IVF for Merinos
This week Norm and Frank (our farm hand) have been busy getting ready for our Artificial Insemination (AI) program with our top Stud Ewes (i.e. the best girls we have on Glenwood).
Every year we give mother nature a bit of a helping hand (not unlike IVF in humans) and inseminate the girls using semen from our top rams and the best SRS studs around Australia. In particular, we are looking for genetic traits that we want to improve in our flock to enhance the quality of our Merino fibre, improve the welfare/health of the animals and increase their resistance to “nasties” like worms.
This year we are AI-ing 300 of our top ewes and the process takes a whole 2 days. A specialist vet travels down from Dubbo and has state-of-the-art equipment to carry out the procedure.
On Friday we will also put out the rams (boys) – 8 for the stud girls and 35 for the commercial flock to go about their business in the natural mating process. It is the start of a very exciting time of the year on Glenwood as the mothers will be due to have their lambs around the 1st of August – My favourite time of the year!
Today I am off to Sydney to watch Maggie (Miss 16) and Amber (Miss 17) compete in the All Schools Triathlon at Penrith tomorrow and on Thursday morning I am going to meet up with our Love Merino team to visit some of the printers and dye houses we will be using for our gorgeous scarves to be released later this year!
Until next time – stay safe and happy
