SPECIAL REPORT | BREEDING RECRUITS
Left: The McCarthy family are passionate about their role as AB techs for LIC. Left to right: Dad Paul McCarthy with daughters Laura, Anita and Erin.
RECRUITS put hands up for AI
A
rtificial breeding technicians (AB techs) across the country have begun rolling up their sleeves in order to get millions of dairy cows pregnant over the next six months. Last year LIC, which employs about 900 AB techs between September and March, oversaw the insemination of more than four million cows. While undertaking this work, the co-operative is also seeking new recruits to train ahead of next season. Once trained many return year-afteryear including the McCarthy family. Paul McCarthy first trained with LIC in 1978 as a 20-year-old. After nearly 40 years he has inseminated thousands of cows while running a 134-hectare dairy farm in
Trainees practice AI on LIC’s artificial cow.
Galatea in the eastern Bay of Plenty with his wife Johanna. “My brother-in-law works as an LIC AB tech near Ashburton and my three youngest daughters – Anita, 31, Laura, 30, and Erin, 28 – all became fully-qualified AB techs about five years ago.” “My daughter Laura only just got
“making milking easier and faster”
through because there’s a height and length-of-arm criteria for the job. But she just got in and did her apprenticeship in the South Island where you’re dealing with large Friesian cows and she was able to inseminate those big cows. She’s a very determined person.” Paul says having good empathy for farmers and animals is vital. “I also inseminated in Australia last year and New Zealand techs are in demand over there, as they are everywhere. Our adherence to hygiene, our training, our technique – it’s all outstanding. LIC should be proud as well.” Applications for the next intake of LIC AB techs open on October 1. Training commences in February with an intense two-week course with attendees having to pass the first week before moving on to the second. Initially, trainees work on artificial cows to make sure the insemination technique is learnt. The introduction of artificial cows by LIC in 2015, with silicon parts that have been made to resemble as close as possible the internal reproductive organs of a cow, has lifted the overall AB apprentice technician pass rate in recent years. Training takes place at six training sites across the country between February and May. Applicants pay a training fee of $899 (plus GST) which covers participation in LIC’s 12-month apprenticeship programme including four national unit standards administered by Primary ITO. Once applicants have successfully passed, they’re eligible for a refund on their training fee as part of the Government’s apprenticeship programmes. More? Visit www.lic.co.nz/productsand-services/artificial-breeding/train-abtechnician
See our website or phone for more info.
for circular and s te ga g in ck ba e iv ct fe ef About rectangular dairy yards
K. H. McConnel Ltd. Hamilton, New Zealand
56
www.mcconnel.co.nz
Phone: +64 7 849 2122 Fax: +64 7 849 2128 Email: sales@mcconnel.co.nz
Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | October 2020
