Why Embryo Transfer?

Rapid Genetic Improvement

The most obvious advantage of embryo transfer to the livestock producer is the ability to increase the percentage of offspring descending from select donor females—animals proven to transmit desirable genetic traits. Unlike artificial insemination, which accelerates genetic improvement on the sire side alone, embryo transfer amplifies progress on both the dam and sire sides simultaneously, resulting in significantly more rapid genetic improvement across the herd.

7 day old bovine embryo
7 day old bovine embryo

New Genetics with Virtually No Health Risks

Embryo transfer allows producers to introduce new genetics into their herd with virtually no risk of disease transmission. When performed according to the specific protocols recommended by the International Embryo Technology Society (IETS), the procedure essentially eliminates the risk of transmitting infectious disease—a risk that remains present with live animal imports. This makes embryo transfer one of the safest and most biosecure methods available for expanding or diversifying herd genetics.

A 7-and-a-half-day-old bovine embryo
A 7-and-a-half-day-old bovine embryo

Importing and Exporting Livestock Genetics

Embryo transfer has simplified and dramatically reduced the cost of importing and exporting livestock genetics across borders. Rather than arranging the expensive logistics of transporting live animals, entire herds worth of genetics can be shipped in a single liquid nitrogen tank—often at a lower cost than transporting just one animal. This makes global genetic exchange more accessible and practical for producers of all scales.

An 8-and-a-half-day-old bovine embryo
An 8-and-a-half-day-old bovine embryo