Hobby guy AI thoughts

[Alan]

I have 10 to 12 cows to AI next spring and 4 bulls (maybe 6) in the tank. Assuming the bulls have EPD's that are pretty similar and are all leaders in the breed in multiple areas. The cows however are all over the board, but all the bulls should improve body type, udders, and milking ability.

My question is how many different bulls would you use on 10 to 12 cows? Does it even matter?

Thanks,
Alan

 

[dun]

We usually use each bull on only a few cows. The next year unless one particualr combination is a real eye popper, we change around which bulls we use on which cows. It let's us see what nick is better on a particualr cow and gives us a better idea over the years which bulls calves perform the best in our environment

dun

 

[SEC]

I guess it depends on whether you sell your calves at the sale barn or not. I would say with that few of cows, just enjoy the cattle don't worry about the EPD's. Just use the bull whose calves you been the happiest with as they are always good!

Your cows don't know they have EPD's.

 

[Frankie]

It depends on what you'll do with the calves. If you're selling them at the sale barn, find a big, beefy bull and use him on all of them. If you're retaining heifers, use a bull on a cow that will help improve her (higher milking bull on lower milking cow, for example.). Maybe buy semen on a bull considered a strong maternal producer and use him on the cows you would want to retain heifers from and a "terminal" type bull on the others. BTW, many breeds have "terminal" sires. We've got the genetics in our herd tight enough that we'll use two different bulls on mature cows. On the heifers, we'll use two different bulls. One in the heifers we plan to retain, and the other one will be a solid, reliable, proven calving ease bull that we'll use on heifers we'll sell. We watch our heifers pretty close at calving time, but not everyone can do that, so we want to give the heifer her best shot at a successful first calf.

 

[JHH]

Your like me and are wanting that one in a million calf. You think that if you do enough research that you will come up with the right combination. I find myself doing the very same thing you are doing.

I would use 2 proven bulls and next year after you see what they turn out like use 2 more or the same two depending on how things went the year before.

I feel you have very good cows and your choice to A-I will only make your herd better. But dont get caught up in the numbers game, which is easy to do. Just get some good calves on the ground and build from them. I have alot to learn yet also but I plan on using 2 bulls A-I next summer and see what happens.

We used 2 bulls last year and will know how things turn out in March. I am looking right now for next years lucky guys. Dont know yet if I will use the same two or try some one new. JHH

 

[1848]

Alan,

It sounds like you are wanting a comparison. I would use three bulls for comparison reasons, but I would use one of those bulls on the majority of the group. Stick to the higher confidence bull in the majority, and use a higher confidence cow for the lesser confidence comparison bulls.

 

[Johnny]

Personally I hate to go to a bull sale and see so many different sires used. If you breed every cow to a different bull its almost impossible to tell what your cows are doing.

Was the difference you saw between cows due to their ability to raise a calf or due to differences in the calfs sire.

With only 12 cows I would breed no more than two bulls this year. Pick out the bull that performs the best and use him next year along with a new bull.

Keep this up a few years and you will know the best bull to use and you will have a uniform group of half sisters for your cow herd.

Just my opinion,

Johnny

 

[Beef11]

Its tough to get a good feel for a bull with only a couple calves, ideally you could breed each bull to 100 different cows and then see which bull really works best for you. If buying 400-600 more cows isn't likely to happen i'd say have a good time and be alittle more forgiving to the bulls, its hard to tell what the bell curve looks like with two dots on it. I feel your quandry though so many breeding choices and not near enough time.

 

[CWT Angus]

Alan,
Not sure which part of Oregon you are in, we are in the Willamette Valley. A great source of information and possibly some answers to your questions are the actual A.I. techs around. Do you know who or what company you will be going with? If you need a referral, I have a couple of great guys that I use. Our herd is about the same size as yours and I have been in your shoes, these guys have been a great asset to us.

Wendy