Meet Sandrine DUFEU BOURILLON

While it’s well known that the Tarine breed has crossed Italian borders, where its name Savoiarda clearly marks its origins, it has also conquered many other countries. United States, Canada,
Albania, Egypt, Tunisia, Vietnam, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Iraq, India, Mexico, Brazil, Guyana, Iran, Morocco, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Mongolia, Italy, Bhutan*, … tarine is recognized worldwide for its hardy qualities.

Ration enhancement, adaptation to weather conditions, milk quality, good legs, fertility, longevity… its qualities make it of interest worldwide for coping with changing climatic and environmental conditions.

Associated with high-quality industries and outlets, and representative of the French identity and a certain “art de vivre”, Tarine cheese is bound to appeal to international markets. To highlight this potential, we have chosen to present Sandrine Dufeu Bourillon, the new manager of the Tarentaise international offer at Synetics Export, the seed and embryo export company of Auriva, BGS, Synetics (merger of Innoval and Masterrind, a German cooperative), UALC, Charolais Univers and Capgènes.

She is also in charge of the Abondance, Brune, Simmental, Jersey and goat ranges.

I'm passionate about mixed dairy breeds, and in particular their hardiness, so I'm obviously very partial to the Tarine!

Sandrine DUFEU BOURILLON

Can you tell us about your background?

Originally from the Mayenne region, I’ve always had a passion for genetics, a passion passed on by my parents, Normande and pig breeders. I am an agricultural engineer by training, specializing in
genetics. Attracted by foreign languages, I had completed all my internships and study stays abroad (South Africa, Austria, Spain, Ecuador…). I started out in the world of work in 2009 with a VIE placement.
in Brazil, for a French swine genetics company. I’d always dreamed of working in cattle genetics export, and I’ve succeeded,
arrived at Sersia France / Evolution International in August 2013!

I’m fluent in English, Spanish, German and Portuguese, which helps in this business!

So you've been around the world?

For almost 10 years, I was in charge of an export zone where I developed all our cattle and goat breeds in various countries: Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Vietnam, Thailand, Portugal, Belenux, and I gradually took over more and more nearby countries to reconcile work and family life: United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Scandinavia. I’m passionate about mixed dairy breeds, and in particular their hardiness, so I’m obviously very partial to the Tarine!

I’m very happy with the portfolio of breeds I’m looking after and with this new position. I already looked after the Tarentaise and Abondance breeds a few years ago, and I’m delighted to be able to work towards further developing these breeds for export, which have undeniable growth potential.

Why do you think the Tarine breed is suitable for export?

Today, our mountain breeds deserve to be even better known. A great deal of work has already been done to develop these breeds in various countries, and there are several Tarentaise breed associations: in Tunisia, Albania, the USA, Canada, etc., where the Tarentaise has been present since the last century, and united in a worldwide breed federation since 1992.

I remember visiting a farm in Ecuador in 2015 with our distributor Marcelo, who is very active in promoting our hardy breeds. The breeder had tested several breeds to find the one best suited to his difficult conditions at 4000m altitude. According to him, only the Tarine (followed by the Abondance) was not at all affected by altitude, and maintained its milk production!

In Albania, too, the Tarentaise has long been present in this 75% mountainous country. It produces both milk and meat by crossing with local breeds such as the Baladi in Egypt and the N’Dama in Senegal, and provides a livelihood for local populations in India, Burkina Faso, Georgia, Mongolia and Mexico… All the testimonies from around the world show the Tarine’s unique resistance to parasites, disease and insects…

National administrative, technical and sanitary import regulations often give us a hard time exporting, but 2016, for example, was a record year with over 12,000 doses exported. More than 30 countries have already imported Tarine semen; the potential is there, we’re full of optimism and have plenty of room for progress with the team of 7 zone managers to help as many breeders as possible around the world benefit from the assets and economic interest of our beautiful Tarine!

*Source:Cap Tarentaise