Selecting twice the number of cows to put forward for sexed semen could be costing you €20 in terms of your Economic Breeding Index (EBI).

This was the message from Dr. Donagh Berry, senior principal research officer and quantitative geneticist with Teagasc.

Dr. Berry, alongside a wide panel, was speaking at a recent breeding event in Corrin Mart, Co. Cork, hosted by Munster Bovine.

The topic arose when local farmer Sean Moher, and MSD Animal Health technology solutions sales manager, Billy Heffernan were speaking about sexed semen.

It was noted that double the cows are often being chosen for sexed semen to ensure a suitable cow is available when an artificial insemination (AI) technician is in the yard, as sexed semen has a far narrower window to inseminate within when compared to conventional.

Therefore an for example, if a farmer has 20 sexed semen straws, he may be choosing 40 potential cows to ensure sexed straws do not go to waste when the AI technician is out.

Munster Bovine AI technician, Ben Slee said that if they land into the yard and the farmer is not sure whether or not the cow should be used for sexed, they stay on the safe side and serve them with a conventional straw.

However, according to Dr. Berry, when looking at it from a quantitative side with regards to EBI, choosing twice the cows is a costly mistake.

He explained: "By selecting twice the number of cows you're losing €20 in EBI."

He said the average of the top 20% of cows or top 40% of cows relative to the top 40% or 60% is actually €20 higher.

Therefore your heifers would be €10 lower than what they should be.

Dr. Berry told the crowd to rank their own herd and see the difference, asking the question whether it is worth the work of AI'ing twice a day for that extra €20.

Munster Bovine technical manager and vet, Denis Howard followed that up by saying that getting maiden heifers bred to sexed semen will significantly reduce the amount of sexed semen used on the dairy herd, and will therefore reduce that problem.

He highlighted the advantages linked to it in regard to genetic gain, easy calving, more days in milk, and higher conception rates.

But Howard noted that it takes a lot of work, with the likes of synchronisation programmes needed for optimum results.