The demand for sexed semen used in the dairy herd continues to grow annually in Ireland, with the improved sexed semen technology leading to improved conception rates on farms.
Breeding news
Dovea Genetics is to the forefront in ensuring it has the best sexed semen available for its customers either through imported bulls or Irish bulls. The high economic breeding index (EBI) sires Saintbrigid Frank Joseph (FR5860), EBI of €319, and Hillsdale Mo Salah (FR5704), EBI of €291, will be available January 2021 as sexed semen.
The demand for dairy beef semen continues for the Irish market, and the export market continues growing annually with Dovea Genetics investing heavily in dairy beef genetics in recent years.
The focus of the company is to have a range of bulls within each breed that are easy calving, short gestation and the programme has been successful with bulls like Brooklands Marco (LM5443) and Kealkil Prime Lad (AA4743) coming to top of the Dairy Beef Index (DBI) from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF).
From top left: Brooklands Marco (LM5443); Kealkil Prime Lad (AA4743); Conmelvin Ollie (HE4105); and An De Beaffaux ( BB4438)
Dovea Genetics launched its first ever Elite Production Sires Directory in October; it contains a number of new exciting bulls, many available as sexed semen.
To see the directorys, just click here
Dovea Genetics will have a Coloured Breeds Directory, Dairy Beef Directory, Beef Directory and Dairy Directory all available in the first two months of 2021 so keep an eye on its social media platforms.
Dovea Genetics on a global stage
The export semen business for Dovea Genetics continues to grow annually, resulting in Dovea exporting semen to 33 countries in 2019.
The demand is from all parts of the globe with semen exported to Albania, Sweden, Denmark and Costa Rica for the first time in 2020 and expected semen exports to Pakistan, Brazil and Thailand in 2021.
The Irish EBI semen is beginning to gain momentum with countries realising that Irish genetics is more suitable to their country. The wide range of beef breeds and beef semen for different markets (dairy beef, maternal and terminal) means Dovea Genetics is unique worldwide with this offering.
There have been big volumes of Simmental semen exported to Turkey and Charolais semen to Vietnam in 2019. One of the benefits seen in 2020 has been receiving very detailed calving proofs from test Angus and Belgian Blue bulls where semen is sold to mainland Europe.
It is wonderful to see Irish genetics beginning to make an impact on the global stage.
Curaheen Gunshot SI4147 heifer calf in Costa Rica
Embracing technology in semen processing and quality
Dovea Genetics has been extremely innovative in recent years looking at all aspects of its semen collection, semen processing and semen quality controls. It has upgraded to a state-of-the-art semen processing laboratory.
Dovea Genetics has invested to ensure the highest quality semen is presented to its customer base: Esmile is a laboratory management software which links all aspects of semen identification and semen processing.
State-of-the-art equipment used throughout semen processing
Genom’X is a machine to minimise semen waste and customise the straw filling process and IVOS2 is an integrated system for semen analysis for both semen production and quality control evaluation.
The investment will ensure Dovea Genetics is at the cutting edge in providing the best quality bull semen so its customers can have improved performance in their herds from AI (artificial insemination).
For further information, please see its website at: www.doveagenetics.ie; or its social media platforms – Facebook; Twitter; YouTube; Instagram – or email: [email protected].
