Munster Bovine and Progressive Genetics have opened a new sexed lab at their Naas facility, the home of the National Cattle Breeding Centre (NCBC).
According to a spokesperson, the new “state-of-the-art” facility will help meet the growing demand for sexed semen in Ireland.
Global sexed-semen technology leader, Sexing Technologies, are partners in the project, which aims to increase nationally the capacity to produce sexed product.
Sexed semen technology has proven to be a “very popular” option among Irish dairy farmers over the past number of seasons.
In the past, it was necessary for NCBC to export some bulls for sexing abroad, but the new lab in Naas will now eliminate this requirement.
They outlined that sexed semen generates faster genetic improvement in herds by allowing producers to breed their stock with genetically elite sires to create next-generation replacements.
Dr. Doreen Corridan, CEO at Munster Bovine, believes the move reinforces NCBC’s intent going forward.
She said its beef and dairy programmes have been “hugely” successful in delivering proven superior sires in an “efficient and profitable” manner.
We are excited to take this to the next level to meet the growing demands of our customers.”
Brendan Scanlon, CEO at Progressive Genetics, commented that the new laboratory will play a “significant” role in satisfying the demand for the technology for the 2022/23 breeding season.
“We constantly strive to provide the very best genetics for our customers and maximise the genetic potential of our national herd,” he remarked.
New sires
In other related news, last week, we spoke to Rosalish Goulding, beef programme manager at NCBC, to discuss its offering of new elite Charolais and Limousin bulls, which the firm has selected for pedigree breeders.
She told this publication that the sires have been “carefully selected and represent the best genetics available globally”.
Read more about its elite Limousin sires and its elite Charolais bulls.
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