Menu
Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
New profile posts
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Members
Current visitors
New profile posts
Search profile posts
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles and first posts only
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Forums
Cattle Boards
Breeds Board
AI vs Natural Service
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Help Support CattleToday:
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Travlr" data-source="post: 1753729" data-attributes="member: 42463"><p>The proof of a good bull versus a poor bull, a cheap bull versus and expensive bull, is the difference in costs compared to profits.</p><p></p><p>With AI that means the cost of semen, synchronizing animals, handling, failure to breed, etc.</p><p></p><p>With a live animal we have the cost to acquire whether purchased or raised, the costs to maintain, and the use we get.</p><p></p><p>There are also hidden costs with each, until the results are seen in the money we get from selling. With AI or a live animal we don't really know what to expect until the calves are weaned and sold, or put into the herd as replacements and we see results from that.</p><p></p><p>I've had some great results from AI. But the thing is... I've had great results from other strategies too. I've used purchased bulls and I've used bulls I've raised. Purebred bulls... and crossbred bulls.</p><p></p><p>And at the point of sale the only thing that has affected my return was whether the calves/replacements heifers I was selling looked consistent. The price of the semen, the price of the bull, the EPDs, and the hype mattered very little compared to how the animals being sold looked at the time and how they were presented for sale.</p><p></p><p>In my opinion the best bull I had was crossbred, because he produced great calves consistently. The second best was a purebred that produced great calves consistently. The crossbred bull I raised, the purebred I bought... cheap. The reason I used them was because I thought they would compliment my cows and produce consistent calves. None of the AI bulls I used produced calves that were any better... but the calves were also just as good.</p><p></p><p>I believe choosing a bull to compliment the type of cow you prefer is an art, and has more to do with conformation than any other factor. Having a consistent body type and an attractive history as a calf is all I need to choose a good bull.</p><p></p><p>And all my animals, steers or bred heifers, have consistently sold at the top of the market. The results speak for themselves.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Travlr, post: 1753729, member: 42463"] The proof of a good bull versus a poor bull, a cheap bull versus and expensive bull, is the difference in costs compared to profits. With AI that means the cost of semen, synchronizing animals, handling, failure to breed, etc. With a live animal we have the cost to acquire whether purchased or raised, the costs to maintain, and the use we get. There are also hidden costs with each, until the results are seen in the money we get from selling. With AI or a live animal we don't really know what to expect until the calves are weaned and sold, or put into the herd as replacements and we see results from that. I've had some great results from AI. But the thing is... I've had great results from other strategies too. I've used purchased bulls and I've used bulls I've raised. Purebred bulls... and crossbred bulls. And at the point of sale the only thing that has affected my return was whether the calves/replacements heifers I was selling looked consistent. The price of the semen, the price of the bull, the EPDs, and the hype mattered very little compared to how the animals being sold looked at the time and how they were presented for sale. In my opinion the best bull I had was crossbred, because he produced great calves consistently. The second best was a purebred that produced great calves consistently. The crossbred bull I raised, the purebred I bought... cheap. The reason I used them was because I thought they would compliment my cows and produce consistent calves. None of the AI bulls I used produced calves that were any better... but the calves were also just as good. I believe choosing a bull to compliment the type of cow you prefer is an art, and has more to do with conformation than any other factor. Having a consistent body type and an attractive history as a calf is all I need to choose a good bull. And all my animals, steers or bred heifers, have consistently sold at the top of the market. The results speak for themselves. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Cattle Boards
Breeds Board
AI vs Natural Service
Top