Sexed semen, a product developed by the Semex Alliance which is owned by three artificial insemination centres including the EBI co-operative, will ensure a high rate of female calves born on the farm.

Paul Stewart, co-ordinator of communications and dairy programs at EBI, said tests and field trials indicate 90 per cent of the progeny from the semen will be female.

Normally, the ratio of male to female calves is about 50-50, he said. He said most cows produce two or three heifers over their lifetime and some as many as four or five.

"Some of the best cows in your herd might never have a female progeny," said Stewart, noting the new procedure will allow farmers to plan for future replacement stock from cows with strong genetics.

Stewart said sexed semen has been talked about in the agricultural community for more than 20 years, but the technology and equipment that made it possible have been available for the past three years. Separating the pro-female sperm from bull semen is costly and time consuming and produces only six doses per hour, said Stewart.

Source: Brockville Recorder and Times