FIXED-time artificial insemination, the latest in beef breeding technology, has arrived.
FTAI allows breeders to inseminate females within a six-hour window without using traditional heat detection methods, saving time and money.
Angus Australia's Bob Dent said it was a major breakthrough in delivering cost-effective large-scale artificial breeding programs.
"AI, for a lot of of people, is seen as time-consuming, hard to organise and often producing low conception rates," Mr Dent said.
"A fixed-time AI program provides the opportunity to run a group of heifers, for instance, through the yards, join them without heat detection, which cuts a few days out and get a good result."
He said the higher conception rates could help make AI programs more affordable.
The technology would also appeal to those wishing to spread elite genetics through their herd quickly.
"Being able to join heifers to a calving ease sire and getting a big percentage in calf, just by running them through the yards a few times, makes it easy," Mr Dent said.
"It provides the opportunity for stud and commercial breeders who might buy an expensive bull to spread that bull further over the herd; it's possible to do a segment of a herd with FTAI which is relatively quick and easy compared to detect-and-inseminate programs that have been around a lot longer."
Producers can hear more about this technology when Argentine vet and bovine reproduction specialist Gabriel Bo tours the eastern states next month.
Dr Bo's visit will take in Guyra and Holbrook in NSW and Warrnambool and Yea.
