Over the last number of years there has been strong demand for Simmental bulls for use overseas. Along with Irish AI companies expanding their Simmental portfolios to fill these markets, outside AI companies have purchased Irish bulls also.
For bulls to gain access to these markets they must hit certain criteria, which varies from one market to the next. Colour, markings, hair, polledness and body type are just some of the criteria which vary.
Glanville Klaxon bred by John Larkin and exhibited by Katie Larkin. \ Tricia Kennedy
Chinese market
American-based Horizon Genetics is one such company. In recent weeks Horizon has secured four Irish bulls to produce semen to fulfil a contract it secured for the Chinese market.
These bulls came from the herds of Declan Oates of Tawley Simmentals, Co Sligo; John Hession of Portroyal Simmentals, Co Mayo; John Larkin of Glanville Simmentals, Co Galway; and Sean McGarry of Clonguish Simmentals, Co Longford.
Portroyal Kratos P bred by John Hession. \ Tricia Kennedy
Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal,
John Hession, a breeder and organiser of the shipment, said: “I was first contacted when delegates landed on a bull I sold to Dovea Genetics that they liked and they asked could I produce another bull like that and source others for them. This was all through Facebook at the time but over the last number of years some delegates have been over to Ireland looking at stock.”
John explained that this has been going on for three years but that a video they saw of Tawley Jaguar on YouTube last year was the real flagship that attracted them to Ireland.
“The market in particular is looking for a very muscular-type bull with particular markings.
“This video of Jaguar had exactly what they were looking for with regards to that. They are really fussy on quality so they actually wanted seven bulls but because of the time of year and that we only ended up with four.
Clonguish Komar bred by Sean McGarry. \ Tricia Kennedy
“We have another group of bulls in quarantine for later in the year and have a further order for next spring also. They like the northern Europe type and we have organised shipments from the UK and Denmark too to get different bloodlines but they say Ireland is their first choice.”
The four bulls – Tawley Jaguar, Portroyal Kratos P, Glanville Klaxon and Clonguish Komar – left Irish shores two weeks ago with a final destination of Italy. Here they go through six months of quarantine before the bulls will be retested and jumped for the Chinese market.
John added: “It’s a very vigorous protocol to get into this market and Horizon only got the contract through tender so it could prove to be a very substantial one in years to come. The company is also making the semen of Jaguar available in Europe and North and South America.”
Over the last number of years there has been strong demand for Simmental bulls for use overseas. Along with Irish AI companies expanding their Simmental portfolios to fill these markets, outside AI companies have purchased Irish bulls also.
For bulls to gain access to these markets they must hit certain criteria, which varies from one market to the next. Colour, markings, hair, polledness and body type are just some of the criteria which vary.
Glanville Klaxon bred by John Larkin and exhibited by Katie Larkin. \ Tricia Kennedy
Chinese market
American-based Horizon Genetics is one such company. In recent weeks Horizon has secured four Irish bulls to produce semen to fulfil a contract it secured for the Chinese market.
These bulls came from the herds of Declan Oates of Tawley Simmentals, Co Sligo; John Hession of Portroyal Simmentals, Co Mayo; John Larkin of Glanville Simmentals, Co Galway; and Sean McGarry of Clonguish Simmentals, Co Longford.
Portroyal Kratos P bred by John Hession. \ Tricia Kennedy
Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal,
John Hession, a breeder and organiser of the shipment, said: “I was first contacted when delegates landed on a bull I sold to Dovea Genetics that they liked and they asked could I produce another bull like that and source others for them. This was all through Facebook at the time but over the last number of years some delegates have been over to Ireland looking at stock.”
John explained that this has been going on for three years but that a video they saw of Tawley Jaguar on YouTube last year was the real flagship that attracted them to Ireland.
“The market in particular is looking for a very muscular-type bull with particular markings.
“This video of Jaguar had exactly what they were looking for with regards to that. They are really fussy on quality so they actually wanted seven bulls but because of the time of year and that we only ended up with four.
Clonguish Komar bred by Sean McGarry. \ Tricia Kennedy
“We have another group of bulls in quarantine for later in the year and have a further order for next spring also. They like the northern Europe type and we have organised shipments from the UK and Denmark too to get different bloodlines but they say Ireland is their first choice.”
The four bulls – Tawley Jaguar, Portroyal Kratos P, Glanville Klaxon and Clonguish Komar – left Irish shores two weeks ago with a final destination of Italy. Here they go through six months of quarantine before the bulls will be retested and jumped for the Chinese market.
John added: “It’s a very vigorous protocol to get into this market and Horizon only got the contract through tender so it could prove to be a very substantial one in years to come. The company is also making the semen of Jaguar available in Europe and North and South America.”
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