Scottish sheep farmers have exported North Country Cheviot semen to the US for the first time in more than 30 years.
The US lifted its ban on UK beef and lamb imports in September 2021. It had been in place since 1989 over concerns regarding an outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and extended not only to meat, but to semen and embryos too.
Two top Scottish breeders – Roderick Runciman of the famous Allanshaws flock, and Andrew Polson of the Smerlie flock – were both selected to export the semen.
Andrew had been contacted by farmers stateside directly.
“I was contacted directly by a breeder in the states whose grandfather was from Caithness,” he said.
“He had studied agriculture at university in Scotland, too, and visited sales in Caithness, so he knew what he was looking for.
“They had seen some of my sheep and Roderick’s sheep go into the sale ring and because of that we were asked to supply semen.”
Both breeders put four rams forward which were rigorously tested before being allowed to provide semen. This process, which took almost a year, was managed by AB Europe. It involved each ram being placed into isolation and undergoing a range of tests.
Roderick said his rams – Sebay Excitable, Pengreos Xcalibre, Allanshaws XR3, and Allanshaw ACDC – were all proven sires and passed the tests with flying colours.
His 750 North Country Cheviot ewes scan between 190-200% and are capable of raising two lambs – even at heights of up to 1,400ft on his farm in the Scottish borders.
Commenting on his ideal type, Roderick said: “I like them to be eye-catching and I try to look after their bodies, too. That’s the basics.
“A lot of folk buy a tup to breed a tup. But I buy a tup to breed females. Females will breed a tup. Always keep the females right as they’re the foundation of every flock.”
Andrew runs 200 purebred ewes and sells shearling rams and gimmers at Caithness and Lockerbie.
The rams he put forward to donate semen are Smerlie Ambassador, Smerlie Admiral, Smerlie Whisky and Cairnside Brightspark.
