Native British bull semen embarks on journey to the world's most remote island

As of January 2017, the main island has just 262 permanent inhabitants
As of January 2017, the main island has just 262 permanent inhabitants

A British cattle breeding company has exported a consignment of native British bull semen to Tristan da Cunha – one of the most remote islands in the world.

The British overseas territory, a tiny and remote volcanic island in the South Atlantic, will receive the consignment from UK Sire Services.

It is the most remote inhabited archipelago in the world, lying 1,200 miles from the nearest inhabited land, Saint Helena, and 1,500 miles from the nearest continental land, South Africa.

The consignment left Manchester late last year to embark on this epic journey.

Location of Tristan da Cunha (Photo: Google Maps)
Location of Tristan da Cunha (Photo: Google Maps)

It was received in Capetown, South Africa en route, and made the final 2,400km (1,500 miles) leg of the journey by boat. From the island’s tiny harbour, it was taken by tractor into secure storage.

The semen straws included were from the bulls, Albany Ludlow, a pure English Hereford, owned by Les Cook and family from Cambridge; Fedw Stig, a Red Poll owned by John Williams, a farmer and undertaker from Shropshire; Gear Blue Moon, an Aberdeen Angus owned by Mark Pilcher, Director of UK Sire Services and son of celebrated writer, Rosamunde Pilcher; and Morlais Dewi Sant, a Welsh Black owned by Hywel Davies from near Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales.

The eclectic mix of genetics has been chosen for use on Tristan’s own mostly Hereford and Angus cattle where it is hoped they will improve their productivity for both beef and milk.

Red Poll bull, Fedw Stig, whose semen has been exported to Tristan da Cunha
Red Poll bull, Fedw Stig, whose semen has been exported to Tristan da Cunha

The native British breeds have been selected for their ability to thrive on limited supplies of grazed grass and for their ease of management in sometimes challenging situations.

'Eight years'

Neil Swain, who works for Tristan’s agriculture department, formerly studied at Harper Adams University in Shropshire and instigated the shipment, says: “We haven’t had a change of breed for about eight years, so this will bring in some new blood, and we can keep some bulls from our best cows for breeding.”

Mr Swain works with the island’s only veterinary surgeon, and the two have been inseminating the island’s cattle during the breeding season through January and February.

He became an insemination technician during his study trip to the UK and says he is delighted to have received the semen shipment after a complex and tortuous trip of over 10,000km (over 6,000 miles).

“The advice I was given by UK Sire Services about handling and storage of the straws was invaluable, and I would particularly like to thank Tim Brook, Store Manager at UK Sire Services, who kept me up-to-date on the shipment’s progress,” he says.

“The insemination period for our cattle has now come to an end, so we await the confirmed pregnancies with interest,” he says.

The island's unique social and economic organisation has evolved over the years, but is based on the principles set out by William Glass in 1817, when he established a settlement based on equality. All Tristan families are farmers, owning their own stock and/or fishing.