Bunker plan to protect bull semen

The importation of bull semen is expected to begin within weeks

Bull semen could be stored in a USA nuclear-proof bunker under plans being considered by the Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society.

The bunker in Colorado is one of two places it could be kept to try to ensure the Jersey breed's genes last.

Keeping more specimens at a facility in Scotland is also being considered.

The plans come just a month after the States decided to overturn a 200-year ban on the importation of bull semen into the island.

It would be prudent to split samples and specimens off for back-up purposes James Godfray

During the debate on allowing bull semen imports, some voiced concern that it would end the purity of the Jersey cow.

The Royal Society, which backed the move, said the purity of the herd would not be lost, but that it was considering having samples of semen frozen and stored off the island to ensure the breed's preservation as a matter of "prudence".

The proposals were considered after discussions with representatives of the United States Department of Agriculture.

Royal Society chief executive James Godfray said that frozen samples had been kept in the island for years and that the society would continue to do so. But he added off-island samples would be a good "insurance policy".

'Best practice'

He said: "Basically, we've always stored bull semen since we started collecting it back in the 1960s.

"But, if anything happens, it would be prudent to split samples and specimens off for back-up purposes, just like you would back up a computer hard-drive".

He added that the society was not expecting anything terrible to happen following the beginning of imports, but that it was a matter of "best practice".

If samples are sent off of to the Colorado bunker, they will be looked after by the National Centre for Genetic Resources Preservation.

The importation of bull semen into Jersey is expected to begin within the next few weeks.