AIservice freeze will cost dearly
AIservice freeze will cost dearly
LOSS of AI services in foot-and-mouth infected areas will cost the dairy industry £ms due to prolonged calving intervals. But talks are under way with MAFF to devise protocols allowing controlled resumption of AI services in infected regions, says Genus Breeding manager Drew Sloan.
Supplying semen to farms in infected areas either via AI technicians or for DIY use is forbidden, according to MAFF.
This rule forms part of old legislation drawn up to reduce disease spread when use of fresh semen was common, says Mr Sloan. But nowadays frozen semen is not used until bulls have undergone a one-month quarantine to ensure they are not incubating any disease.
"These days the foot-and-mouth risk from AI vehicles going on to farm is greater than risk from infected semen."
With infected areas in key dairying regions growing larger by the day, this ban on AI is costly.
"Currently 50% of the country is shut to dairy AI. MDC figures indicate that each day a cow isnt in calf costs £3. So 21 days into the outbreak, restrictions may have cost £63/head."
However,in two weeks we hope a special licence will be available allowing farms in restricted areas to receive semen," says Mr Sloan.