Crawford’s export sexed semen to Hungary

Monday 19th November 2007

Crawford Brothers have done a deal with DR Laszlo Popovers from Hungary on behalf of 4 Limousin cattle breeders for over 200 straws of sexed semen from their Limousin bull Vigot, to be used in a flushing program in Hungary.

Vigot

Crawford’s completed the deal last week and the semen was sent from Cogent in Chester this week, sexed semen from Vigot has a conception rate of 74% on heifers with the first calves in Poland due this month.

Raymond commented
"We invested heavily in the sexed semen project at the start not knowing if there would be a market in the beef sector for this, but our gamble has paid off with Poland and now Hungary being strong customers of the sexed semen with a second consignment to go out in 2 months time."

He continued by saying
"Sexed semen is the cheapest way of getting female replacements into your herd, your best breeding suckler cows i.e. milk, ease of calving and overall conformation, you mate with female sexed semen and also keep disease i.e. Johnes, BVD, IBR out of your herd.  When you buy in you can’t control any of these factors and in the pedigree sector if you want to increase your herd from on a 50:50 with conventional you increase your chances up to 92% and you can keep the genetics of your top breeding females secure by producing more female calves quicker".