What are you paying for AI services?

[unioncreek]

I want to start AI'ing a little on the side, but can't find any prices for my area. As far as I can find out no one is doing it in my area. What have you been paying, for the first cow and if you have more than one done at one time what do you pay for the rest?

Thanks,
Bobg

[Meadowwood]

The price here is $35. So far I have only had one cow at a time done so I don't know if the AI guy gives a break on price for a second or not.

Darlene

[Rod_]

I pay a $25 trip charge and $10 per head. There are per head price breaks but not sure what they are.

[JulieLou42]

$30 and the technician comes from an hour away, so it's very reasonable. It was $25 until Hurricane Katrina hit. Cost can depend upon the breed you're wanting from him, tho'.

[DaleK]

$10 Canadian for first service, $8 for repeat breedings or for 5 or more services at a time.

[HilltopDaisy]

I have a question.......does the AI tech provide the semen? It's not included in the prices your quoting, is it? Where do you chose the sire from?

[Christina R.]

Dexter semen was going to cost $65-85 and the vet was going to charge $25. I would assume most of the prices in the above posts do not include the price of the straws.

[willow_girl]

One of the semen companies' representatives in our area is an AI tech and offers his services for $10 per cow, plus the cost of semen, to his customers.

I can definitely see some sort of trip charge, to cover your mileage, and if you are ordering semen on behalf of your customers, perhaps a surcharge on that as well.

Good luck! If you were here in northern Michigan, I'd have a little job for you!

[JulieLou42]

The cost of mine included the semen, which is why I said that cost would depend upon cost of that. I quoted for Jersey and Saler $25, which is what I paid, three years running.

[heinola honey]

.I really shouldn't pay anything cuz DH knows how but he's on the road constantly and usually when the heats occur. So I paid $10 for a trip charge and the price for semen is anywhere form $10 to thousands depending on sire etc. etc.

[Oxankle]

I have just started having my cattle AI'd--you cannot afford a bull as good as those in the bull studs, and you can match cow to bull instead of breeding them all to one bull. There are computer programs that will match the EPD's and phenotypes of bull and cow, giving you an idea which bull will produce the best calf with your cow.

Bull studs put out catalogues listing their bulls. The men who represent these companies generally have some semen on hand and will sell you an individual straw at service if you do not have the nitrogen bottle to buy and store your own. Some of these fellows will even take your cow when she is about due and board her until she is bred, charging a daily boarding fee in addition to the service and semen costs. If you want the calf registered there is usually another charge for a certificate attesting to the breeding.

Semen costs are usually in the $20-$35 range; a well known and popular bull that dies will command a higher fee until all his semen is sold. The Tech charge here is $l0 to $15 plus any mileage fee. Two weeks ago I had a heifer bred; cost $10 for the service (at the Tech's place), plus the boarding fee ($3 per day and up, depending on the tech's situation) plus semen (the bull stud will bill me direct). If I decide the calf is good enough to register the certificate will be another $40 or so. (Doing it this way you do not buy a certificate for a calf dead on arrival, or for a dud, or one that does not stick.)

I suspect that techs in the dairy states will not board a cow because of the possibility of bringing Johnnes onto their property. Here and in Texas it is sometimes done.

Where herds are large enough (brother does this) cows are treated with hormones to synchronize their estrus periods and the tech will come on the appointed day and breed the whole herd.
Ox

[john in la]

The last AI service I had done cost me $45 including the semen.
My AI tech charges $35 if he picks the bull and goes up from there depending on the bull you pick.

[willow_girl]

Where herds are large enough (brother does this) cows are treated with hormones to synchronize their estrus periods and the tech will come on the appointed day and breed the whole herd.

Hee hee! I used Ovsynch (estrus synchronization) on my large (well, they're fat! ) herd of 2 last year. So don't let herd size stop ya!

[JeffNY]

The AI tech here gets $8.00 per animal I beleive, no trip charge.



Jeff

[a1cowmilker]

My vet charged me $65.00 to breed my jersey this summer.
$35.00 office call
$15.00 semen
$15.00 A.I.
He also answered every question I could think of. By the way, the bull's name was Hermitage and he thinks that the bull is now dead. Anyone ever heard of him?

[Oxankle]

LOL, Willow Girl:

My bad; of course you can synch two as well as twenty two, but it in a tiny herd it is not often you can put them all in breeding condition at one time without making one of them waste a few months waiting.

I wish I could get all mine on a schedule; on a small place the breedings tend to scatter.
Ox

[unioncreek]

The AI tech that I buy my semen off of has a route that he travels every 8 weeks to fill tanks and deliver semen. I'm 300 miles from him, so I have to plan in advance. As far as I know there are not may that will come out and AI in my area. The last time I inquired about it, price was $45 plus a trip charge. The guy had to drive 35 miles to get to me. That's why I decided to learn how to do it.

Bobg