In the heart of Australia’s cattle country, a region challenged by distance, Powered by Vytelle™ Satellite Partner Insight Repro are leveling the playing field for producers in Central and Western Queensland with Vytelle ADVANCE™ IVF.
When asked the question, “what would you do if you won the lotto?”Jane Armstrong’s answer did not include mansions, private jets, or sports cars.
“I said to my now business partner, Dr Neil Farmer, ‘I would love to have a full reproductive hub in Central Queensland to provide services for everyone out there that hasn’t been able to experience the technologies and growth that those who are closer to high density areas can access.’”
Insight Repro sees this ambition become a reality. Their mission is to bring comprehensive, accessible, and data-driven reproductive services to the region from their central base in Emerald. With a strong alignment of values, becoming a Powered by Vytelle™ Satellite Partner was a clear decision.
“It became a natural fit after seeing Vytelle’s protocols and procedures, and how their accountability and reliability delivered consistent results.”
Insight Repro: The team behind your breeding success
Image: Jane Armstrong during an onsite OPU.
Originally from Blackall, Jane spent her school holidays in the paddocks of Western and Central Queensland, growing a lifelong passion for the agricultural industry. After a stint chasing cattle in the Territory, the Gulf, and the Kimberley, she moved to Rockhampton and found her passion for bovine reproduction, more specifically morphology: assessing the structure of sperm.
“It’s like a building certificate for sperm or your car safety certificate. It’s the final piece in the puzzle.”
As Managing Director and Morphologist at Insight Repro, Jane understands the importance of ensuring profitability when utilising valuable semen. Vytelle ADVANCE IVF supports producers in making sure their investments go further.
“If you’ve gone and found a very rare straw, and it’s say, $5000, or $10000, or $30000 per straw, being able to use that one straw to potentially make upwards of 10-20 calves is hugely cost-effective,” Jane says.
Dr Neil Farmer, Co-founder and Director, is a leading bovine veterinarian with a complimentary interest in the role of female reproduction. A cattle producer himself, Neil is passionate about breeding for profitability to ensure natural capital management.
Together with their team of vets, morphologists, lab technicians, administration and dispatch departments, Jane and Neil are focused on providing a conception-to-calf service for their clients. Insight Repro supports producers at every stage of breeding, readily accessible to provide advice and solutions for their clients in the months leading up to an OPU.
“It’s helping them with very detailed and structured notes and programs… holding their hand through the whole process so that we can help them manage those 1% factors,” Jane explains.
Insight Repro’s Vytelle ADVANCE™ donor checklist
In the leadup to the Vytelle ADVANCE IVF process, Jane emphasises the importance of properly preparing both donor cows and recipients.
“The key is keeping it simple and keeping two factors in mind: nutrition, and making sure your recipients are fertility sound so we can actually get calves on ground. Both donor and recipient are equally as important as each other.”
Once optimal sires, donors, and recipients are identified, Insight Repro outlines the next steps in their checklist for producers:
3 months prior to OPU
- Order semen: Insight Repro can provide morphology services to ensure suitability to IVF.
- Confirm program dates and details with Insight Repro, discuss terms and conditions.
- Ensure a dust-proof location is available for Vytelle staff conducting egg searching at the donor facility.
1+ month prior to OPU
- Discuss the semen with Insight Repro, conduct testing if required, and organise transit.
- Discuss fresh or frozen protocol, processes, and any questions with the Insight Repro team.
- Order synchronisation drugs from Insight Repro (for transfers).
2 weeks prior to OPU
- In discussion with Insight Repro, organise the dispatch of semen to Vytelle.
- Ensure donors will be 2+ weeks post calving.
- Advise the Insight Repro team if anything is not going to plan.
- Commence synchronisation of recipients based on your protocol (fresh or frozen).
- Provide Insight Repro with your joining/mating list (this will be emailed to you, and is due 48 hours prior to OPU).
OPU Day
- Transport cows to the yards the the donor facility and ensure they’re settled 30+ mins prior to OPU: minimise stress at all times.
- Draft donors in order of sire/joining groups.
Post OPU
- Insight Repro will contact you with embryo production results 8-10 days post OPU.
- Confirm your next OPU and/or transfer dates and details if required.
A passion for the growth and prosperity of Central and Western Queensland
Image: Jane assessing the structure of sperm to ensure peak performance.
For Insight Repro, supporting the region’s flourishing agricultural sector lies at the heart of their purpose. Prior to their collaboration with Vytelle, distance posed a significant barrier to realising their vision of helping producers compete with their coastal counterparts in the cattle market.
“The challenges were trying to find consistency, accessibility, reliability, and results. Being able to partner with Vytelle to bring that dream of a consistent IVF space in Emerald, it’s really been good to have their attributes and support,” Jane says.
Insight Repro, Powered by Vytelle™, represents a significant step in advancing the profitability and sustainability of beef production in the Central Highlands. Jane encourages producers to reach out to Insight Repro via phone or email today to organise their next OPU:
“Ask all the questions that you need to ask, and then we’ll be able to get you booked in at a time that works for you.”