Remote operations AI Breeding

[shortybreeder]

Good morning all,

It has been a very long time since I have posted, but I am currently working on a research project for my senior year at college. This question is directed towards ranch operations that are in more remote areas. Around us, if we have a cow in heat, we can call a breeder and he will be there 12 hours later and the bill is less than $20 plus cost of semen. What I am wondering is, if you were to do A.I. (whether you do it currently or not) how many head would you have to have lined up for a breeder to come out, and how many would he have to breed to get the average cost of breeding down to around or below $20/head?

The phrasing of my question is based on the idea that they charge a certain fee to come out, and then each subsequent cow/heifer is at a reduced rate. For us, I believe this year the first animal fee is $19 and then each animal after that is $6, but my AI tech lives about 6 miles from us. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I am in Upstate NY - 3rd largest dairy state, so we have AI techs available.
The one I use charges $7/head no matter how many - individual private service. I do not know what ABS or Genex or Select Sires charges (they are in our area).

 

[wbvs58]

That is what fixed time synchronised programs are for, every thing can be lined up and technicians flown in to do large numbers.

Ken

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

LOL that made me laugh!!
Ken, the average size beef herd in NY is probably 10-15 head!!! My herd is "huge" for our area. Running around 55 breeding age females.
But, out west I'm sure there are many that would fit that requirement.

 

[Dave]

I wasn't remote over on the coast. But I was charged $5 a head. That was sync'ed and doing 60 head.

 

[NEFarmwife]

We AI for a few neighbors for either timed heats or the occasional 1 or 2.

We don't charge a service fee, it's a pure head basis. The occasional one or two is cold beer. The other runs about $7 a head. Not including the timed AI stuff. Purely AI'ing. These places have us purchase the drugs/cidrs and get our reduced pricing but everyone we AI for is just a hop, skip, and a jump from us.

There have been a few instances where we've bred at our facilities so we've also fed them. They'd get charged for that as well.

The one guy we AI for annually, we could not breed for him that weekend due to other obligations and he was charged $60 every time the breeder came out (30 miles away)