Two Scottish breeders have exported semen from North Country Cheviot rams to the USA – the first time in more than 30 years.
Roderick Runicman from the Scottish Borders and Andrew Polson from Caithness were selected to export semen across the pond to strengthen the gene pool of the American flock.
The move follows President Biden’s scrapping of the beef and lamb import ban in September 2021, which had been in place since 1989 due to fears over the UK outbreak of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE).
As well as meat, the ban included semen and embryos, meaning the US gene pool for native breeds such as the North Country Cheviot has been severally restricted for more than three decades.
Andrew, who runs the Smerlie flock, said it was an honour to provide semen, particularly after returning to Northies in 2012 after a 25-year break.
He now runs 200 pure-bred ewes and sells shearling rams and gimmers at Caithness and Lockerbie.
The rams he put forward to donate semen were Smerlie Ambassador, Smerlie Admiral, Smerlie Whisky and Cairnside Brightspark.
“I was contacted directly by a breeder in the States whose grandfather was from Caithness,” said Andrew.
“He had studied agriculture at university in Scotland and visited sales in Caithness so he knew what he was looking for.
“They had seen some of my sheep and Roderick’s sheep go into the sale ring and because of that we were asked to supply semen. Roderick has a fantastic track record and it was a great honour for the Smerlie flock to be asked. It’s going to be good for the North Country Cheviot breed and for our fellow breeders.”
The breeders both put forward four rams each to donate the semen managed by AB Europe.
Roderick, of the well-known Allanshaws flock, said his rams – Sebay Excitable, Pengreos Xcalibre, Allanshaws XR3, and Allanshaw ACDC – were all proven sires and passed the tests with flying colours.
He said: “The Americans are keen to improve the breed and they watch every sale and show and comment on them. They see when you win a show and they seemed to like my type.
“The Scottish blood will widen the gene pool but Rome wasn’t built in a day. It isn’t going to suddenly make them into the quality we see over here but I do think it’s a big step forward to improving the genetics across the pond.”
Roderick runs 750 North Country Cheviot ewes that scan between 190% – 200% and are capable of raising two lambs even at heights of up to 1,400ft on his farm near Galashiels.
He keeps 300 of his ewes pure and the rest are put to a Bluefaced Leicester to produce Cheviot Mules which he sells privately to a regular client list.