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AI
ensures the future of rare breed Highland Genus
Equine, working with Stallion AI Services, has recently joined forces
with the Rare Breeds Survival trust (RBST) to establish a sperm
bank to ensure the future survival of Britain’s most threatened
native breeds of horse and pony. The latest addition to the bank
is from one of HM the Queen’s stunning Highland pony stallions. The
Highland is one of several Scottish breeds classified as vulnerable
by the RBST. Their future has been made more secure thanks to a
recent trip by three stallions from Scotland to Genus Equine’s
collection centre Stallion AI Services in Shropshire to participate
in the RBST’s Regeneration Appeal Programme. HM the Queen’s
Balmoral Moss, who starred in the spectacular ‘All The Queen’s
Horses’ Jubilee celebrations last year, together with Fyfedene
from Stirling and Carlung Ebony from Ayrshire made the lengthy journey
to provide more than 200 semen doses. Genus
Equine have already collected semen from four other of the eleven
breeds listed with the RBST: the Cleveland Bay and Eriskay who are
on the critical list and the Dales and Irish Draught who are classified
as vulnerable. During
the next few years the project will involve evaluations and freezing
from other native stallions to establish a sperm bank of British
native breeds including the Clydesdale, Dartmoor, Exmoor, Fell,
Shire and Suffolk Punch. Stored in liquid nitrogen the semen will
stay viable almost indefinitely and will provide valuable gene pools
for future use.
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For
further information on semen collection contact Genus Equine,
telephone 0870 872 7799, for equine AI contact Tullis Matson,
Stallion AI Services, telephone 01948 666295, mobile 07801 592111
or visit the website at www.stallionai.com
. To find out more about the Rare Breeds Survival Trust and
to make a donation contact Susie Cradock, telephone 02476 696551. |
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