Sexed sheep semen service launched

Sexed semen has long been an evolving technology in the world of cattle genetics and now accounts for 30 per cent of inseminations, but despite first being carried out in sheep 30 years ago commercialisation has been slow.

However, AB Europe says their new service will help farmers to speed up the rate of genetic gain in their flock, increase the proportion of female or male lambs born and subsequently improve flock efficiency and profitability.

AB Europe vet, James Mylne says: “This season we are commercially offering fresh sexed semen providing sheep producers with the opportunity to cost effectively revolutionise their breeding decisions.”

He adds the advent of sexed semen in the sheep industry will also help to address the age old problem of price differentials between male and female offspring.

He says: “This service will provide a real solution for breeders of horned sheep where we see a much higher price differential between males and females than between male and female mule lambs.

“Also within some of the more exotic sheep breeds there is a significant skew between the sexes. There are usually individual males which have sold for a lot of money but the real money is in the females and often there can be a ten times skew towards them.”

Mr Mylne says they also see a huge future for sexed semen within the dairy sheep and goat sector. Goats will milk for two to three years on a single lactation so getting replacements is an issue, after their first kidding they are not getting pregnant again for a long time so farmers need to be sure they are producing the female replacement they require.