Semen Inventory

[Bret]

What are some general guidlines for stocking semen in your operation?

Do you keep everything indefinitly? Do you order just what you think you will use for the season?

What do you like to hold onto that you don't use, but that you just can't toss out?


Thanks,
Bret

 

[dun]

We only order 5 units for every 4 breedings that we'll use him on. The stray stuff that there is only one of these and one of those left over goes into cows that are going to be culled and sold as bred.
We generally keep 4-5 bulls in the tank, this year we have 13, but a couple of those are one unit wonders.

dun

 

[Bret]

Dun,

Thank you for your reply. The five units for four breedigs makes sense as does using the one hit wonders on the culls.

I just completed an ABS AI Introduction. If I am only as good as the last one attempted, I am not very good because I really got spanked by her. After 3 quick successes in a row on some retiring holsteins, the last one really tripped me up. I could not get through the cervix. I went home very humbled but determined.

I learned that it is not as simple as it looks just by reading and studying.

Bret

 

[dun]

If I am only as good as the last one attempted, I am not very good because I really got spanked by her. After 3 quick successes in a row on some retiring holsteins, the last one really tripped me up. I could not get through the cervix. I went home very humbled but determined.

I learned that it is not as simple as it looks just by reading and studying.

Bret

Perseverence and practice and almost anyone can get good at it. I say almost anybody because I know of people that for some reason just can;t get the knack. And if a technician is honest, they'll tell you that some of them are very difficult for them too.

dun

 

[certherfbeef]

Right now I inventory 18 bulls. Mostly horned and polled Hereford. Some club calf semen, a couple red angus and a couple simmy. One of those bulls is semen on our current herd sire, so maybe he doesn't count. There are a few straws of a couple bulls that I am saving for a "special" ocassion. I just havn't found that right cow for that bull yet. There is several units that I would like to sell, mainly ABS herefords. And that one unit of Meyer 734 that I am saving for a flush, some day.
The sale of my calves in the fall buys that next spring's semen. Probably won't be buying any semen for a couple years now as I have cut my herd size in half and am very pleased with the young herd sire.

Good luck on your AI adventure, and don't learn with high dollar semen ;-)