Livestock – Breeding Technology.

Livestock Reproduction

UK LIvestock
Livestock Breeding Technologies – Knowledge Checks

Livestock Breeding Technologies

Overview of common and advanced breeding technologies in UK livestock systems, with “why farmers use it” and knowledge checks.

Basic / Common Breeding Technologies

UK Farms Actually use these daily!

🐄➕📶 Pedometers & Movement Sensors

Sensors detect increased activity, indicating heat.

Why farmers use it:
  • Better heat detection
  • Reduces missed breeding
  • Saves labour

Livestock used in: Dairy, beef cows

Knowledge check: Why might activity sensors be more reliable than visual heat detection?
High-yielding cows show weaker visible signs; sensors detect subtle activity changes.

🐄➕🔄 Oestrus (Heat) Synchronisation

Hormones bring groups into heat simultaneously.

Why farmers use it:
  • Compact calving/lambing blocks
  • Easier AI planning
  • Efficient labour

Livestock used in: Dairy, beef cows/heifers, sheep

Knowledge check: How does synchronisation help block calving?
Allows many animals to be bred in a short period, creating a compact calving season.

🐄➕🧪 Artificial Insemination (AI)

Use semen from selected sires without natural mating.

Why farmers use it:
  • Elite genetics access
  • Reduced disease risk
  • Improved safety

Livestock used in: Dairy, beef, pigs, sheep

Knowledge check: Give one genetic and one management advantage of AI.
Genetic: elite sires worldwide;
Management: no need for bull/boar on farm.

🧪➕♀♂ Sexed Semen

Increases likelihood of male or female offspring, usually females.

Why farmers use it:
  • More replacement females
  • Reduces unwanted males
  • Improves planning

Livestock used in: Dairy, beef breeding females

Knowledge check: Why use sexed semen on heifers?
Heifers have higher fertility, compensating for slightly lower conception rates with sexed semen.

🩺 Infertility Treatments

Vet-led diagnosis/treatment of fertility issues like cystic ovaries, infections, hormonal imbalance.

Why farmers use it:
  • Improves conception
  • Reduces barren animals
  • Protects herd productivity

Livestock used in: Dairy, beef, pigs

Knowledge check: Why is early vet intervention important?
Early treatment improves recovery, prevents long-term infertility, reduces calving interval losses.

Advanced Breeding Technologies

Less common but powerful!

🐄➕🔬🔄 Embryo Transfer (ET)

Embryos from superior females placed into surrogates for rapid multiplication.

Why farmers use it:
  • Faster genetic improvement
  • Maximises elite cow value

Livestock used in: Pedigree dairy & beef cattle

Knowledge check: Why are surrogates essential?
They carry the calf, letting donor cows produce more embryos without pregnancy limits.

🧬 Genomics (DNA-Based Selection)

DNA testing predicts performance early in life.

Why farmers use it:
  • Accurate breeding decisions
  • Earlier replacement selection
  • Reduced genetic risk

Livestock used in: Dairy, beef, sheep

Knowledge check: How does genomic testing reduce poor decisions?
Provides reliable predictions early, reducing reliance on appearance or limited records.
Breeding Technologies – Knowledge Test

Breeding Technologies – Knowledge Test

Fill in the blanks. Click “Reveal” to see the correct word.

Keyword Bank: Pedometers Synchronisation Artificial Insemination Sexed Infertility Embryo Transfer Genomics Cattle Sheep Pigs Heifers

1. 🐄➕📶 Pedometers are sensors worn on cows to measure activity and detect heat.

2. 🐄➕🔄 Oestrus Synchronisation uses hormones to bring groups of females into heat at the same time.

3. 🐄➕🧪 Artificial Insemination involves placing semen from selected sires into the female reproductive tract without natural mating.

4. 🧪➕♀♂ Sexed semen increases the likelihood of producing a female or male offspring.

5. 🩺 Infertility treatments are veterinary-led interventions to solve fertility problems in livestock such as cystic ovaries or infections.

6. 💊 Multiple ovulation + 🐄➕🔬🔄 Embryo Transfer allows embryos from elite females to be transferred into surrogate mothers to multiply superior genetics.

7. 🧬 Genomics testing uses DNA to predict animal performance early in life.

8. Typical livestock used in these technologies include Cattle, Sheep, and Pigs.

9. Sexed semen is often applied to young Heifers rather than older cows to maximise conception rates.