Ensure your rams are fit for breeding season
Ram Testing Ireland offers farmers an animal friendly semen assessment, to ensure that rams are fit for the breeding season.
Rams are trained for semen collection with an in-season ewe and the aid of an artificial vagina, enabling us to collect the best possible semen sample.
How It Works:
This collection method allows us to evaluate the ram’s libido, his ability to naturally mount/serve a ewe and identify any physical defects which may impair his ability to breed naturally.
The semen is then analysed by visual assessment, examined under microscope, a semen cell count is carried out using a photometer and a record maintained for future reference. Certificates are available containing all the records to accompany rams for future sales.
We do not use an electro ejaculator probe as this can result in a contaminated sample, which may lead to an incorrect assessment. Instead we try to create the conditions, that gives the animal and us, the best possibly opportunity of obtaining a sample.
Benefits:
(1) Identified infertile/subfertile rams
(2) Identified fit active rams.
(3) Poor performers identified i.e. rams that didn’t attempt to produce a sample.
(4) Fewer barren ewes.
(5) More compact lambing
Main Services:
(1)Ram Semen Assessment
(2)Cervical Artificial Insemination
(3) Semen sexing agents
Testimonials
I prefer Cervical AI compared to the Laparoscopic AI as there is less stress on the ewe. Ewes are brought in just before AI, no fasting or special treatment and are let out afterwards. In 2015 we had a 73% conception rate
Ernest Hogg , Bunnahesco Texels
Having had rams tested using the electro-ejaculator probe before we won’t be going down that road again. With this method of collection, you see the ram give the sample and it’s there for anyone to see, plain and simple
Victor Barber , Grange, Co. Sligo