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Ireland needs to have its own laboratory for sexing semen to optimise cost efficiency and success according to IFA dairy chair Tom Phelan. Speaking this week to the Irish Farmers Journal, Phelan said: "We need to establish an Irish laboratory so that we can control and maximise the success rate of Irish sexed semen to minimise low quality dairy bull calves.”
The call for an Irish laboratory comes as IFA set out a policy paper on dairy calf management, welfare and stakeholder action required to maintain the high standards on Irish dairy farms.
Dairy farmers
For dairy farmers the paper suggests farmers must use the best calf management, favour quality AI sires using the dairy beef index, register calves accurately, invest in calf housing if required and only use young calf slaughter facilities as a last resort.
At stakeholder level IFA is calling for engagement from Teagasc and the ICBF on best practise and new schemes. The policy paper also calls for a TAMS-style grant for calf sheds. The IFA is also calling on the Department to secure alternate day sailings which would require no additional lairaging.
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