National Association of Animal Breeders

What National Association of Animal Breeders does

The National Association of Animal Breeders (NAAB) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association founded in 1946 and headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. It serves as the central industry infrastructure body for the U.S. cattle artificial insemination (AI) industry, uniting 28 regular member organizations that collectively account for approximately 95% of dairy cattle semen sales in the United States. Its membership spans the U.S. and international jurisdictions including Canada, Australia, Denmark, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Uruguay, and others. NAAB is governed by a member-elected Board of Directors and operates with a small professional staff of fewer than 10 employees covering functions such as president, data coordination, accounting/operations, and associate technical direction.

NAAB's core technical assets are standardized identification and genetic evaluation systems. The NAAB Uniform Coding System, adopted in 1965, assigns a unique code to each bull identifying the semen source (stud location code), breed, and individual bull. The Cross Reference Program links these codes with breed registration numbers in cooperation with the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB), enabling Dairy Record Processing Centers to use production records in genetic evaluations. NAAB maintains multiple searchable databases: Dairy Cross Reference, Beef Cross Reference, Active Sire Evaluation, Foreign Sire Evaluation, and Genomic Sire Evaluation. NAAB-ICAR Stud Location Codes are jointly maintained with the International Committee for Animal Recording under a 2014 agreement for international traceability. Certified Semen Services (CSS), a wholly owned for-profit subsidiary formed in 1976, provides objective auditing of semen identification, semen quality control, and sire health, with participation extended to AI businesses outside the U.S. since 1995.

NAAB's revenue model combines membership dues ($250 regular / $200 associate plus $150 annual renewal), licensing/royalty fees for standardized codes (Marketing Code: $500 application + $125 annual; Stud Code: $125 annual), CSS audit fees from approximately 45 participating AI organizations, and event/conference revenue (Biennial Technical Conference, Annual Convention, Dairy Genetics Workshop, Beef Symposium). Foreign Market Development and Market Access Program funds flow through U.S. Livestock Genetics Export, Inc. (USLGE) for international market development. The organization conducts marketing and promotional programs to expand AI use in dairy and beef herds, publishes industry news and alerts, and administers research, distinguished service, pioneer, and graduate fellowship awards.

Name

National Association of Animal Breeders

Legal name

National Association of Animal Breeders, Inc.

Website

https://naab-css.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The National Association of Animal Breeders is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association founded in 1946 that provides standardized semen coding systems, cross-reference databases, and industry self-regulation through its Certified Semen Services subsidiary for the U.S. cattle artificial insemination industry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Livestock Genetics Trade Association Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Animal Production (11521)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFAEAJAC

Genomic Testing & Genetic Evaluation Services

Agriculture & Food Production/Animal Production & Aquaculture/Animal Breeding & Genetics Services

SECONDARYAFACAEAD

Breeding Program Design & Genetic Consulting (Mating Plans, EPD/Index Selection)

Agriculture & Food Production/Agricultural Services (Custom Farming, Agronomy, Veterinary)/Livestock Services (Breeding, AI, Pregnancy Checking, Handling)

SECONDARYAFAEALAN

Animal Welfare Auditing, Compliance & Certification Services (Non-testing Lab)

Agriculture & Food Production/Animal Production & Aquaculture/Animal Welfare, Boarding & Production Support Services (non-veterinary)

Keywords

• Livestock genetics association
• Artificial insemination services
• Semen quality auditing
• Animal breeding standards
• Cattle genetic evaluation

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Marketing Code Fees: NAAB charges fees for Marketing Code assignments and annual usage. The Marketing Code system identifies qualifying semen marketing businesses with numbers 500 and greater.
2. Stud Code Fees: Annual usage fees for NAAB-ICAR Stud Location Codes, required for semen producing and processing businesses to identify semen source.
3. Membership Dues: Regular membership at $250 per year, Associate membership at $200 per year with $150 annual renewal fee.
4. Educational Materials and Events: NAAB conducts various events including the Biennial Technical Conference on AI and Reproduction, Annual Convention, and Dairy Genetics Workshop and Beef Symposium. Also offers educational, informational and reference materials.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

