AI Costs

[Coweena]

What does it approximately cost to AI heifers in texas? I have never done this, not even sure if my vet can do it , but I am curious to see if its cheaper to AI than it is to just buy a bull.
I was thinking about semen running about $20 a straw and I am not real sure about what other costs are involved.(which is why I am asking)

 

[Angus In Texas]

It depends on what synchronization protocol you use as to what drugs you have to administer. But typically excluding the cost of semen we get ours bred for between $30 and $40 per head. I believe it was $20 to AI and then drug costs last year when we were breeding. It is much cheaper than buying a bull if you are only doing a small number of cattle.

 

[Coweena]

Thanks AIT, I am really interested in trying AI and dont really have a clue how to get started. I am just wondering if Ill have to buy a storage container and alot of other materials or how all that works.I dont have alot of animals yet so I am kinda cost concious right now.

 

[bigbull338]

alot depends on how meny heifers your going to AI.youll have to watch for heats.an have an AI tech close by.youll need access to a seman tank.an have to buy the semen in 10 straw canes.most times it takes 2 AI services to settle them.an maybe more depending on how good you are at catching heats.id say the cost would be close to $75 a head to AI breed the heifers.

 

[Angus In Texas]

We time breed all of ours and yes the conception rates are a little lower but having a full time job doesn't allow me to check for heats and breed off of them. You don't have to buy semen in canes of 10.... we get ours from Bovine Elite in College Station and can buy as many or as few as we need.

 

[dun]

Any dairys in your area? You could possibly rent space in their tank and pay their tech to AI for you. More fun but more money and time is to go to school and learn how, then all you ned is a tank and the basic AI stuff, i.e. gloves gun, sheaths, etc. If you can breed on observed standing heats your conception rate will be much better plus you don;t have the costs of the synch stuff

 

[bullpeddler]

Semen runs $15 to $30 per straw and we figure 1.5 straws on average to get a cow bred. A trained inseminator will charge from $10 to $25 per head depending on how many head you have. Our vet used to charge $15 per head if we took the cows to him but we do it all ourselves now. If you synch with CIDRS you will add another $15 dollar or so for inserts and drugs. We prefer breeding off natural heats and get better results. This figures out to be much cheaper than using a bull plus you get to use bulls you couldn't normally afford. The cattle must be in good shape and you will need to be able to detect heat for AI to work. Good luck.

 

[C HOLLAND]

What does it approximately cost to AI heifers in texas? I have never done this, not even sure if my vet can do it , but I am curious to see if its cheaper to AI than it is to just buy a bull.
I was thinking about semen running about $20 a straw and I am not real sure about what other costs are involved.(which is why I am asking)

The biggest cost in my opinion is your TIME, it is really tough if you work a full time job. The heat detection and timing has been my biggest obstacle.

I was talking to my AI rep last night when he came by to fill my tank and mentioned to him that I wasn't sure if I would continue doing AI after this fall and coming spring.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Farmgirl]

Cowena,

We have our cows AIed. We have synched and done on natural heats. We prefer natural heats but have had pretty good success with syncs. Of the last 6, 5 took the first time. Of those 4 were natural and 2 were synched. Cost for CIDRs and shots for sync was $40 for both. We haul ours to the vet. Cost for AI was $58 for 2. Semen was $48 for both. Considering that some have to be repeated, etc, etc our cost is running about $100 to $125 per confirmed pregnancy. Some have been as low as $66. Our vet stores our straws at no cost. It is just not feasible for us to buy a tank and worry with keeping it charged. As has been said, conception is lower with syncs but an advantage is you can do several at once, and probably a lower cost. Depending on the protocol used you can choose when they will be AIed. Heat detection is a pain and syncs help with that too.

I don't know where you are located in Texas but our vet is in Navasota.

Hope this helps,
Farmgirl

 

[milkmaid]

My herd is currently all AI... my vet stores semen at the clinic for me for free, I can either use stuff I've bought (currently $45/straw sexed semen) or he's got some $5 straws off a good young bull, and then he charges $15 to AI, $3 to preg check and he can tell at 32 days. I bought some sexed semen recently and that was $45/straw.

So for me it's cheaper to AI the herd. Comes out to between $23 and $40ish per head (or $60+ with sexed semen) to breed them AI.

 

[sedrick_hall]

What does it approximately cost to AI heifers in texas? I have never done this, not even sure if my vet can do it , but I am curious to see if its cheaper to AI than it is to just buy a bull.
I was thinking about semen running about $20 a straw and I am not real sure about what other costs are involved.(which is why I am asking)

The biggest cost in my opinion is your TIME, it is really tough if you work a full time job. The heat detection and timing has been my biggest obstacle.

