How far have you shipped a bull for natural service sire?

[Galloways1]

I have shipped bulls from coast to coast, and from Alaska to Mexico, for natural service. The more time you can give an animal to aclimate the better, especially if extreme differences in climate. Trasportation will add cost, obviously, ($500-$1000), depending on how far away. If there are local "good" bulls available, get one.

If you have 15 hd, yes, AI would be better investment. If not currently an option, a yearling bull would work. You would get a minimum of 2 years service, if you keep your own replacements.

 

[Nesikep]

I think 15 head is a reasonable number to keep your own bull for... especially if you plan on keeping the guy for an extended period of time...

As for the minimum 'service life' of the bull, we routinely keep a bull 6 years (we only run 1 bull typically), and we keep replacement heifers. We do linebreed him to his daughters, but don't keep any of their offspring. I think we had one bull as long as 8 years once (we were breeding at 2 years old in those days though).

I would go with buying a bull, as buying semen and doing the AI is not only a routine expense, but also a routine PITA for both your and the cows. Also, you can be sure that not all cows take the first time around, which means you have to go about the whole business all over again in a month, and you're going to end up wanting a clean up bull before long. Ideally, you could "share" the bull with someone in the area and have one calve in the fall, one in the spring... though not many people do fall calving