Cogent expansion provides strong base for UK cattle genetics

The commitment of cattle breeding specialists, Cogent, to British agriculture has moved up a gear following the official opening by founder and owner, the Duke of Westminster, of a new extension to the company’s bull housing facility at Beachin Stud in Cheshire.

The new development increases the unit’s capacity to 166 head of individually housed mature bulls. The company claims the stud now is now the largest unit of its kind in the UK and one of the largest in Europe.

The extension comprises 44 pens for both beef and dairy sires, with the growing business of custom semen collection partly fuelling the facility’s expansion.

Cogent's Stuart Boothman

“The bulls which are moving into this facility have a range of owners,” said Cogent operations manager, Stuart Boothman, who oversees the running of the stud. “Apart from those that are on collection for Cogent as part of Visions – the company’s young sire progeny testing scheme – there are bulls from North American and other international AI companies who buy bulls in Europe and want to house them in the UK, as well as many from British farmers.

“If you take, for example, some of the beef bulls that sell for very high prices, the only way their owners will get a return on their investment is if the bulls come for collection and they frequently come to Cogent.”

The fact that the semen sexing facilities on the premises are widely considered to be the most advanced in the world also gives the Beachin facility an edge.

“This particularly attracts AI companies and individual breeders to bring dairy sires to the premises, where the semen can go straight through the sexing procedure, significantly increasing the chance of producing a heifer calf,” he said.

Cogent stud extension

The new facility – housed in a 77m x 22m clear-span building – has been modelled on and slightly adapted from Cogent’s previous successful extension and features deep-bedded straw and spacious, light and airy pens for optimal animal comfort.

Welfare continues to be a high priority and bulls have regular access to a large central sand play area which features 18 inch deep sand and a wide embedded tree trunk for scratching and rubbing.

“This provides a safe environment in which the bulls can stretch their muscles and exercise,” said Mr Boothman. “It also adds interest to their day and definitely improves the overall health and libido of the bulls and prolongs their collection life.”

A further attraction is that semen collected from any bull on the stud will qualify for export, potentially giving an important fillip to international trade in genetics from Britain.

“This represents a significant investment for Cogent,” said sales and genetics manager, Hugh Pocock. “But it also represents the creation of a strong base for the cattle genetics industry in the UK and we are confident the extended facility will prove an added attraction for international customers when considering British genetics.”