Conception rates to sexed semen are 16% lower than conventional semen, a Teagasc study reveals.
The results from the latest sexed semen study, carried out this spring on 2,164 cows, shows an average conception rate of 61% to first service for conventional semen and 51% for sexed semen inseminated 22 hours after ovulation.
The results were revealed by researcher Stephen Butler at the Moorepark Open Day on Wednesday. He said that when the herds were ranked on conception rate to sexed semen relative to conventional semen, the range in relative conception rate was from 48% to 121%.
This shows that sexed semen performed very poorly in some herds, despite good results with conventional sexed semen. In other herds, results from sexed semen were better than conventional semen.
Butler said that overall, the results show that using sexed semen is a viable strategy for generating replacements despite lower than anticipated conception rates.
An estimated 10,000 dairy farmers attended the Moorepark Open Day, making it one of the largest dairy events in the world.