National Association of Animal Breeders (NAAB) is a non-profit trade association providing industry infrastructure for the cattle artificial insemination sector. Its core offerings include the NAAB Uniform Coding System for semen identification, the Cross Reference Program linking NAAB codes to breed registration numbers, multiple sire evaluation databases, and through its wholly owned subsidiary Certified Semen Services (CSS), objective auditing services for semen identification, quality control, and sire health. NAAB also operates membership programs, industry events, and the NAAB Doak Graduate Fellowship.

Product overview

The National Association of Animal Breeders (NAAB) is a non-profit trade association established in 1946 that provides industry infrastructure and self-regulation services for the cattle artificial insemination industry. NAAB operates primarily through two branded programs: Certified Semen Services (CSS), which audits semen identification, quality control, and sire health; and the NAAB Cross Reference Program, which maintains bull identification databases. The core products include multiple specialized databases (Dairy Cross Reference, Beef Cross Reference, Active Sire Evaluation, Foreign Sire Evaluation, and Genomic Sire Evaluation databases) that support genetic evaluations through the NAAB Uniform Coding System. Supporting programs include NAAB Marketing Codes and NAAB-ICAR Stud Location Codes for semen tracking, and the biennial NAAB Technical Conference. NAAB's 28 member organizations account for approximately 95% of U.S. dairy cattle semen sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NAAB Uniform Coding System: A unique code numbering system for identifying semen, including source identification (stud location code), breed identification, and individual bull identification.
• Cross Reference Program
• NAAB Marketing Code

Products and services

• Certified Semen Services (CSS) Wholly owned subsidiary providing industry self-regulation through auditing services for semen identification, quality control, and sire health. CSS reviews records, observes identification and quality control procedures, and checks compliance with health requirements for AI businesses.
• NAAB Cross Reference Program Program maintaining identification information on dairy and beef bulls with NAAB uniform codes, cross-referencing codes with breed association pedigree files through cooperation with CDCB to ensure accurate bull identification for genetic evaluations.
• NAAB Uniform Coding System Standardized coding system providing a unique code number for each bull that includes identification of the semen source (organization code), breed identification, and a code number identifying each respective bull within breed within each AI organization. Required by Purebred Dairy Cattle Association and CSS for semen labeling.
• NAAB Marketing Codes Numbering system for qualifying marketing organizations that market semen from bulls with NAAB Uniform Codes. Marketing codes 500 and above identify semen marketing businesses.
• NAAB-ICAR Stud Location Codes Codes identifying semen producing organizations (studs) that collected and processed semen. Stud codes are 499 and lower and maintained in cooperation with ICAR (International Committee for Animal Recording) for international consistency and traceability.
• Dairy Cross Reference Database Searchable database for dairy bulls with NAAB codes, allowing search by NAAB code, breed, country, registration number, or registration name to retrieve bull identification information.
• Beef Cross Reference Database Searchable database for beef bulls enabling lookups by registration number, marketing code, and breed code.
• Active (A) Sire Evaluation Database Database for searching individual sire information and comparing bulls by metrics including Net Merit, TPI, PTA Protein Pounds, and PTA Milk Pounds.
• Foreign (F) Sire Evaluation Database International sire evaluation database available in ASCII comma delimited format for international bull genetic evaluations.
• Genomic (G) Sire Evaluation Database Database for genomically tested young bulls with less than 10 milking daughters, featuring genetic evaluations from CDCB.
• NAAB Membership Program Trade association membership available in Regular ($250/year) and Associate ($200 application + $150 annual renewal) tiers, providing eligibility to use NAAB logo, member status publishing rights, and access to association programs and databases.
• NAAB Doak Graduate Fellowship Graduate student fellowship program supporting research and training for improvement of the artificial insemination industry and benefit of NAAB members.
• NAAB Technical Conference on Artificial Insemination and Reproduction Biennial technical conference sponsored by NAAB and the NAAB Technical Committee for AI industry technical, research and veterinary personnel to review scientific developments in semen evaluation, production, collection, and health.

