Turkey’s first sperm bank for goats founded

Gamze Kolcu - ANKARA

Turkey’s first sperm bank for goats has been founded in the capital Ankara in order to protect the species of the Ankara goat. 

The project, which is carried out by Ankara University, received support from the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBİTAK) worth 240,000 Turkish Liras. 

Elite flocks will be founded with artificial insemination in the Ankara Goat Sperm Bank, founded through the cooperation of Ankara University’s Faculty of Veterinary Science lecturer Prof. Ali Daşkın, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), and TÜBİTAK. 

The number of high-technology Ankara goats - which has a high value in the world, especially in the textile industry - has been on a steady decline in Ankara and the surrounding provinces and is now near extinction. 

While the number of such Ankara goats is decreasing in Turkey, it has been on the rise in North Africa, the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, France and Russia, according to Daşkın. 

“With the computer software developed as a part of the project, we’ve reached sperms with highest level of gene quality via embryo transfers, collective insemination, and methods like embryo creation in laboratories. In the sperm bank the prevention of diseases can be possible,” Daşkın told daily Hürriyet, adding that the farmers could apply to the goat sperm bank.

“Farmers can apply to the goat sperm bank at Ankara University if they want to inoculate high quality goat sperm into their goats. In this way, the Ankara goats started to provide 3.5 kilograms of wool rather than just a kilogram as before,” he added.