Inseminations are running broadly in line with 2025, despite the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) noting that handheld serves were 1.7% back on last year up to the third week in May, AI companies have insisted.

ICBF figures show that handheld AI serves up to last Friday, 22 May, totalled 636,024. This is 10,770 serves back on the same week in 2025, when the total was 646,794.

However, AI companies maintained that inseminations are tracking very close to last year.

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Munster Bovine chief executive Martin Kavanagh said the breeding season had been a little slower to get going this year due to the poor weather.

AI operators said cows were bulling slower in the earlier part of the breeding season and that there were less cows in the crush when compared to the same week in previous years. However, Kavanagh maintained that any ground lost is being quickly recovered.

Larry Burke of AI Services – majority shareholders in Eurogene – said inseminations to-date was running slightly ahead of previous years.

Kavanagh said the 25% lift in sexed semen usage which was seen in 2025 has been maintained so far this year.

In addition, the 12% lift in dairy semen sales, which was recorded by Munster Bovine in 2025, has more or less held in 2026.

Strong usage of dairy semen has also been recorded by AI Services.

Burke said the increase in usage of conventional dairy semen was in the early double digits. Interestingly, usage of sexed semen has not been hit as a consequence.

The AI Services chief executive attributed the increased usage of dairy sires to tighter supplies of replacement heifers in recent years.

Anecdotal evidence suggested that dairy farmers were going in with sexed semen initially, and using conventional semen on repeats, Burke said.

Angus and Hereford remain the most popular beef breeds on dairy cows, but the AI Services chief executive reported a significant increase in the usage of Belgian Blue, Limousin and particularly Charolais bulls. This was on big-framed mature cows, he said.

Another trend noticed by Burke this year is the greater use of triple-mix semen. This involves a mix of semen from three sires.

A mix of three Angus sires or three Belgian Blue is particularly popular. Three sires of different beef breeds can also be used. The triple-mix semen offers increased conception rates, Burke said.