Mating agreement

The most common way in, and the simplest. Straightforward AB matings to produce high genetic merit calves.

How it works

• CRV purchases herd data from the National Database with Core Data Access Panel approval to find females with high genetic merit or by using herd recording access with provided permission from the herd owner.
• We then send an email, asking farmers with those high genetic merit females to submit DNA samples for genotyping.
• Genomic results are provided to you to use in your management decisions on farm.
• Farmers with animals that are then selected for the programme are then sent two straws of semen.
• Sire allocation is completed weighing up strengths and weaknesses of each female to ensure they are paired with a mating sire to improve the next generation. Sire choice is between both the owner and CRV’s sire analyst.
• Resulting calves are genotyped.
• CRV may buy bull calves that meet selection criteria. Heifer calves stay yours, and may be considered for future contracts.

We offer up to 1,500 mating agreements a year, around 80 percent of all agreements.

New to contract mating? See our Contract Mating FAQs.

What's in it for you

• Low input, high return
• You keep your calves unless CRV purchases them
• Genotyping gives you insight into your herd's genetics
• A chance to contribute a bull to the national team

Open market bull calf - nomination programme

Every year CRV calls for bull calf nominations from the open market. This means nominations of bull calves from cows that were not the result of CRV's contract mating or embryo programmes. The Open Market is a good opportunity for farmers to nominate bull calves from their top cows.

How it works

• Nominate your calf online, or talk to your CRV Sire Analyst.
• We order data on the dam and decide whether to genotype, usually within four working days.
• If it's a yes, you DNA sample the calf and send it to our lab. Genomic results take two to four weeks.
• Our Breeding Team assesses the results and emails you a final yes or no. If it's a no, he simply carries on to rearer or finisher.
• Selected bulls are health tested and housed at CRV's EU-certified centre near Cambridge, where we collect semen from around 12 months of age.

What's in it for you

• 50 free straws for breeders of early-maturing bulls
• Competitive bull purchase options
• Your bull could go on to influence thousands of herds nationwide

Find out more here.

Info Herds

Info Herds prove our bulls in real farm conditions. If you want the latest genetics first and a genuine role in genetic progress, this is it.

How it works

• You use young bull team semen and rear the resulting daughters.
• Those daughters are DNA tested and milked, and their performance (milk, conformation, health) helps confirm the bulls' genomic predictions.

What's in it for you

• Access to the latest genetics first
• A critical role in validating bull performance
• Data that helps you understand and improve your own herd
• You help build New Zealand's reference population

Elite genetics pathways

Pinnacle embryo agreements

A high-value embryo opportunity for your best R1 heifers. Offered to around 60 elite heifers a year.

How it works

• Heifers are flushed at an embryo centre between July and September.
• CRV pays for the embryo work, transport to and from the donor centre.
• Embryos are shared: CRV keeps the male embryos, you keep the females.
• Donor centres are in both the North and South Island so a plan can be tailored to each individual donor.

What's in it for you

• Boost your herd with high-value female embryos from your top heifer(s)
• Access advanced embryo transfer and biopsy technology
• Work closely with CRV's breeding team
• Possible future opportunities with progeny of embryos that you have retained.

Contract embryo agreements

A more hands-on option for breeders who want greater control and are willing to fund the embryo work.

How it works

• We supply selected semen for a flush.
• You pay for the embryo transfer.
• Ownership of all calves is with the breeder, however bull calves are genotyped and considered for purchase by CRV.

What's in it for you

• Greater control of your breeding decisions
• Use of CRV sires to create high-value calves

Pregnancy agreements

We purchase data from the National Database with permission from the core access panel of elite cows/ their last AB sire mating. The Breeding team screen these pregnancies and choose the ones that are of interest to offer a Pregnancy Agreement on the resulting calf from this mating.

How it works

• If a pregnancy is of interest, we ask you to DNA test the calf once it's born.
• High genetic merit calves are identified to enter our programme.
• There is no contract mating, CRV are interested in the calf the cow is carrying now (if by the AB sire that has been recorded as her last mating).

What's in it for you

• Low input, high return - the cow is already in-calf to the AB sire of interest.
• Genomic insight into your herd with genomic testing results provided to you.
• A chance to contribute bulls and future breeding heifers.

CRV Delta herd

We buy a small number of elite R1 heifers to live at a specialised centre in the Waikato, where they're flushed year-round for embryos.

What's in it for you

• An elite animal from your herd can become a cornerstone of the programme
• A direct contribution to the country's top-tier genetics
• Long-term recognition and legacy

Delta recipient herds

No donor cows needed. You rear CRV-owned embryo calves and manage the recipients.

How it works

• CRV-owned embryos are implanted into your herd for calving and rearing.
• Embryo calves are genotyped and evaluated. Non-selected calves stay with you.

What's in it for you

• Access to high-genetic merit calves
• New genetic diversity for your herd
• No need to provide donor cows

Breed society partnerships

Joint ventures with breed societies

We partner with breed societies to contract top purebred genetics.

What's in it for you

• Your genetics promoted at an industry level
• Royalty payments if bulls are selected (both the society and the breeder earn)
• A stronger role for breed societies in genetic progress

Useful resources

• Contract Mating FAQs
• Genomic information
• Q&As on genotype requests