I was talking to my AI rep last night when he came by to fill my tank and mentioned to him that I wasn't sure if I would continue doing AI after this fall and coming spring.

Best of luck to you.

With TIME being one of the biggest obstacles, how do big time Seedstock operations AI so many cows in a short period of time?

 

[bigbull338]

the big seedstock herds sync all their cows an heifers.an time breed them.as well as breed them in standing heat.then they turn out the bulls a week or so later for 60 to 90 days.

 

[Frankie]

What does it approximately cost to AI heifers in texas? I have never done this, not even sure if my vet can do it , but I am curious to see if its cheaper to AI than it is to just buy a bull.
I was thinking about semen running about $20 a straw and I am not real sure about what other costs are involved.(which is why I am asking)

The biggest cost in my opinion is your TIME, it is really tough if you work a full time job. The heat detection and timing has been my biggest obstacle.

I was talking to my AI rep last night when he came by to fill my tank and mentioned to him that I wasn't sure if I would continue doing AI after this fall and coming spring.

Best of luck to you.

With TIME being one of the biggest obstacles, how do big time Seedstock operations AI so many cows in a short period of time?

They have hired help.They have a system. They have the facilities. A thousand calves will hit the ground at GAR within a 45 day fall calving season. Every one of them is an AI or embryo calf. They have a remarkable facility on the ranch for AI and ET.

 

[Coweena]

You have all been a great help. I was wondering about if i was going to have to buy a tank, im glad to know that the vet might store it for me. I am looking into this now so I can get all the details in order for when my heifers are ready. Do you have to use virgin heifers ? I have some 1st calf heifers that will be ready around the same time as the upcoming heifers. All together , I will have about 7 girls that I want to AI.
As far as the heat detection and synch., I do work full-time, so Im going to have to figure out the best way. I am sure Ill be asking alot more questions.

 

[Wisteria Farms]

What does it approximately cost to AI heifers in texas? I have never done this, not even sure if my vet can do it , but I am curious to see if its cheaper to AI than it is to just buy a bull.
I was thinking about semen running about $20 a straw and I am not real sure about what other costs are involved.(which is why I am asking)

The biggest cost in my opinion is your TIME, it is really tough if you work a full time job. The heat detection and timing has been my biggest obstacle.

I was talking to my AI rep last night when he came by to fill my tank and mentioned to him that I wasn't sure if I would continue doing AI after this fall and coming spring.

Best of luck to you.

If you decide NOT to continue with AI...and want to sell your tank, let me know. We're going to be taking a couple of AI classes and are going to need a decent tank. Thanks!

 

[dun]

You have all been a great help. I was wondering about if i was going to have to buy a tank, im glad to know that the vet might store it for me. I am looking into this now so I can get all the details in order for when my heifers are ready. Do you have to use virgin heifers ? I have some 1st calf heifers that will be ready around the same time as the upcoming heifers. All together , I will have about 7 girls that I want to AI.
As far as the heat detection and synch., I do work full-time, so Im going to have to figure out the best way. I am sure Ill be asking alot more questions.

As long as you're not using sexed semen that is only recommended for virgin heifers, you can AI any age. Granny is coming 18 and she settled again this year to the first breeding. In the vast majority of cases, if a bull can get them to settle so can a good technician

 

[Brandonm2]

As long as you're not using sexed semen that is only recommended for virgin heifers,

Dun WHAT is the reasoning behind that??? I believe Genex when they tell me that sexed semen is for virgins only, but for the life of me I can't figure out why that is the case?

 

[dun]

As long as you're not using sexed semen that is only recommended for virgin heifers,

Dun WHAT is the reasoning behind that??? I believe Genex when they tell me that sexed semen is for virgins only, but for the life of me I can't figure out why that is the case?

Good question, I've never figured it out either. Supposedly their is a lower conception rate with sexed semen. Maybe some of the sperm is damaged or weakened by the sorting process. About the only thing I can think of that's different between a heifer, virgin or not, is the size of the uterus and maybe the length of th fallopian tubes.
But I'm not willing to spend twice as much for semen just to find out.

 

[bigbull338]

the thing with sexed semen is this theres no where near the amount of semen in the sexed semen.as there is unsexed semen/

 

[dun]

the thing with sexed semen is this theres no where near the amount of semen in the sexed semen.as there is unsexed semen/

So what would make the difference between a virgin heifer and a cow? The sperm doesn;t check for age when it's trying to do it's job