Embryo transfer?

[ousoonerfan22]

Anybody want to give an opinion on how expensive it is to buy embryos and have them transferred in commercial cows? Is it worth the cost? Or is it cheaper to AI the cows?
We AI'ed ten cows last winter and four this spring and the cost was probably around $80.00 per cow.

 

[tdarden3k]

Don't know a lot about embryo transfers, but $80 seems high. Most guys on this forum say they can do it for about half that cost.

 

[ousoonerfan22]

Semen $25-$30 a straw
Cidr $10
Shots $10???
Vet charges $25 a head to AI
Then the rest I figured for fuel hauling them to the vet for AI'ing so around $80 ahead.

 

[bse]

around here it will cost you $75 to put in frozen eggs if you take the cow to them. If you buy the embryos they could cost anywhere from $50 to $500 or more if you want to spend it. So if you figure you have $225 in the embryo and $75 to put it in you have $300 in it if you hit average 50% you will actually have $600 in 1 live calf. an embryo still doesn't mean you are gonna get an exceptional calf ive seen lots that should go to the sale barn. Not discouraging it at all these are just the numbers I know.

 

[deenranch]

around here it will cost you $75 to put in frozen eggs if you take the cow to them. If you buy the embryos they could cost anywhere from $50 to $500 or more if you want to spend it. So if you figure you have $225 in the embryo and $75 to put it in you have $300 in it if you hit average 50% you will actually have $600 in 1 live calf. an embryo still doesn't mean you are gonna get an exceptional calf ive seen lots that should go to the sale barn. Not discouraging it at all these are just the numbers I know.

That's about as close to being dead on as you can get! Embryos might be a little higher. Depending on breed of cattle you are purchasing!

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

It really depends on your goal. We put embryos in about half of our females, and the best ones get AI'd. Our embryologist puts one in for $85, and he comes to our place. He will do one or several, what ever you have. I have bought embryos as cheap as $100 each, and they can go pretty high! The key is to know what genetics you want, and use them that way. We buy embryos sired by bulls that are really expensive and exclusive (not something you would use to just AI), and out of cows that have some top genetics. We use natural heats, so no expense in setting up a recip. Our best success story is a set of 5 eggs we bought for $100 each, we have put in three so far, one heifer on the ground (outstanding!), one heifer due in October, and another pregnancy due in March. We still have two eggs in the tank. It does not always work out that great though; it seems we get more bulls with the embryos than heifers! But definitely worth the try if you want to get some better or top genetics, and CHEAPER than trying to go buy them!

 

[ousoonerfan22]

We would like to have some really nice heifers out of good cows and good bulls. You go to some sales and watch nice heifers go through the ring but I don't know if we will ever be able to afford them. We started AI'ing but I don't think any of our cows are what you guys would call good cows.
We have a nice black baldie cow that breeds back quick and a nice red cow that has enough milk to raise two calves,both cows(6-7 yrs old) raise good calves each year. So both cows seem to be very fertile so would they be good choices to try with embryos?

 

[bse]

those type cattle will do fine to put embryos in. Check out some embriologists in your area if you want to do it and see if they come out or you take them. If your going to set them up see how they want it done theres a few little diffrences that some of them want compared to A I.

 

[CKC1586]

Anybody want to give an opinion on how expensive it is to buy embryos and have them transferred in commercial cows? Is it worth the cost? Or is it cheaper to AI the cows?
We AI'ed ten cows last winter and four this spring and the cost was probably around $80.00 per cow.

Don't know about other states but in Michigan the only guy I would use is Dr. Gunther he will work with you, take them to him or he will come to your farm.