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One of Ireland’s most-used AI bulls, Elderberry Galahad, is to make an appearance on RTÉ’s One Day: Keeping Ireland Company on Monday night.
The Dovea Genetics Limousin stud bull is a firm favourite known primary by his AI code EBY. Born in September 2011, Galahad already has over 30,000 calves, with thousands of doses of semen in storage ready to be used by the company’s customers.
It is understood that over 100,000 straws of semen have been sold from EBY, which, at €10 per straw, would value him at €1m.
Top five
Over the last few years, EBY has been one of the top five bulls used through AI in the beef herd. His calving figure of only 3.7% means he is a perfect choice for heifers as well as cows.
That said, the calves are still in high demand, with commercial stock selling up to €2,500, while pedigree stock have sold for in excess of €3,000.
One Day: Keeping Ireland Company is a new documentary series which focuses on people who work with animals in Ireland. The documentary will look at how bull semen is collected for sale, with Galahad the chosen star.
The show reveals that there are 260,000 people working with Ireland’s 26m animals every day – from farmers and vets to charity workers.
One Day: Keeping Ireland Company is on RTÉ One at 9.35pm on Monday night.
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