Semen collection

[Anonymous]

I own a pretty decent angus bull sired by Dateline 7078, good EPD's and more importantly he "looks" good to me. I am using him in natural service for my own cows. I have a person who would like to AI 60 cows from my bull. I know nothing about the cost to have the semen collected, tested for fertility, and stored. Any one have any idea of the cost involved in such an undertaking. I am located just outside St. Louis, not familar with any technicians offering this service in this area. I don't mind using the bull for this but I don't want to lose money with it, just break even.
Thanks for any help

 

[dun]

Check with CRI/Genex

http://www.crinet.com/

dun

 

[Frankie]

I own a pretty decent angus bull sired by Dateline 7078, good EPD's and more importantly he "looks" good to me. I am using him in natural service for my own cows. I have a person who would like to AI 60 cows from my bull. I know nothing about the cost to have the semen collected, tested for fertility, and stored. Any one have any idea of the cost involved in such an undertaking. I am located just outside St. Louis, not familar with any technicians offering this service in this area. I don't mind using the bull for this but I don't want to lose money with it, just break even.
Thanks for any help

Here's info on REI at Stillwater, OK. You could check their prices for these services; plus they might know someone closer to you. You could also check with your local vet and see if he is aware of any place local that provides this service. I'd also consider insuring the bull before I started hauling him around and getting him collected. Good luck....

Reproductive Enterprises, Inc - 908 N Prairie Rd Stillwater, OK 74077 - Toll free: 1-877-525-8037 - Voice: 405 377 8037 - Fax: 405 377 4541 Catalogue: [email protected] ...

 

[Ann Bledsoe]

I'd also consider insuring the bull before I started hauling him around and getting him collected. Good luck....

Who would you talk to about insuring an individual animal? Our insurance company will cover certain things with livestock, but they won't insure individuals.

I raise American Miniature Jerseys and I have the only Registered bull in the breed that's unrelated to the rest of the breed.
This breed is the American counterpart of the "Old World" or Isle of Jersey Jerseys, which are much smaller and more refined than our American (standard) Jerseys.
The American Miniature Jerseys are to be identical to the Jerseys still found on the Isle of Jersey today. They are not a new breed, they are a very old breed rediscovered.

The rest of the breed (less than 200 animals) traces to an import of Isle Jerseys made in 1850.
My bull is a direct descendant of an import of Isle Jerseys made in 1990 -- same foundation, just 140 years later.

The information on his background, along with his tiny size (20 lbs at birth, 375 lbs at yearling) entitled him to full Registration as a fullblood.
There are only 6 fullblood bulls in the US that are available for AI, of those 6, 2 are half-brothers and sired the other 4. Most of the cows are also closely related to this same handful of bulls.

Personally, I see a disaster coming for our little breed unless good new genetics are made available.

So I'm having my bull collected in October.
If I can get several heifers on the ground in the next couple of year to prove him, he'll be a very valuable addition to the breed.

With his status of being the ONLY unrelated bull and that he will be availble for AI, I'm starting to feel the need to get him insured as soon as we see what his calves are going to look like.

Ann B

 

[Frankie]

Ann, Harding & Harding comes to mind, but I haven't insured any individual animals. At most purebred sales there's someone there who will insure an animal for a limited time. Did you do a web check?

 

[plbcattle]

I tried to insure my high dollar brangus bull and a couple of my best donor cows. your best and cheapest insurance is eggs and semen. your insurance rate will be skyhigh and after they get to 5 years old they can't be insureed. even if you insure him that can't replace his genetics. the best insurance is a semen tank. just my 2 cents

 

[Ann Bledsoe]

I tried to insure my high dollar brangus bull and a couple of my best donor cows. your best and cheapest insurance is eggs and semen. your insurance rate will be skyhigh and after they get to 5 years old they can't be insureed. even if you insure him that can't replace his genetics. the best insurance is a semen tank. just my 2 cents

The more I think about it, the more I'm inclined to agree with you.
Our current insurance (Farm Bureau) will cover injury or death, up to the market value of the animal, while being transported by me, in my trailer, pulled by my vehicle.
I talked to another company (don't remember the name right now) and while they would insure him for anything except "death by natural causes", their cost was astronomical.
I could collect a lot of semen and embryos for what they wanted!
And I already have a good tank.

Ann B

 

[la4angus]

American livestock Insurance Co., Harding & Harding, rates are normally 6% of purchase price. For 2nd year coverage the animal will need to have another health check by a vet.

 

[Ann Bledsoe]

6% of purchase price.

I wonder how that would work with an animal that was purchased for $20, but if he throws nice offspring, he'll be worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $10,000?

Ann B

 

[la4angus]

As far as I know it is based on the purchase price.
You could call George Hack at Harding & Harding. 630 232 2100 to find out more.
In your scenario maybe that is where the stored frozen semen would be your insurance. It is to easy to play a bulls value up. I know one bull that supposedly had a few straws supposedly sell for $300.00 per straw with no buyer named, and a few weeks later his semen offered for 80.00 per straw.
Go figure.
We did sell 10 straws of First Edition at the 2004 Denver NWSS Angus Foundation sale in Jan. for $100.00 per straw but that was a promo deal with the sale proceeds going to support the Jr. Assn. His semen is still selling for $30.00 for Reg cattle and $20.00 for commercial cattle, with volume discounts.

 

[blacksnake]

How many straws can be harvested per "donation"

 

[la4angus]

How many straws can be harvested per "donation"

anywheres from 0 to 500 or more

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

We have had semen collected and processed on 5 of our bulls, plus others that were sold (prior to sale).

Our A.I. & Semen storage facility charges between about $1.50 and $1.70 per processed straw (depending on quantity), 5 cents a month storage per straw. For just a semen collection and analysis, they charge $35. If the bull needs to be boarded prior to collection they charge $3.50 per day.

Our farm & ranch insurance carrier (Horse Insurance Specialists) will insure individual animals, cattle or horses. However, full Vet exam required, photos 4 sides, and other documentation. Think minimum premium is $150 a year or 6% of insured value, whichever is more.

Stored semen in nitrogen tanks is excellent insurance for a quality animal, registered or not.