Genus Regulatory News (GNS)

10 Oct 2005 07:00

Genus PLC10 October 2005 For Immediate Release 10 October 2005 GENUS plc ("Genus" or "the Company") Pre-Close Season Trading Update & Technology Report The Board of Genus is pleased to announce that trading in the six months ended30 September 2005 has been in line with management's expectations. Inparticular, the Bovine Genetics business has returned to more normal levelsfollowing a difficult second half in the year ended 31 March 2005. Tradingacross the other smaller businesses were ahead of plan. The encouraging results from the leading bulls in the Genus stud, outlinedearlier this year, are expected to be augmented when the next batch of proofresults are officially announced in November. In particular, Genus expects thatone of its new bulls will be highly ranked. During the period, Genus's team of leading semen physiologists achieved animportant breakthrough which should have implications for many species. We have created a technique to improve dramatically sperm membrane quality.This is significant as it makes delicate sperm from animals with low fertilitycapable of producing more active sperm, and should reduce post-thaw damage inspecies where semen is currently difficult to freeze due to the intrinsic highlevel of freeze damage. Genus will announce interim results for the six months ended 30 Septembertowards the end of November 2005. Contact:Richard Wood, Chief Executive, Genus plc 01256 347101David Timmins, Group Finance Director, Genus plc 01256 347102Charles Ryland/Suzanne Brocks, Buchanan Communications 020 7466 5000 About Genus: Genus is the world's leading Bovine Genetics company. At the core of itsbusiness lies an approximately £8m per year research and development programme.Laboratory bioscience is used to target and augment traditional mating andselection programmes testing 400 new bulls each year. The rolling five yearprogramme aims continuously to improve the genetic make-up of the successivegenerations of the bulls created. Semen from the bulls selected from thisprogramme for stud is sold for use on customers' herds, to improve the outputand stature of their offspring. Genus distributes beef and dairy semen, both for tropical and temperateagricultures, from its six studs located in four continents to farmers inseventy countries. It operates an unrivalled network of overseas sellingoffices and exclusive agents. In some countries it also offers inseminationservices and the sale of supporting products. In the UK, Genus Animalcare markets licensed veterinary pharmaceuticals andGenusxpress wholesales a range of other companies' veterinary pharmaceuticalsand products. Genus also operates an overseas consultancy practice whichmanages projects funded by aid agencies for less developed countries. Genus offers unrivalled expertise in its sector of modern agriculturaltechnology. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange