Sexed semen has been commercially available to farmers in the UK since 2000. Due to the sorting process, there are fewer sperm cells in each straw than conventional semen and conception rates are generally expected to be around 10 percent lower. Therefore sexed semen is generally only recommended for use on maiden heifers. The benefits of using sexed semen include more rapid genetic progress and increased number of heifer calves allowing more cows to be served with beef semen.
Potential benefits of sexed semen