Sexed Semen

[goodbeef]

For you that have tried it, or are using this technology, how are your conception rates? How much more does the sexed semen cost? I am thinking of trying some.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Have not tried it, they say it works better with heifers.

 

[GRTiger85]

Havnt used any yet, but it cost about double what the regular cost is for the bull. So if a normal straw is 25 a sexed straw is probably around 50-60.

 

[novaman]

I've used it the past couple years. The conception is definately lower. They claim its 75-80% of what you would get with conventional semen. I think you've got to have near perfect conditions to get that high. I haven't had the greatest of conception but I'm going to change the sync program as I believe that may be part of my problem. It is recommended for virgin heifers because they have the best conception. The limited number of semen in a sexed 1/4 cc straw is definately a challenge. The cost is double if not a bit more than conventional semen, at least for Holsteins. My first crop of sexed semen calves yielded 100% heifers with the second crop coming in a couple months.

 

[HerefordSire]

Sexed semen allows one to increase a homegrown herd size by reproducing and approaches the maximum ratio of 1.618

In other words...

----------------------------------------------
Female #1 has 10 heifers in 12 years.
----------------------------------------------
Year #3 Female has heifer = count 1
Year #4 Female has heifer = count 1
Year #5 Female has heifer and female's year #3 heifer has heifer = new calf count of 2
Year #6 Female had heifer and female's year #3 heifer has heifer and female's year #4 heifer has heifer = new calf count of 3
.
..
and so on....


The maximum approaches 1.618

 

[HerefordSire]

1.618 is the GOLDEN RATIO

It is the difference of each number in the following number sequence...

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, etc.

So theoretically, if you used sexed semen for your cows, and all of them lived, and each calved each year at year two, then the maximum increase of domestic herd size each year approaches 1.618. It is very easy to figure how big a female herd side you wil have if you retain all your heifers. Try figuring it out on paper with out using the sequence, say for 10 years.

If each number in the sequence represents a calving year such that the number 8 represents the 6th calving year and the number 13 represents the 7th calving year, then the increase in female herd size is 13 / 8 = 1.625

 

[novaman]

Sexed semen allows one to increase a homegrown herd size by reproducing and approaches the maximum ratio of 1.618

In other words...

----------------------------------------------
Female #1 has 10 heifers in 12 years.
----------------------------------------------
Year #3 Female has heifer = count 1
Year #4 Female has heifer = count 1
Year #5 Female has heifer and female's year #3 heifer has heifer = new calf count of 2
Year #6 Female had heifer and female's year #3 heifer has heifer and female's year #4 heifer has heifer = new calf count of 3
.
..
and so on....


The maximum approaches 1.618

I hate to be rude but I feel dumber after having read this post. By the way you aren't guaranteed a heifer from the mating, only 85-90% are heifers on average, so your figures are wrong from the start. Good day

 

[HerefordSire]

Sexed semen allows one to increase a homegrown herd size by reproducing and approaches the maximum ratio of 1.618

In other words...

----------------------------------------------
Female #1 has 10 heifers in 12 years.
----------------------------------------------
Year #3 Female has heifer = count 1
Year #4 Female has heifer = count 1
Year #5 Female has heifer and female's year #3 heifer has heifer = new calf count of 2
Year #6 Female had heifer and female's year #3 heifer has heifer and female's year #4 heifer has heifer = new calf count of 3
.
..
and so on....


The maximum approaches 1.618

I hate to be rude but I feel dumber after having read this post. By the way you aren't guaranteed a heifer from the mating, only 85-90% are heifers on average, so your figures are wrong from the start. Good day

I was merely illustrating the maximum. In God's world, it is impossible to reproduce higher than the GOLDEN RATIO.

 

[xbred]

herhordsire:
what if all your cows and heifers all had twin heifers and sterile ? i think you will find the maxium of sexed semen would be accomplished without the maxium results

 

[HerefordSire]

herhordsire:
what if all your cows and heifers all had twin heifers and sterile ? i think you will find the maxium of sexed semen would be accomplished without the maxium results

Excellent thought! It is a real pleasure to converse with someone thinking out of the box!

If a cow calved in less than a year so that over a long period of about 12 years, one extra calf was born, the same thing could happen. But, it will not be larger than the GOLDEN RATIO, that is, unless the cow was Octomom every year, but even then the ratio is golden and will not be exceeded. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[HerefordSire]

Thinking out of the box trying to be humorous....

