Emma Girard, 12, pictured with some of her family’s Golden Guernsey goats. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0809369)

GOAT semen from 50 years ago could help save a local breed.

The Golden Guernsey genetic material, which has been in storage since the 1960s, could be used to father a new generation of kids.

Guernsey goat numbers will also get a boost from their UK cousins. Local breeder Peter Girard has been granted the first licence to import goat sperm to help improve local animals.

He said this was an important step.

‘We are limited here and there is a danger of inbreeding with this rare breed.’

There are fewer than a dozen male Golden Guernseys in the island and under 100 females. But in the UK, there are more than 100 males, which could be used to help out.

‘It will give us a wider pool to choose from,’ said Mr Girard.

‘Also the semen remains viable for many years. Some of the semen from the original animals from the 1960s is still usable. Some of their lines are now extinct, so it would be great to bring them back.’

Mr Girard said Guernsey had had an ongoing problem with inbreeding animals and it was not uncommon for grandparents to breed with grandchildren.

This has led to health problems.  ‘There are goats who are hermaphrodites [both sexes at once] or have defects with their udders or internally,’ he said.

Male goats have previously been imported but that can also lead to problems.