The use of sexed semen helped Crinagee Dairies in Co. Limerick achieve conception to first service rates of 73% last year.
The milking herd at the Kilmallock-based farming operation comprises 170 cows – a mix of Frieisans and Ayrshires.
Farm manager, Stephen O’Keeffe, explained:
“We used sexed semen on 30 animals last year and were very pleased with the results achieved. As a result, we increased the number of sexed straws used this year up to 70.
“Given the larger number of animals involved, it’s unlikely that we will hit the 70+ conception rate this figure this year.
“But, sexed semen does work within a spring calving scenario and the technology will remain a key part of our breeding programmes into the future.”
O’Keeffe confirmed that 2024 has been a challenging year up to this point. He continued: “But we are still on target to produce 480kg of milk solids per cow.
“The months of February and March were extremely cold and wet. We had just enough silage to get us through the winter.”
Sexed semen
Stephen has already one cut of 2024 silage in the pit: “Our plan is to make 1.4t of silage dry matter per cow each year. We will take a second cut of silage in September”.
“The farm at Kilmallock is totally grass based: we don’t grow maize or other forage crops,” the farm manager added.
“Normally, we can have freshly calved cows out in the grazing paddocks by the middle of February. Weather permitting, the grazing season continues through until the end of October.”
Stephen was among the group of World Ayrshire Federation members, who visited the Co. Antrim herd of John Suffern earlier this week.
His Crumlin farm is home to 120 elite, pedigree ‘Ravenhill Ayrshire’ cows.
The World Federation of Ayrshire Breed Societies is a collective body, representing the interests of Ayrshire cattle breeders in a number of countries around the world, including: Ireland; Great Britain; Canada; Australia; the United States of America; South Africa; Sweden and Finland.
The federation hosted its 2024 annual conference in the UK. The event included a number of farm visits in Northern Ireland.
The core objective of the federation is to is to improve and promote the Ayrshire breed on an international basis.
Activities include the promotion and organization of semen, livestock and embryo exchanges between countries.