asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the extent to which stallions are moved from area to area in order to avoid inbreeding.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Movement of Stallions.
12.
My Department has 47 stallions on lease to breeders throughout the country. The need for the movement of these stallions from one area to another because of excessive inbreeding arises on very few occasions largely because the owners normally sell off the female progeny and replace the mares with unrelated stock. There is no official control on the movement of privately-owned stallions.
When those stallions are leased by the Department, are they free of all official control from there on? If a man decides to keep the same horse in a particular area for, say, ten years is he allowed to do so?
Like the Government.
This apparently is happening and there are considerable complaints about it.
If a sire placed in an area turns out after a number of years to be a good one, or even better than average, the inclination surely will be to keep him there, particularly while there is a demand for his services. The owners of the mares in the area will not cause undue inbreeding to take place. It is not something which results merely because there has not been a change of sire in the area. However, I can see the Deputy's point that more frequent changes might perhaps make for greater convenience for mare owners with just one mare. That is the only aspect that really is of any great concern.
I am raising it only because of complaints.
If there are complaints, particularly in regard to the convenience of mare owners, I should be glad to have them from the Deputy.