expected calving periods… the YPERIOS range has the answer. All categories of bulls are available. Breeders are familiar with this range of bulls, they know how to adapt their use and have made the different profiles their own. An extra 3 or 5 francs per kilo makes a real difference in terms of income.

And word of mouth is really present in our territories, with breeders exchanging information on their experiences, indexes, added value generated…

Cross-breeding is on the increase, a sign that general satisfaction (on the part of breeders and dealers) is on the up!

CHRISTOPHE CLAMENS, COOPELSO inseminator

What are the breeding strategies you can observe with regard to the crossroads?

Practices vary widely. Some breeders have done away with natural sires to use AI with YPERIOS, others are starting to use crossbreeding on heifers, while there is also greater demand for sexed semen. The range of bulls and profiles is wide, so everyone can adapt the practice to their own system. With sexed male semen, for example, we work by batch of cows, which means we can have a larger batch of males at the same age to sell at the same time (and control this period with AI!). Often, at the beginning of winter, when the ration is well balanced, the first crossbreeding AIs are carried out with sexed males and the renewal with sexed females, to maximize success and optimize work and expenses. Today, with all the associated services, we have better control over breeding, we can group calvings, and with crossbreeding we can optimize even further.

Do YPERIOS crossbred calves have good vitality?

Yes, calf vitality is good with YPERIOS bulls, because it’s a selection criterion appreciated by breeders: calves drink well, suckle well, and are dynamic and autonomous. This is very important, as livestock numbers are increasing, particularly in the Aubrac breed. With sometimes 70 cows per labour unit, we can’t afford to have soft calves.

Cows need to calve on their own, and calves need to be loose.