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The production and sale of pedigree bull semen is the largest business segment of our Group.
Bull semen is collected from our pedigree sires twice a week. After an extensive cleaning and sterilization process, each sire is allowed to mount a teaser cow after which it ejaculates into a cylindrical tube. The ejaculate is then examined for contaminants, sperm concentration and normality in the laboratory. Sperm not meeting the prescribed standard of vivacity is immediately discarded.
The sperm collected is diluted with a specially-formulated solution to enhance its survival during the cooling process, which helps to increase the volume and efficiency of the extracted semen. The diluted bull semen is then cooled, frozen and packed in plastic straws for storage at up to minus 197 degrees Celsius.
Collected not more than twice a year, the process first involves the sanitization of our workers’ garments, equipment as well as the cows. Subsequently, using hormones to stimulate ovulation, a process which is called “superovulation” is undertaken so as to better manage the timing of estrus. The recognition of estrus during the period of superovulation which lasts approximately 7 days, is a critical stage because insemination must be carried out at a precise moment to ensure fertilization.
Plastic straws of semen are fitted into an insemination gun which is used to introduce semen beyond the cervix of the cow. Once fertilization is completed, the embryo is flushed out using a two-way catheter and special care is taken to prevent stress and trauma to the cow.
The flushed fluid containing fertilized embryos are then sent to the laboratory for inspection under the microscrope, and evaluated for their quality and potential likelihood of success if transplanted into a recipient cow.
Embryos are then packed in plastic straws and frozen for storage.
Milking is conducted in two shifts each day. Our dairy cows are sanitized in a milk shed prior to the milking process. The dairymen will hook the teats of the cows to sucker rods that connect directly to a cooling churn. After milking, the raw milk is then stored at around 4 degrees Celsius and may be collected by our customers directly on the same day.
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