AI problem may be solved.

[Scotty]

As I have mentioned earlier I want to start AIing some cows. In my effort to get ove the initial cost I found a good deal. Another vet clinic in Comanche will strore(free) if they do the ensimination. Cost seemed high. 35 dollars per head, 2.00 permile to drive to my place. This way is cheaper than buying tanks and such. Try it out and report back.


Scotty

 

[CowCop]

Scotty--just wondering..

How far is it from their place to yours and how many cows do you have.

My tech charges $25/per cow to AI, using semen in my tank, and she has a trip of 25 miles to get to my cows.

 

[Scotty]

6 miles($24), and 5 head($175). Say 20$ straws = $100. $299.00



Scotty

 

[CowCop]

6 miles($24), and 5 head($175). Say 20$ straws = $100. $299.00 Scotty

That is certainly much safer and less expensive than keeping a bull~!!

And of course, faster genetic progress too.

How old are your 5 cows and where did you get them from ?
How many acres do you have ?
Do you have a barn or other shelter ? Water source ?

Hope you don't mind the questions, but I feel some of us MUST get the chat back to CATTLE. If you get my drift.

One of the favorite things I like to do is tape the empty straw to my cow calender as a pleasant reminder that there is a new calf on the way and to somewhat honor the bull that gave the sample.
My city friends scream everytime they see the calender.
Makes me giggle with joy....

 

[la4angus]

6 miles($24), and 5 head($175). Say 20$ straws = $100. $299.00

Scotty

Scotty, to be on the safe side just add 50% to your numbers. Very few get 100% on first insemination.. 50% may be a little high but at least you have a good cushion to work on.
Some cows will settle on first breeding and others you may have to breed 2 or 3 times.

 

[Scotty]

Right now I have the five reg. Angus cows. Bought them from Camp Cooley(1) and the other four from a freind that raises them near by. They are all seven years old. I have now fourty commercial cows. I was up to over 200 but lost a lease, age of some and great prices I sold a few. I lease now 150 acres, and own 150 that I live on. It has a barn and lots, and my lease place just has lots(I built). They both have a tank and well. My place I live on has a creek that devides it so I usually have water without running the well year round. The tank is also built on the side of a hill that has springs running into it. Nothing fancy. 80 acres of my place is costal for my hay. The rest is native. I am trying to go into pure breds more and have less head higher quality. May be a mistake. I don't think so. Kids are of the showing age is another factor. They like the way Angus look. I like the fact that around my area it is not ahrd to sell an Angus bull. Seems like someone always needs one.

I don't mind the questions. I like to talk cattle all the time. My wife commented yesterday how that is all I am interested in.


Scotty

 

[CowCop]

I like to talk cattle all the time. My wife commented yesterday how that is all I am interested in.

Same here. I have a one tract mind.

As my friends hover over their new seed catalogs, I am oowing and ahhing over the new semen catalogs.

I entered a national contest 6 months ago and forgot all about it. The grand prize is a bull from one of the ranches out west.
Every morning I wake up with a smile on my face. I am feeling LUCKY~!!

 

[Medic24]

Speaking of AI and seme catalogs,...anyone have any favorite companies to do business with? :cboy:

 

[Hutch]

Scotty,
You might want to check out http://www.cobaselect.com
They have a very good AI training program

 

[dun]

Speaking of AI and seme catalogs,...anyone have any favorite companies to do business with? :cboy:

A lot has to do with what studs service yiour area the best. The select Sires guy come saround every 8-10 weeks, CRI/Genex I've found it's easier to drive to their facility an hour away, ABS has a local rep that is alwasy available. It also depends on the breed and what you're looking for. Some studs have more of interest within one breed then another will. We use mostly ABS, but we also use a little from Genex and Select Sires. That's really one of the biggest advantages to AI is the ability to select from such a diverse gene pool.

dun

 

[Scotty]

Heres another one. I asked the vet that will be performing this waht the simplest wa yto get them into heat. He rocomended the double lytolace(sp). One shot then 11 days later another. Cows come in two or three days later. I say he recomended I asked. What, other than natural heat, do you guys and gals use.


