Sexed semen tech firm Sexing Technologies will open its first sexed semen sorting lab facility in Ireland in November, the company and Teagasc have confirmed.

Dovea Genetics and Eurogene AI Services have committed to produce sex-sorted semen at the new facility.

Commenting, Juan Moreno, Sexing Technologies CEO said:

The lab will be located at Teagasc’s Moorepark Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre in Fermoy, Co. Cork.

Stephen Butler, reproductive physiologist at Teagasc, added: “This lab represents a turning point for Ireland’s dairy and beef industries.

“We are delighted that Sexing Technologies is coming to Ireland to offer this leading technology to our AI industry and, ultimately, to our dairy and beef producers.”

According to Sexing Technologies, sexed semen generates faster genetic improvement in cattle herds by "allowing producers to breed their best cows and heifers to genetically elite sires and create their next generation replacements".

Producers who utilise genomic testing can more easily identify their top genetic merit animals, which they can breed with sexed semen, the firm says.

Meanwhile their animals "with lesser genetic merit" can be bred with beef semen to produce a beef calf that will generate added income.