South west Victoria will become the hub of semen and embryo collection in Australia following Genetics Australia's acquisition of Total Livestock Genetics (TLG) announced this week.
Genetics Australia (GA) will take over the TLG trading name from January 4 and GA's bull management, semen management and semen collection and production services will be transferred to the TLG site in Camperdown by the end of next March.
TLG partners Shane and Erin Ashworth and Steve and Michelle Williams, will stay on with the business.
Mr Ashworth said the deal would lead to TLG's continued expansion, more services for customers and potentially new technologies and jobs in the region.
TLG has properties at Camperdown and Glenormiston and Mr Ashworth said the change would be good for the region.
"This is really exciting and a good deal where everyone benefits, including our customers who shouldn't notice any changes," he said.
"They will be talking to the same staff who will deliver the same services from the same premises.
"It will increase our business activity which will be great for our staff, customers and for the region which is going to become the hub of semen and embryo collection for Australia."
Mr Ashworth predicted future increases in staff numbers.
"We're going to collect more bulls, make more semen and produce more embryos and while there will be efficiencies in the new entity, I expect we will drive volumes to where we need more people to deliver services."
He added that the additional business volume would help the business to continue to attract new technology.
"We've always been a leader in the field of introducing new technology such as sexed semen, mobile embryo laboratories and IVF services, and TLG will continue to operate and flourish and remain known internationally for its ability to produce, export and introduce new technologies.
"We're very pleased that GA sees the value in what we do and wants to keep the business going that way, which is important for the staff and customers who have supported us over the years."
Mr Ashworth said the timing was right for the deal.
"The driving force was to create economies of scale and efficiencies and there is no doubt there are benefits in consolidation, which is happening in many industries around the world," he said.
"It's also good timing. TLG has been a family business and I'm nearly 60 and while I'm staying on to manage it, I wanted to think about succession planning and a pathway for the business to develop and continue to service customers into the future and GA is great fit to fulfil this."
"In my 30 years in the industry I have been proud of all our dealings and at the end of the day I'm sure I'll be proud of this decision," he said.
TLG's equine and live cattle export services will remain with the Ashworth and Williams families. Other parts of the business will continue to trade as TLG in a new entity, Total Livestock Genetics Victoria, owned by GA.
