Ai Services is investing a new, state-of-the-art bull stud and sexed semen laboratory at its Ballycraigy headquarters in south Co. Antrim.
The new facility will include accommodation for 120 bulls and world class semen collection facilities. Construction and development work is already underway.
Ai Services’ group chief executive, Larry Burke, outlined the scope of the investment at a recent breakfast meeting hosted by the Northern Ireland of Agricultural Science (NIIAS).
He confirmed that the new stud will allow Ai Services’ management and technical teams to secure comprehensive data sets on all of the bulls resident at Ballycraigy, adding:
“Our existing stud was constructed 60 years ago. It will be replaced by a new centre of excellence which, hopefully, will serve Ireland’s livestock sectors well for the next six decades,” he said.
The Ai Services’ representative went on to point out that the investment plan reflects the confidence which the business has in the future of ruminant agriculture across the island of Ireland.
“The Ai Services’ Group is much more than a semen supply company. The business is already an industry leader in the provision of Ai technician services, embryo transfer, synchronisation services, DIY AI training, and pregnancy scanning services,” he added.
Ai Services
According to Burke, the future of the Ai Services’ Group will be centred on the application of new science and having the people within the organisation with the skill set to effectively advise farmers on how best to implement these new technologies.
“Change is impacting at a very fast rate, where the implementation of genetic advancement is concerned. Take the example of sexed semen as a case in point. 10 years ago, sexed semen was cutting edge technology.
“Now, almost all of our dairy sires are available sexed.
“Moreover, farmer confidence in this technology has reached the stage where they are confident to use sexed straws on both heifers and mature cows.
“This single development has brought very significant and positive change with regard to the development of breeding programmes followed on dairy farms throughout Ireland.
“This is just the beginning of the advancement of technology in this space and Ai Services will be at the forefront in delivery of this to our customers,” Burke explained.
Livestock farming’s response to the challenge of climate change alone “will require a fundamental mindset change on the part of farmers”, according to Burke.
“The future is all about improving efficiency levels. But this is a good news story for livestock farmers, from both a future sustainability and food security perspective.
“The Ai Services’ group is totally committed to working with livestock farmers, so as to ensure that all of this potential will be realised,” he explained.
