A New Zealand based animal breeding company has been going to extra lengths in recent days to make sure semen straws are being delivered on time to flood-stricken farmers in the South Island of the country.
To help ensure a smooth spring mating period for farmers, LIC has been delivering straws of semen to areas between Timaru and Ashburton.
The New Zealand farmer-owned co-operative – with a presence in Ireland – provides a range of services and solutions to dairy farms.
A spokesperson from the company explained to Rural News Group that it has airlifted around 3,300 AI straws to farmers over the past number of days.
LIC explained that in a few cases, its AB technicians have been able to access cut-off farms via tractor.
Image source: LIC Facebook Page
LIC’s national artificial breeding manager David Hale told the publication: “LIC understands the importance of delivering semen to all farms on schedule, regardless of weather conditions.
The dairy cow cycle takes roughly between 18-24 days. If insemination doesn’t occur at the right time during that cycle, it means a three-week wait until the cow is in heat again.
“This three-week loss can have a number of negative flow-on effects for farmers, including the potential loss of three weeks’ worth of milk supply and an impact on calving periods the following year.”
Concluding, Hale added: “This is why LIC is working hard to ensure semen delivery is not impacted by the adverse weather conditions.”