Purchasing A.I. Straws

[Chuckie]

My herd is still small and would like to A.I. some of my Angus cows. Can a few straws be purchased, or do you have to order them in lots? I wondered about trying two different Angus bulls on two different groups.
Is this going to be possible? Chuckie

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Normally straws can be purchased 1 or more. Depends 100% on the seller's policy. Some sellers will only sell in lots of 10. Nitrogen tank rental and shipping costs round trip always separate charge. Seem to run about $75 or so in continental USA. Tank supplied usually by the seller of straws or the facility storing different breeder's straw inventory.

 

[Alan]

Contacting a business, such as "Select Sires" may save you a lot of the hassle they may have a bull that you like in stock or may be able to get a straw for you. I believe they are a bit more expensive but they save you the hassle of tanks and shipping, in most cases they will do the AI for you. If your doing just a few head this might be somthing to look into. More than just Select Sires out there.

 

[Jake]

Talk to La4 about getting some semen, he's got a dang good bull and I'm sure he'd work something out with you.

 

[TheBullLady]

Bovine Elite here in Texas will sell you one straw or 100.. I expect most of the semen distributors are the same.

If you buy direct from a breeder, many times they will only offer straws with a "minumim" number to purchase.

 

[Chuckie]

Thanks to all of you that replied. I had been thinking about it a lot. What ya'll wrote is what I wanted to hear. Now just to figure out how I will go about it and picking a bull that passes good traits. I have been reading what everyone wrote in other posts about picking bulls. I looked them up, and they all are really nice. I will look up the businesses that ya'll listed above. It would be easier if there were only two choices. I am relieved that I don't have to order so many. Chuckie

 

[txag]

Chuckie,

i hope this doesn't sound too elementary, but do you have a semen tank? you'll need one or at least access to one if you're planning to order semen.

 

[Alan]

Tx do your research! many businesses out there that gives full AI service including ordering semen and storing straws in their own tanks...no need for a tank. Try not to pass bad info.

Tanks,
Alan

 

[txag]

Tx do your research! many businesses out there that gives full AI service including ordering semen and storing straws in their own tanks...no need for a tank. Try not to pass bad info.

Tanks,
Alan

oh, please, Alan.....now who's being the jerk? you're right. there are many businesses that give full AI service but there are also many businesses (and individuals) that do not. all of our semen comes in a shipping container & needs to be put in a regular AI tank shortly after arriving. i mentioned that i hope the question wasn't elementary but i'm just making sure he has all bases covered. it wouldn't be a good idea to have UPS drop a shipping tank on your doorstep and have no where to go with the semen & UPS coming back the next day to pick the tank back up.

 

[la4angus]

Tx do your research! many businesses out there that gives full AI service including ordering semen and storing straws in their own tanks...no need for a tank. Try not to pass bad info.

Tanks,
Alan

it wouldn't be a good idea to have UPS drop a shipping tank on your doorstep and have no where to go with the semen & UPS coming back the next day to pick the tank back up.

Txag. Don't be so dense. With Alans knowledge of the cattle business and AI'ing, he would have all the cows ready to be bred as soon as the semen is thawed. This way he saves on having to store the semen. Sounds like a real Rexall Cowboy to me.

Alan
Please give us some more insider tips.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Tx do your research! many businesses out there that gives full AI service including ordering semen and storing straws in their own tanks...no need for a tank. Try not to pass bad info.

Tanks,
Alan

it wouldn't be a good idea to have UPS drop a shipping tank on your doorstep and have no where to go with the semen & UPS coming back the next day to pick the tank back up.

Txag. Don't be so dense. With Alans knowledge of the cattle business and AI'ing, he would have all the cows ready to be bred as soon as the semen is thawed. This way he saves on having to store the semen. Sounds like a real Rexall Cowboy to me.

Alan
Please give us some more insider tips.

Don't need a big storage tank for one cow. With proper planning UPS could deliver on the needed day.

 

[certherfbeef]

Tx do your research! many businesses out there that gives full AI service including ordering semen and storing straws in their own tanks...no need for a tank. Try not to pass bad info.

Tanks,
Alan

it wouldn't be a good idea to have UPS drop a shipping tank on your doorstep and have no where to go with the semen & UPS coming back the next day to pick the tank back up.

Txag. Don't be so dense. With Alans knowledge of the cattle business and AI'ing, he would have all the cows ready to be bred as soon as the semen is thawed. This way he saves on having to store the semen. Sounds like a real Rexall Cowboy to me.

Alan
Please give us some more insider tips.

I bet Alan knows how to get comercial cows to have steers too, like Tod. But Tod let me in on his secert, suppose Alan will? :lol:

 

[dun]

Tx do your research! many businesses out there that gives full AI service including ordering semen and storing straws in their own tanks...no need for a tank. Try not to pass bad info.

Tanks,
Alan

it wouldn't be a good idea to have UPS drop a shipping tank on your doorstep and have no where to go with the semen & UPS coming back the next day to pick the tank back up.

Txag. Don't be so dense. With Alans knowledge of the cattle business and AI'ing, he would have all the cows ready to be bred as soon as the semen is thawed. This way he saves on having to store the semen. Sounds like a real Rexall Cowboy to me.

Alan
Please give us some more insider tips.

Don't need a big storage tank for one cow. With proper planning UPS could deliver on the needed day.

With all the vagaries of having things shipped, I sure wouldn't want to stake my breeding on having UPS deliver "just on time".
Getting just one unit is also not too great of an idea. If the cow should miss, by the time you find out it would be too late to get another straw delivered on time.

dun

 

[txshowmom]

You guys that are having "fun" at someone elses expence are acting like 2 year olds.

 

[la4angus]

You guys that are having "fun" at someone elses expence are acting like 2 year olds.

Yeah. You tell'em showgirl

 

[Chuckie]

I think everyone's input is of help. Everyone can experience different situations. I know that the shipping companies are not perfect since they are managed by humans. I do not have a semen tank, but will look into the equipment to see what all I will need. All I have at the moment are the cows, and I plan on purchasing a few more heifers this spring.
I would like to be self sufficent eventually, and I want to learn how to do the A.I. myself. The first time, I will let an experienced person do it. I could learn a bit then. There are a few cattlemen around here that do it themselves. They would be helpful. I wish that I had enough time to go to an A.I. clinic tomorrow. Maybe next year I can take a vacation and go to one. I feel guilty taking a vacation without a purpose. This would fit right in.
Thanks! Chuckie

 

[txag]

I wish that I had enough time to go to an A.I. clinic tomorrow. Maybe next year I can take a vacation and go to one. I feel guilty taking a vacation without a purpose. This would fit right in.
Thanks! Chuckie

just a note on the a.i. clinic.....try to schedule it right before you breed cows. practice makes perfect & if you take it too far in advance you may forget some of the things you learned.

good luck.

 

[rgv4]

Bovine Elite has a good AI manual that you can buy. It is the same manual that is used at their AI cliinics. Also, if you have rancher's around you that AI then they may let you put your straws into their tanks until you get more involved in AI'ing. I know that I let some of the local juniors put their straws for their heifers in my tank.

 

[M Gravlee]

:stop:
I'm going to delete any post that "trash mouths" another Member. It's OK to disagree with their ideas but not OK at attack their intelligence or character!

And after I get tired of erasing the same people's posts all the time, I'm going to ban them. And my mood hasn't been very good for the last week!

 

[Chuckie]

I emailed Bovine Elite about their manual. I would like to have one. That is a good idea about taking it closer to the time I could actually use what I did learn. I pulled up the schedule of their clinics and will have to study on the times. Thanks for all the help. Chuckie