Throughout the world and over centuries, small-scale livestock keepers and pastoralists have developed animal breeds that are well suited to their local conditions. These breeds are hardy and disease-resistant; they can survive on little water and scant vegetation. They can continue producing meat and milk in areas where modern, imported breeds succumb without expensive housing, feed and veterinary care. They enable people to earn a living in otherwise inhospitable areas, and embody valuable genetics for future breeding efforts

The decades of research in the area of gender sorting bovine semen came to the stage of broad commercial application within the past few years. Today, all major North American A.I. organizations offer sexed semen produced by selected sires, both progeny proven and young sires, to Canadian dairy producers. For some early adopters, the decision to use sexed semen in their herd seemed easy, almost automatic, but other dairy producers remain unsure with several questions unanswered. The focus of this paper is to examine the value of sexed semen from various perspectives including genetic improvement, herd management and overall herd profitability.