April 5, 2023

By Lynda Kiernan-Stone, Global AgInvesting Media

Precision livestock company Vytelle has closed on a $20 million Series B that will fund the company’s continued work of advancing cattle genetics and reshaping how cattle producers optimize their herds. 

Led by Calgary-based Forage Capital Partners, a growth equity fund focused on investing across the entire food and ag value chains, this round was also supported by current investors Grosvenor Food and Ag Tech, Open Prairie, Fulcrum Global Capital, Serra Ventures, and KC Rise, along with new investor Mountain Group Partners. 

Over the course of the past 18 years, Forage Capital Partners has gained a reputation as being Canada’s most experienced team of ag and food investors, having managed over $500 million in commitments to the industry. Reflective of this dedication, the firm’s Forage Capital Ag & Food Business Solutions Fund aims to provide its portfolio companies with the flexibility and stability needed to expand and adapt in the face of multiple challenges. 

“We are delighted to have secured this new investment; this is indicative of strong market interest in our products and services,” said Kerryann Kocher, CEO, Vytelle. “Our mission is clear, and we are grateful for the support of our investors who join us on our journey to ensure meat and milk are viable food choices for future generations.” 

Some experts contend that the U.S. cattle industry has been using some form of machine learning since 1971 – that was the year that an analysis was carried out on the first Simmental Sire Summary using the computers at Boeing. 

However, with the emergence of far more advanced and accessible technologies, including far more complex algorithms, innovators have turned their attention to applying these capabilities to identifying the most meritorious genetic traits.

For example, scientists are currently using machine learning and AI to isolate genes with the potential to increase feed efficiency in beef cattle, or to analyze genetic codes with the goal of breeding cattle with the ability to remain cooler, and therefore, more productive. 

Vytelle’s interactive platform combines three components: Vytelle ADVANCE, a breakthrough in IVF technology; Vytelle SENSE, an animal performance data capture system; and Vytelle INSIGHT, an AI-based genetic analytics engine that when applied together can result in generations of genetic gains in just a matter of a few years. 

Easily accessible to more than 50 percent of the U.S. cow herd, Vytelle is the fastest growing advanced reproductive company in the country, giving progressive cattle producers the ability to intensify the impacts of superior livestock productivity, sustainability, and profitability while producing more protein with less inputs. 

This impressive reach, together with the company’s curation of the world’s largest multi-breed efficiency database, provide the infrastructure to very rapidly impact bovine genetic advancement. 

~ Lynda Kiernan-Stone is editor in chief with GAI Media, and is managing editor and daily contributor for Global AgInvesting’s AgInvesting Weekly News and  Agtech Intel News, as well as HighQuest Group’s Unconventional Ag. She can be reached at lkiernan-stone@globalaginvesting.com.

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