Twin Jersey heifer calves arrive at Thrumster Mains after AI programme

Twin Jersey heifer calves have arrived for the first time at the 30-strong pedigree Jersey dairy herd of cattle at Thrumster Mains.

It follows an artificial insemination programme carried out by local technician Willie Mackay.

For the past year, dairy farmer David Campbell has been having success with AI on his cattle using sexed heifer semen from cattle-breeding giant Cogent.

Mr Mackay has 50 years’ experience of AI cattle breeding covering Caithness as well as north and east Sutherland

“The use of sex-sorted semen in both dairy and beef production allows predetermination of calf sex with a 90 per cent reliability," Mr Mackay said.

"Thrumster Mains has had a brilliant run of 12 heifer calves in the past 12 months using four Jersey bulls – Grazeland Lemonhead Devinci, Sunset Canyon Got Maid, Hilltown Oblique and Rosehill Manderville.

"This is an incredible success which is a credit to David and his management of the dairy herd on the farm in detecting the Jersey cows coming into season prior to the inseminations being carried out.

"The arrival of twin Jersey heifers from a sexed straw by the AI bull Devinci is a real bonus – I’m delighted for him."

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