For immediate release                                                               4 July 2011

GENUS plc

("Genus" or "the Company")

Pre-close Trading Statement

Genus, a leading global animal genetics company, today provides the following pre-close trading update for the year to 30 June 2011.

Since the Interim Management Statement issued on 11 May 2011, the markets in which the Group operates have remained generally favourable. Demand for Genus' genetics has been good, with the exception of porcine demand in Europe which remained weak.  Overall, trading has been in line with the Board's expectations.

As a result, the Group expects to report a good performance for the year to 30 June 2011 with improved profits in line with market expectations and strong cash generation.

Genus will announce its preliminary results for the year to 30 June 2011 on 6 September 2011.

For further information please contact:-

Genus plc                                                             Tel: 01256 345970

Richard Wood, Chief Executive

John Worby, Finance Director

Buchanan Communications                                 Tel: 0207 466 5000

Charles Ryland

Suzanne Brocks

Helen Chan

This announcement is available on the Genus website, www.genusplc.com

About Genus:

Genus plays a key role in the world's agricultural economy in its creation of advances in animal breeding through naturally applied biotechnology, helping farmers and food producers across the world to improve quality and increase output.

Genus provides superior natural animal genetics, enabling our global customers in the bovine and porcine supply chain to produce offspring in their herds with greater production efficiency, milk and meat output and quality. The challenge of meeting growing global demand for milk, pork and beef from the decreasing resources available for food production requires innovative solutions that Genus provides. 

Genus' worldwide sales are made in seventy countries under the trade marks "ABS" (dairy and beef cattle) and "PIC" (pigs) and comprise semen and breeding animals with superior genetics to those animals currently in production. 

Genus' competitive edge has been created from the ownership and control of proprietary lines of breeding animals and the biotechnology used to improve them. Genus' global production and distribution network underpins our unique position in the world's growing agricultural markets.

Headquartered in Basingstoke, England, Genus is a FTSE250 company that operates in 30 countries on six continents, with research laboratories located in Madison, Wisconsin, USA.