asked the Minister for Agriculture (a) the number of proven bulls at present in the country, and (b) the facilities available to private breeders for having their bulls proven by the contemporary comparison method.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Progeny Tested Bulls
23.
(a) There are at present 37 progeny tested bulls. (b) No special facilities are provided by my Department for the testing of bulls in private herds. Where however a pedigree breeder has sufficient milk records available, under the Pedigree Herds Recording Scheme, of heifers by a particular bull in the herd and of contemporaries by other bulls, my Department is prepared to process the records for the purpose of proving the bull.
Would the Minister not think that, if private breeders are prepared to make semen available free of charge at the AI stations, that would be a desirable development, in view of the large number of bulls involved?
As I indicated in my reply, I think we have gone a reasonable distance in this matter. I do not see that we can do much more.