Mid-market rivals Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) and Travers Smith have scooped advisory roles opposite magic circle heavyweight Slaughter and May on the £187m buy-out of Sygen by UK bovine genetics giant Genus.

BLP is acting for AIM-listed Genus, which currently operates its hi-tech breeding programme in 73 countries, while Travers is advising joint under-writers and financial advisers Bridgewell and Panmure Gordon on the deal.