Thanks to Rebecca Loos' stint on Channel 5 reality show The Farm, more people than necessary were enlightened to the process of artificial insemination for animals. For those that remained blessedly unaware, your happy ignorance is about to be shattered. First of all someone needs to collect the goods from the bull or pig. This is either done entirely by hand or by bravely nipping in with quick reflexes and a container at the crucial moment between the stud and his decoy mate. Then it's down to the inseminator to, well, inseminate. It's either a visiting full-time professional or someone on the farm who's had the relevant training. This is not a role for the odd-job man. There are a number of reasons why AI is commonplace for cattle. It allows prize animals to impregnate from miles away, meaning farmers aren't restricted to using local supplies. It helps stop the spread of disease due to a lack of physical contact between beasts. And, it's also a lot quicker than having a whole heard line-up to be serviced naturally.