Let's say you were a military general dictator about 100 years ago. You want to become a military powerhouse so what can you do? Get the men with the best genetics to provide semen samples. Store these samples in a secure place. Make sure the semen is sexed so the semen will only produce female offspring for population projections of four generations and will also produce male offspring for the last of five generations. Lease all the men to another country because they are no longer needed for a nice sum of money (working in the mines, etc.). All women could be artificially inseminated. They could be expected to give birth to a female once per year for 20 years. Do this for 4 female generations. On the fifth generation, generate males only.

You could have the most power force on earth. :mrgreen:

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Twin heifers aren't normally sterile.
Sexed semen costs more, you get lower conception, and you are looking at 80-85% heifers.
When you get 50% heifers, why bother? Getting a female PREGNANT as soon as possible in our 60-day season is our ultimate goal. Can't deal with low fertle semen.
Last I heard, ABS puts about 8 mil viable sperm in reg semen - and 1 (ONE) mil in sexed semen. Accellerated has a different method & I think it's supposed to be better. Lower female %, but higher conception.

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

Twin heifers aren't normally sterile.
Sexed semen costs more, you get lower conception, and you are looking at 80-85% heifers.
When you get 50% heifers, why bother? Getting a female PREGNANT as soon as possible in our 60-day season is our ultimate goal. Can't deal with low fertle semen.
Last I heard, ABS puts about 8 mil viable sperm in reg semen - and 1 (ONE) mil in sexed semen. Accellerated has a different method & I think it's supposed to be better. Lower female %, but higher conception.

I think I could deal with a few bull calves in return for a better conception rate. :nod: As long as the needle swung a bit more towards heifer calves.

I think they need to work on their equipment. They use a similar machine to that used for counting and typing blood cells. It's pretty cool actually. But if they're only giving out 1mil it either means they're being tight, or the equipment is not perfected in identifying male and female spermatozoa.

 

[alexfarms]

Thinking out of the box trying to be humorous....

Let's say you were a military general dictator about 100 years ago. You want to become a military powerhouse so what can you do? Get the men with the best genetics to provide semen samples. Store these samples in a secure place. Make sure the semen is sexed so the semen will only produce female offspring for population projections of four generations and will also produce male offspring for the last of five generations. Lease all the men to another country because they are no longer needed for a nice sum of money (working in the mines, etc.). All women could be artificially inseminated. They could be expected to give birth to a female once per year for 20 years. Do this for 4 female generations. On the fifth generation, generate males only.

You could have the most power force on earth. :mrgreen:

Please, don't ever run for elected office.

 

[novaman]

Twin heifers aren't normally sterile.
Sexed semen costs more, you get lower conception, and you are looking at 80-85% heifers.
When you get 50% heifers, why bother? Getting a female PREGNANT as soon as possible in our 60-day season is our ultimate goal. Can't deal with low fertle semen.
Last I heard, ABS puts about 8 mil viable sperm in reg semen - and 1 (ONE) mil in sexed semen. Accellerated has a different method & I think it's supposed to be better. Lower female %, but higher conception.

I think I could deal with a few bull calves in return for a better conception rate. :nod: As long as the needle swung a bit more towards heifer calves.

I think they need to work on their equipment. They use a similar machine to that used for counting and typing blood cells. It's pretty cool actually. But if they're only giving out 1mil it either means they're being tight, or the equipment is not perfected in identifying male and female spermatozoa.

They reduce the sperm count because the machines only kick out about 20 straws an hour if I remember right. It would be cost prohibitive to buy sexed semen if they put a full shot.

Jeanne, your line of thinking is similar to what I've heard from most beef producers. That is the reason sexed beef semen hasn't caught on like it has on the dairy side. Dairy bull calves are worth little so the fewer the better and the more reason to give up a bit on the conception in order to get more heifers that are worth something.

 

[hillsdown]

Twin heifers aren't normally sterile.
Sexed semen costs more, you get lower conception, and you are looking at 80-85% heifers.
When you get 50% heifers, why bother? Getting a female PREGNANT as soon as possible in our 60-day season is our ultimate goal. Can't deal with low fertle semen.
Last I heard, ABS puts about 8 mil viable sperm in reg semen - and 1 (ONE) mil in sexed semen. Accellerated has a different method & I think it's supposed to be better. Lower female %, but higher conception.

Please elaborate. Of all the twin heifers we had in beef and dairy they all were breedable .

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Hillsdown - I AGREE!!! "Twin heifers ARE NOT normally sterile."
I was referring to the remark by xbred: "what if all your cows and heifers all had twin heifers and sterile ?"
Heifers twin to heifers are perfectly fine normal breeders.

 

[HerefordSire]

Please, don't ever run for elected office.

I don't think Adolph or Sadaam ran for office before they were eliminated.

 

[xbred]

adolf did..

 

[HerefordSire]

adolf did..

It is amazing people voted for Adolp.