Your thoughts please..

[semen demon]

Okay, I'm fairly biased seem as how i am a technician, but AI would be much more cost effective and managable for your situation given you have some place to catch them. It can be a wonderful tool if managed right. You can use far better genetics, your cost per pregnancy will far less, and you don't have to worry about the liabily of having a bull around.

I like to use CIDRs and even on cows that are minimally managed, you can easily get 75-80% conception rates for first service. Talk to some technicians in your area. Some will sell you semen by the unit.I don't think that I would recommend just going out and learning how to AI and buying all the supplies right off the bat. Although I definately recommend planning as part of your growth.

Heat detection issues are minimal with a good synch program. Any cows that don't settle, come back in heat in 21 days, just set up again. I like this system because you can not only manage your genetics, but you can also narrow your calving season down to a couple of spirts 30 to 40 days apart.

good luck.

 

[Jake]

The Product is
"loot-uh-lice"

The Act of is
"loot-uh-lizing" or "loot-uh-lize"

 

[Jake]

For 3 cows AI would work out far cheaper than natural service, provided you have an AI technitian who could come out to serve the cows. You will be able to breed the cows to a far superior bull than you could justify buying for such a small number.

I plan to increase my numbers when I can but like I said I'm just starting out with my own herd and trying to keep an open mind and evaluate all options available.

How about maybe getting it touch with someone in your area with a good bull you could use. I sometimes do that for folks when my bulls having nothing better to do. I make them bring the cows to me though. I'm not too keen on by bulls leaving the property unless they are going to Burger King. ;-)

I have considered that option and my uncle would be willing to do that but his bull is pretty much just something to breed with, nothing special, my neighbor on the other hand has a good angus bull and he would probably let me turn a few head in with his, but I hate to ask for favors or help from others. Just feels like I'm bugging them because I know everyone has a life with things to do and I hate to intrude, although my neighbor and I help each other out pretty regularly.

For example I had my uncle come out and shred this past spring. It's wide open but before he finished he had broken the window on the door of his tractor. (his fault, had the door open, backed up and somehow the tire caught it and shattered the glass.) Then a pin broke on the 3 point and he ended up pulling a hydraulic hose out of the shredder, and last but not least had to replace his back tires due to a flat. (again he said he knew the tires were bad not my fault)
But I sure felt bad and even worse he wouldn't let me pay him or help pay for repairs. :(

what kind of breeding season does your neighbor run? If he is spring you may be able to fall calf and feed the bull for the duration of use plus a little bit for rent.

 

[JustACountryGirl]

J,
AI works for us. We only have 6 breedable cows at the moment and AI is much more feasable to us. Our fences have never been torn down, I don't have to vaccinate/worm, or feed a bull. Our Select Sires rep allows us to use a tank. We synch and breed. Of the 6 AI'ed after synching, 4 took. They are finally all bred. Scoping out heat was an issue but a kamar helped solve that. If they did not take when we synched, they got a kamar. If the kamar turned red, they got AI'ed that evening.