Calling advice from DIY techs

[OzssieDave19]

Hey Guys. I was put through a DIY ai course by a big herd company but changed jobs. I have the qualification and want to buy a basic kit box and ai my own handful of cows. Can buy semen and hire a tank. Is it worth the time and effort?

Maybe a hire bull would be more sensible?

 

[T & B farms]

If you have the time to watch for heats and go 100% Ai, on a small herd I think it would be great. Having to borrow a tank every time you needed to breed a cow would be a big hassle I would think. But I can understand the expense of buying and maintaining a tank with only a handful of cows.

 

[Redgully]

It depends on your aims. A.I. gives you access to the best genetics around. But it is time consuming and expensive initially. Bulls are quick and easy but limited to that single bull. When i was cross breeding just for beef production we would buy a 10 month old bull, use him at 12 months and again following season and then sell him, usually got more than we paid. My cattle sold well but they weren't great cows.

 

[pdfangus]

what are your goals for the cow herd.
define them and it should guide you in your breeding decisions.

 

[regolith]

I'd always say it's worth it but very little information to go on there. Hire fees for a bank can get pretty steep, if you can get cull value of nearly what you paid for a decent bull and the resulting calves meet your goals, that can work out more effective.

Hire of a bull for a short breeding season last time I checked was about $800. Doesn't stack up against buying and reselling a bull, or AI.
Buying an AI bank secondhand and having it stored by a semen company when not in use has worked out far cheaper for me than hiring one for six - ten weeks annually.

 

[OzssieDave19]

Hey Thanks for the good feedback. My goals. Lol. I like to have a few pets and I like to look at a bit if quality. I like the Charolais muscled type cattle. I always finish my style well so Luke to sell a few cracking calves. If I use the bull it will be "just a bull" probably Angus. The last 2 hire bulls have turned up hungry and needed a worm. I ran them an extra 3 weeks just to give them a chance. Ai is smart as far as I am concerned.

 

[wbvs58]

A lot depends on your ability. Some people nail the technique straight away, others take a few seasons to gain confidence and start to get results.

Ken

 

[Dsth]

I keep a small herd of 25 - 30 cows. I AI everything mainly because I can't see feeding a bull for 12 months for 2 months of breeding. I agree with previous post that it is somewhat expensive to get started and your skill level to breed your own factors in. Renting a bull would not be an option for me since I worry about bringing in new disease problems. When I started back in the 1980s, I bought a used tank and bought the cheapest semen I could get. I still have the same tank which seems to work as good as the day I bought it. most years I am very satisfied with my conception rates. Good luck moving forward and hope whichever direction you go works out well for you.

 

[pdfangus]

I keep a small herd of 25 - 30 cows. I AI everything mainly because I can't see feeding a bull for 12 months for 2 months of breeding. I agree with previous post that it is somewhat expensive to get started and your skill level to breed your own factors in. Renting a bull would not be an option for me since I worry about bringing in new disease problems. When I started back in the 1980s, I bought a used tank and bought the cheapest semen I could get. I still have the same tank which seems to work as good as the day I bought it. most years I am very satisfied with my conception rates. Good luck moving forward and hope whichever direction you go works out well for you.

I would endorse this post as sound and rational.
I also run a closed herd and use only AI or Bulls we have raised to control disease.
I would also point out that you can improve your herd with ai without using the most expensive Bulls in the studs....find Bulls that compliment your herd and your goals...most Bulls in the biggest studs are better Bulls than you and I can afford to buy for use in a small herd....plus wide selection....you can breed every cow to the bull which will compliment her the most

 

[OzssieDave19]

Insert loud siren....... Update . I have made some enquiries. Purchase of equipment loan of tank under way. Will be using cheaper semen that we can all agree will be still top quality. Rest is up to my skill.....