LIC International manager Mark Ryder explained the reasoning behind the development of a new LIC contract that farmers must sign before purchasing LIC straws this year.

He said: “New Zealand quarantine regulations have changed. Now, instead of holding bulls for 104 days before exporting, it’s a 30-day quarantine period, so this means the very best sires from New Zealand can be used in Ireland before they are available in New Zealand. Our shareholders allow this, but they need some IP protection. We are here in Ireland to breed profitable cows for Irish farmers and not top bulls for other AI companies.”

The meeting was chaired by Larry Burke, Eurogene territory manager, who stressed the emphasis Eurogene puts on the cow family rather than just the figures for each bull it selects for its testing programme and sires. The first speaker of the night was Tipperary vet Folke Rohrsson. He explained the basics of cow fertility management and the fact farmers need to record what happens at calving to make better decisions at breeding.

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Ireland LIC sales manager Linda O’Neill detailed the LIC sires available this spring and some of the key traits for each sire available. The LIC/Eurogene roadshow continues this Wednesday evening in west Cork at the Horse and Jockey, with other meetings in Cork, Waterford and Wexford in the coming days.

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Further warning against LIC contracts