Fiona Brown’s passion for sheep has shaped her career and occupies the majority of her spare time. She describes her work as a sheep AI and ET technician and the management of her own flock to Wendy Short
THE use of artificial insemination (AI) and embryo work in sheep are specialised practices, but their contribution towards speeding up genetic improvement and producing a tighter lambing period is making its mark on the industry.
Fiona Brown, from Bowes, recently completed her second season working for D and C Fawcett sheep breeding services, while continuing to manage a mixed flock which includes pedigree Zwartbles.
The work of a sheep AI technician is, of course, seasonal and Fiona’s commitments run from July until the end of January.
During this period, she forms part of a team which travels to farms across the country in a van which has been converted into a mobile laboratory, while others remain at the company headquarters in Penrith, to conduct AI and embryo transfer (ET) on sheep which are brought in.
The Penrith centre, which is run by vet Dan Fawcett, also offers semen testing and freezing and ram vasectomy, as well as running training courses designed for producers who wish to collect semen and cervically AI their own sheep. The staff usually perform laparoscopic AI, which has a success rate of approximately 80 to 90 per cent and can utilise either fresh or frozen semen.
“One dose of semen will normally cover about 30 ewes,” explains Fiona. “About 30 doses can be collected in one ‘jump’, and the semen from several jumps can be collected from a single ram in one day. Clients who want to store frozen semen usually bring their rams in to the centre and they stay with us inside one of the buildings for up to a week. The semen has to be chilled before freezing and checked afterwards, so it is better to have the rams on hand, so that we can make sure the process has been successful before they leave.
“If the owner requires, they can also arrange to have the rams given a dose of Regulin 50 days before semen collection, as it will enhance the ram’s libido and improve the quality of his semen.”
When it comes to ET, a ewe is considered to be a good subject for flushing if she produces ten embryos, says Fiona. If she reaches the target, it is likely that her daughters will also be good subjects for flushing, she says.
However, ewe management will also influence the success rate.
“Ewes must not be too fat, because it can cause complications in surgery. They should ideally be on a rising plane of nutrition at flushing. Their owners will synchronise the chosen ewes, to encourage the production of large numbers of embryos.
“The next stage is for us to visit the farm, to carry out the transfer, or they can be brought in to our centre. We also ask breeders with small numbers of ewes to bring them to us.”
The Zwartble is among the breeds which make good recipients for ET, she says.
“The recipients will usually be from breeds which naturally cycle at the time of flushing. For example, Suffolks might be used for an August flushing and the Zwartbles, Dorset and Berrichon also fall into this category. The natural mating time for North of England ewes is normally October.”
Crossbreds are often selected because they have the advantage of hybrid vigour and young sheep will tend to produce better results, so shearlings or two-shears are preferred.
“If the donor comes from a flock which is MV-accredited, the recipient will also need to meet the standard and that is why some recipients are purchased 12 months in advance to give them time to attain accreditation and to acclimatise to the new environment. After the embryos have been transferred, it is advisable to keep the recipients free of any stress for about four weeks during the implantation stage.”
A sheep AI technician’s job is highly specialised, but Fiona’s background made her an obvious choice when she applied for her current job.
“I studied animal management, at Houghall College in Durham, when I left school and trained as a veterinary nurse. My first job was with Swale Vets at Richmond and although I was happy there, my involvement was mainly with small animals and I really wanted to work with sheep.
“I have always done some part-time work for other farmers and one of them uses AI. He mentioned that a vacancy was coming up so I applied and was delighted when I found out that I’d got the job. It has shown me a different side to the management of sheep and I always look forward to the start of the sheep breeding season.”
HOME FLOCKS
THE seasonal work as an AI technician fits in very well with the management of her own flocks, which are divided into 21 pedigree ‘Stainmore’ Zwartble ewes and a mixed group of about 80 ‘Mount Pleasant’ Swaledale ewes, plus 50 Texel cross breeding females.
Fiona’s Zwartbles are Maedi Visna-accredited and are therefore segregated from the main flock, which she co-owns with her mother, Linda, who is a shepherdess.
The Zwartbles are kept on the 15-acre Mount Pleasant smallholding on the side of the A66, which is the home of Fiona’s grandmother, Joan Brown and her son, Ivan. The mother and daughter team also rent land at Gilmonby, which is close to their home in Bowes village.
The pedigree Zwartbles flock was established five years ago, after Fiona received a pair of ewes for her 17th birthday. They are sponged to produce their lambs in December, so that their progeny will be ready in time for the Zwartbles Association’s premier sale in August. She now has almost a dozen ewes and has already achieved some success in both the show ring and the sale ring. Her tup, Stainmore Django, came reserve in his class at last year’s sale and went on to attract the second joint top price of 1,100gns – she has also sold one of her tup lambs for 800gns. The correct pronunciation of the breed name is a subject that has been much debated but Fiona opts for “Swarbals”.
“One of my original Zwartbles ewes came from the Birkbeck family’s Tombob flock at Kirkby Stephen, which is very highly regarded,” says Fiona. “We like to support local breeders and the ewe helped to get me off to a good start, in terms of bloodlines.
“I plan to attend some of the bigger shows this year and for the first time ever I have a show team that I hope is good enough to compete at the Great Yorkshire. My sheep took a couple of reserve breed championships at the Wensleydale and Bowes shows in 2013 and my flock also won the Zwartbles Sheep Association Northern flock competition in the small breeders’ section in 2014.”
The Dutch breed has become extremely popular since it was first imported in the early 1990s, partly because of its striking colouring. However, it has many other positive attributes, according to Fiona.
“I was first drawn to the Zwartbles because it was something a bit different and I liked its markings,” she says. “But after researching the breed, I found that they have a lot of good commercial traits – the main two being the milkiness of the ewes and their strong mothering instincts.
“As breeders, we are working towards improving the carcase shape, but it was never intended to be used as a terminal sire. We have crossed a few with the Texel and the Beltex and they produce good lambs, when they are put to a terminal sire. They are also very placid and friendly, which makes them easy to handle at shows.”
The obvious question is whether she has taken advantage of her skills in manipulative breeding techniques to improve her own flock.
“I haven’t yet used AI on my Zwartbles, but I am planning to flush one of my best ewes this season,” she says. “She is one of my older sheep, but she carries good bloodlines and has been a very productive breeder. ET and AI are not permitted by the Swaledale Sheep Breeders Association, so that is not an option for our hill flock.
“Despite my interest in the Zwartbles, I have no intention of giving up the Swaledales, as they have always been kept by family and I want to maintain the tradition. The flock was started by my late grandfather, Joseph Brown, who came to the area as an evacuee and ended up staying. But the Zwartbles are special – I probably won’t increase their numbers much, but I am working towards improving the quality of my flock.”
l D and C Fawcett is running a one-day semen collection and cervical AI course in July. For more details, visit www.sheepbreeding.co.uk or telephone 01768 890935.
