The Dealer hears the Pedigree Breeders Council is up in arms about the Teagasc €3m programme of implanting pedigree embryos into dairy cows to produce AI bulls. The council argues that the current rate of low genetic gain in pedigree herds is because some AI centres focused heavily on single trait selection to achieve greater monetary income.
The Dealer hears the Pedigree Breeders Council is up in arms about the Teagasc €3m programme of implanting pedigree embryos into dairy cows to produce AI bulls.
The council argues that the current rate of low genetic gain in pedigree herds is because some AI centres focused heavily on single trait selection to achieve greater monetary income.
The council has asked an interesting question, one which raised my eyebrows anways.
Real purpose
Is the real purpose of this work, long-term, to eliminate the suckler farmer in Ireland?
If beef embryos can be harvested from yearling heifers prior to slaughter and the embryos subsequently put into dairy cows, then maybe Ireland only needs calf rearers instead of pedigree and suckler famers.
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