At the forefront of genetic technology (From Western Telegraph)

At the forefront of genetic technology

12:00pm Wednesday 11th February 2009

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Dairy farmers in west Wales have found themselves at the forefront of genetic technology, after the UK’s first artificial inseminations of DNA selected semen took place recently.

Genomic technology uses semen that has been selected from bull calves based on their DNA profiles, rather than results from daughters once they are milking in herds. This means genetic gain can be realised in four years, rather than seven, giving farmers more profitable herds and a higher breeding worth.

The pioneer of the technology in the UK is New Zealand-based Livestock Improvement Corporation (UK) Ltd (LIC), whose area manager for south west Wales, John Williams, says the most obvious benefit of using DNA selected semen is the shorter wait for performance information and decreased generation interval.

He said: “There’s a three year genetic gain and it’s a better tool in the long term because farmers can pick out what enhancements they want to pass on and breed into their herd, especially the renowned traits of fertility and longevity of New Zealand dairy cattle.

“The normal system is to pick the bulls and then wait for information to come from the daughters of inseminated cows, but this way, results are predicted on DNA snips taken from selected bull calves. The data will also be proven in time in the usual way as the daughters of the selected bulls start to be milked, but this just gives us a good head start.”

“It’s the forefront of genomic selection and it’s definitely the future because all the other companies are following suit.”

One of the first inseminations of DNA selected semen in the UK took place in west Wales recently, and the technology is already proving popular, with more than 10,000 straws ordered since January.

Derek Wilson, of Westpool Farm, Red Roses, who milks an autumn calving herd of 300 predominantly Holstein/Friesian cows on a 260 hectare organic farm was the first local farmer to inseminate DNA selected semen.

He said: “I use LIC genetics in my breeding programme for the type, vigour and fertility that they offer my system.”

LIC is currently the only company in the UK offering DNA selected semen.

For more information, contact John on 07971553880 or e-mail jwilliams.lic@ btconnect.com.

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