Quantifiable outcome

• NAAB members account for approximately 95 percent of dairy cattle semen sales in the United States

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• International Committee for Animal Recording (ICAR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014NAAB entered into agreement with ICAR in 2014 to maintain NAAB-ICAR Stud Location Codes for international consistency and traceability. This partnership ensures standardized identification across international borders.
• Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDCB is a key cooperator in the NAAB Cross Reference Program, checking identification information against breed associations' pedigree files to ensure bulls are accurately identified. Verified information is incorporated in CDCB files and distributed with genetic evaluations.
• U.S. Livestock Genetics Export, Inc. (USLGE)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerForeign Market Development and Market Access Programs provide funds to NAAB through USLGE to develop international markets for bovine semen. NAAB plays an active role in standardizing semen import requirements of other countries.
• Purebred Dairy Cattle Association (PDCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPDCA requires a code identifying the source of dairy sire semen on each individual unit, which NAAB Uniform Coding satisfies. Joint efforts on breed code standardization.
• Dairy Record Processing CenterscoreTechnology or IntegrationDairy Record Processing Centers use NAAB Cross Reference Program information to process DHIA production records, cross-referencing NAAB codes with registration numbers for genetic evaluations.
• USDA and Breed Registry AssociationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAAB Uniform Coding adopted in 1965 with endorsement by dairy records processing centers, USDA, and breed registry associations. USDA collaborates on setting industry standards through CSS.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB): Cooperating organization that processes breed-association pedigree files referenced by NAAB's Cross Reference Program and that supplies the genetic evaluations NAAB publishes in its Active, Foreign, and Genomic Sire Evaluation Databases. Closest functional peer in U.S. dairy genetic evaluation infrastructure.
• International Committee for Animal Recording (ICAR): International body with which NAAB co-maintains the NAAB-ICAR Stud Location Codes since 2014; comparable as a standards-setting and recording infrastructure organization for animal identification and traceability across countries.
• Holstein Association USA: Largest U.S. dairy breed association whose pedigree and registration data feed NAAB's Cross Reference tables; comparable as a breed registry that maintains the bull-side identification backbone used jointly with NAAB codes for genetic evaluation.
• American Jersey Cattle Association: National breed registry participating in NAAB's Cross Reference Program, publishing sire evaluations that reference NAAB codes; comparable as a breed-association whose data interoperates with NAAB's coding system.
• Purebred Dairy Cattle Association (PDCA): Umbrella body requiring NAAB Uniform Coding on every semen unit it certifies, making PDCA a policy-side peer that mandates NAAB's identification standard as a condition of purebred registration.
• U.S. Livestock Genetics Export, Inc. (USLGE): Foreign Market Development partner that channels USDA-FAS funds to NAAB for international market development of bovine semen; functionally comparable as a livestock-genetics export coordinator.

Broad incumbents

• Beef Improvement Federation: Industry-coordination body for beef cattle genetic evaluation that overlaps with NAAB's Beef Cross Reference and sire evaluation activities on the beef side of NAAB's membership.
• World Holstein-Friesian Federation (WHFF): Global Holstein body that links NAAB's breed codes and sire-evaluation infrastructure to international dairy genetic evaluation; comparable as a peer standards organization in the dairy genetics ecosystem.

Emerging players

• International Embryo Technology Society (IETS): Adjacent professional society governing embryo transfer and associated reproductive technologies that increasingly complement or substitute for conventional AI; relevant as a peer ecosystem organization on the cutting edge of bovine reproduction services.

Regional players

• Dairy Australia: Australian dairy industry services body whose national genetic evaluation work and ADHIS-style herd recording overlaps with NAAB's role in the U.S., but in a different geographic market served by NAAB-ICAR codes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Association of Animal Breeders