sheep a i

jerdee

Just a quick question any guys a i sheep ie pb ones or is there a service provider in munster. Thank s
ps welcome rovi

5live

jerdee wrote: »

Just a quick question any guys a i sheep ie pb ones or is there a service provider in munster. Thank s
ps welcome rovi

I think what happens is a group of breeders in the same area get together and arrange to have their ewes sponged at the same time. Then they book an AI contractor to come in and 'jump' the rams to be used on one farm and the rest of the breeders bring their ewes there to be serviced on the one day.

Your best bet would be to talk to your local breed society and see if they have anyone booked in for later this year but i would say you are too late for this year

jerdee

i presume that gene pile would be the same after a while if that was the way to go..wondering if frozen stuff works...ie imported tups

5live

jerdee wrote: »

i presume that gene pile would be the same after a while if that was the way to go..wondering if frozen stuff works...ie imported tups

Afaik it is mostly imported rams used. The vendeen society would use a number of imported rams and the best of the irish rams for AI and also across the country as an aid in the sire reference scheme and i assume the other breeds would do similar. Now some of the imported rams are actually here but i think some of the semen is imported so it would have to be frozen. I do know that it is an expensive operation but i dont know what the price is

jerdee

have you done some or anybody around you in kerry

5live

jerdee wrote: »

have you done some or anybody around you in kerry

No. Out of pedigree reeding with a few years and out of the info loop. I would imagine it is fairly common in the top flocks so i would say to contact one of those or a breed society

Highland

AI in sheep really only works if its done laproscopically. so you need a vet to do this. There is only one Irish Vet that I know of doing it - Ronan Gallagher - he is also a Texel Breeder - started out this year. You will need to have 30 - 50 ewes to AI to make it work - its expensive - could cost up to €15+ per sheep plus you will also have to pay for semen if you dont have rams of your own - so its realy only for pedigree breeders.

There are a couple of companies from the UK that do it too. Innovis and Ovibreed - google them and you'll find there details.

Conflats

A.i in sheep is a big part of the sheep ireland programme, they have central progeny test flocks around the country and they all use A.i which is done laproscopically, the ewes have to be sychronised and big issue if doing a large number is lambing time, the rams have to be on farm for the A.I to give best possible quality semen and it's labour and time consuming
Heres a link to what they do and they give the process http://www.sheep.ie/publications/files/cpt_presentation_20091022.pdf

flatout11

Conflats wrote: »

A.i in sheep is a big part of the sheep ireland programme, they have central progeny test flocks around the country and they all use A.i which is done laproscopically, the ewes have to be sychronised and big issue if doing a large number is lambing time, the rams have to be on farm for the A.I to give best possible quality semen and it's labour and time consuming
Heres a link to what they do and they give the process http://www.sheep.ie/publications/files/cpt_presentation_20091022.pdf

they are using innovis
is it really going to be worth the extra cost involved with AI for you?
tis something you would need to weigh up - it works for the tops (and you only see their best) but what about the rest of the guys at it????

Highland

Been doing it for years with pedigree ewes - costs are huge cost over a grand to do 40 ewes this year excluding semen. some years get great results 80% plus and other years its a disaster when you take the good with the bad its only average. For commercial flocks the costs might be a bit lower. think sheep Irl where paying around €10 per ewe but thats with AIing over 2000 ewes. on top of the €10 you also have to add in the cost of the sponge and PMSG could be another fiver

flatout11

Highland wrote: »

Been doing it for years with pedigree ewes - costs are huge cost over a grand to do 40 ewes this year excluding semen. some years get great results 80% plus and other years its a disaster when you take the good with the bad its only average. For commercial flocks the costs might be a bit lower. think sheep Irl where paying around €10 per ewe but thats with AIing over 2000 ewes. on top of the €10 you also have to add in the cost of the sponge and PMSG could be another fiver

dey (sheep irl) must have some budget to go through will it last

Highland

not sure how long it will last. Sheep Irl doing good work in setting up a useful index. the LMI was a disaster that went on for over 20 years and no one bought into it. at least now the index is more meaningful. the AI is to create better linkages between flocks and across breeds. realistically AI is the only way that they can get stock rams from pedigree breeders to use across a big number of commercial ewes in a few days.