Scotty

 

[sidney411]

Scotty,

Why don't you haul the cows to the vet, then you wouldn't have to pay for the vet to come to you?

(My family lives in and around Stephenville, Hico, Weatherford, not too far from you!)

 

[dun]

We do GnRH then 7 days later Lutalyze. Then heat detect. There is another mothed that is the same except you give them another shot of GnRH at day 3 and inseminate if heat hasn't been detected. It's all in the Select Sires repro manual.

dun

 

[Victoria]

Scotty, we are doing pretty much the same thing as you are. Have commercial cattle and have decided to try to go into the purebred Red Angus market. We went out last fall and bought 6 first calvers and 2 heifers. We've got a purebred Angus bull that we use on our commercial herd and he's got good bloodlines so we are going to be using him next year. We've been keeping his heifers for the commercial herd so went out and bought 2 more registered Angus bulls to breed them too and our purebreds but since we want to keep all of our heifers they will get related pretty fast so I am appreciating all of your AI questions as it will be just a few years before we are doing the same thing.

la4angus: Hope you don't mind a couple questions. Is it harder for a cow to get pregnant through AI than with a bull? Does it make it more difficult for them to conceive if they are brought into heat through a shot than if you wait for them to do it naturally?

 

[dun]

Is it harder for a cow to get pregnant through AI than with a bull? Does it make it more difficult for them to conceive if they are brought into heat through a shot than if you wait for them to do it naturally?

A lot depends on the temprement of the cow as to if she'll settle to AI. Nervous, over heated excited cows don;t settle as well as calm easy going ones do. Induced heats have a generally lower conception rate then natural heats.

dun

 

[la4angus]

la4angus: Hope you don't mind a couple questions. Is it harder for a cow to get pregnant through AI than with a bull? Does it make it more difficult for them to conceive if they are brought into heat through a shot than if you wait for them to do it naturally?

We can synch a group of cows, and breed them all. Sometimes all but 2 or 3 will settle on first service, then these other 2 or 3 will come in heat maybe 2 or 3 times again. It seems like the shots will kind of mess up their cycling, and set them back a bit. So I would have to say that the ones that don't settle on the first service are harder to conceive than if you wait for a natural heat. Actually sometimes a cow will not come back into heat when expected but maybe about 3 weeks later.

 

[jt]

la4angus: Hope you don't mind a couple questions. Is it harder for a cow to get pregnant through AI than with a bull? Does it make it more difficult for them to conceive if they are brought into heat through a shot than if you wait for them to do it naturally?

We can synch a group of cows, and breed them all. Sometimes all but 2 or 3 will settle on first service, then these other 2 or 3 will come in heat maybe 2 or 3 times again. It seems like the shots will kind of mess up their cycling, and set them back a bit. So I would have to say that the ones that don't settle on the first service are harder to conceive than if you wait for a natural heat. Actually sometimes a cow will not come back into heat when expected but maybe about 3 weeks later.

what products/procedures do you use to synch your cattle la?

jt

 

[la4angus]

[q.

what products/procedures do you use to synch your cattle la?

jt[/quote]Last 3 years we have been using CIDRS.

 

[jt]

Last 3 years we have been using CIDRS.

i, like scotty, am considering getting into ai'ing, and i am considering the cidrs. i have got to get clearer on just how to go about it first. i am not clear yet on the shots given and when to breed after the cidr is removed.. i have heard some do it on time, like 50 hours or so later and some try to detect the heat??

you have any recommendations??

thanks

jt

 

[Scotty]

Thanks for all the tips. The reason I did not want to haul to town was to minimize the stress. Like unfamilliar places and the ride itself.


Scotty