AI who do you use and what do they charge?

[Teacupliz]

Around here we have ABS and Genex. I use ABS but I am never happy that he does not have a set charge for a house call. It is all on what he feels like that day. I try to stick to $25 for grades total and Not more the $50. for registered. Some cows he has to come out more then once. So my costs are defeating my profit.
I also paid more last month for sexed semen- I think the heifer settled. But now that I go back threw the books I think he gave me the wrong semen and it was not sexed. I am ----ed. I am trying to build a herd and putting a lot of thought into what I am doing.
So, I have a call out to Genex and just was wondering what you all pay. I am going to look for a class and buy a tank- I just like to be in control.

With farming there is so much out of our control.. At least if I can breed my cows for the price of Semen and I have to redo- I can conrol my costs.


Liz in NY
Teacup Farm

[Highland]

There is no service around here-- I have my own tank and do my own arm work-- its really not as difficult as i thought it would be.

[JeffNY]

I use genex, and also use a breeder who did breed for ABS (has been breeding for 32 years). Genex I like, very timely. Sometimes if I catch a heifer/cow the night before, get them there nice and early, works well. One charges $8/cow, the other charges $9 (genex).


The semen I use ranges from 25-100. The stuff that is over 80 is stuff that isn't easy to get. For example, Shottle was 85 when I bought 5 units, 3 straws left, now I guess you cant get him due to the issues over seas. Goldwyn was 100 a unit, because he isn't producing enough freezable semen. The other bulls that are lower is simply suppy/demand. Advent was 50, now he is a good deal at 28/unit. Talent is 50-55, get a red one from him, got yourself a potential gold mine. Lheros I have used, he isn't bad I beleive 25 a unit. I tend to shoot for the type bulls, and those with a good maternal line.

Plan on using this coming year. Dundee, Lheros, Talent, Advent, Pagewire (hope to flush this shottle heifer we have in September of 08, she is due in May). I might use some of my shottle on a merchant heifer we have, but not sure since he might be hard to obtain.

Not a big herd here, so pick a few that would mate well, use the same bull across a few. I have a couple that I just put a cidr in that ill breed to lheros next weekend. The other one ill breed to dundee, with the other I might use some stormin norman (not a cow I really care to get a heifer out of).


Jeff

[DaleK]

I use Select Sires
$12 for a single service, $8 for 2 or more on the same trip.
I use almost 100% sexed semen on heifers, averages about $45/dose.
I use about 70% test sires on cows and most of the rest are bred to Broad-Cove Harbourmaster

Also just replaced my cleanup bull with a Shottle son, http://www.holstein.ca/animalinq/res...ate+Info+Sheet , right now he's running with most of the cows.

[eruehr]

We had a lot of trouble getting the ABS guys to even come out - most of the farms in the area (what very few there are) do their own. They were always willing to come help - but somtimes it would take too long for them to get over - understandable - they're busy guys.
COBA offers training in our area for $500 - which includes $500 worth of semen certificates - so essentially free with the purchase of the first $500 in semen. I took the course and do my own cows and the neighbors - MUCH, MUCH, MUCH (if I could type bigger here I would) better than having to rely on someone else. Not at all difficult once you get it figured out. Sure you have to do some a couple of times but, well, sometimes so do the guys you have to pay. I recommend it. No hocus pocus or high skill involved - you just have to be shown what to do and walked through it a couple of times.
-Eric

[travlnusa]

I use Genex. She charges $11 per head for my small numbers, but always comes when I need her.

The rest of the charges would be what ever straw I choose to use, and any CIDR/shots I choose to use.

[unioncreek]

We don't have anyone locally, so I learned to to do it myself. Bought a tank for the Select Sires rep (he's 300 miles away) and do all my own. I would do it for others too.

Bobg

[Teacupliz]

I called Genex- and they charge $10. per stop better then 10 today and 22 tomorrow depending how I feel. Monday the Ai guy will drop off a book. I also found a class threw them and going to take it. i am excited to learn something new. I only have 15 cows but if I can breed them right I want to keep them in milk all year long staggering breedings. Liz in NY
Teacup Farm
thanks for all your thoughts

[montysky]

I do my own, like some of the other poster take the classes. In the long run you we be happy. I AI with BA and mop with a hereford bull.

[Jcran]

Holy buckets! I paid $60 for the first call out which included palpation, CIDR and "sister ellen" shot.

I then went to the vet and bought my own lutalyse for about $20/bottle to give when I took out the CIDR.

The blind date put me out $75 and that DIDN'T include semen (I contracted through the party that was storing their bull's semen in this guy's tank)

The third time out, the preg check, was $60. A grand total of about $215!

Now, this guy came out after-hours from about an hour away. In addition we have THE MOST EXPENSIVE GAS in the nation...I think we rival Hawaii (I paid $3.48 a gallon yesterday) but I still think all y'all got a better deal than me!

[linn]

I got fifteen dollars a cow plus semen costs years ago when I first started AI. I wouldn't put my arm up a wild heifer for eleven dollars. :baby04:

[Teacupliz]

Gas here is $3.35 good old NY-
Hey Jcran do not feel bad I have a cow I spent $300. for AI, $50 for meds. then $50. gas to take her to a bull she is now bred-- 4 months I hope but down to 2 teats. Live and learn-- I was just ----ed after working hard to get my heifer bred to Sexed semen and then find out whoops he used the wrong semen- Plus he wil not stick to one price for house calls it goes from $10- $22 on the way he feels- I want to know what it costs going in-- not suprise i charge more today- Liz

[linn]

Teacupliz, I will try to ask our ABS rep. here. She is very accomodating. Will your vet AI for you? If so, it might pay to have he/she do it.

[Teacupliz]

thanks Linn our vet charges $47. to walk in the door-

[unioncreek]

I wouldn't palpate a cow again or pay someone to do it. The last time around I used Biotracking. All you do is take a blood sample (in the tail) and send it in. For $2.50 they'll tell you if their bred or not.

Bobg

[Gregg Alexander]

When, I was AI cattle for the public, charged the cost of the straw plus $2, trip cost $35 on travel of up to 25 miles add $10 per extra up to 25 miles. Over 50 miles $2.50 per mile. I gave discounts for more than 1 head to breed.
With the cost of gas today around here $3.00 gal most likely would bring that up to $50 per breeding. Most of my customers were in the 25-40 mile range and had milked from 60-100 hd. I would preg test cows at the rate of $5.00 per hd at 60 days from breeding, plus $2.50 mile.

[Jcran]

Originally Posted by Gregg Alexander

When, I was AI cattle for the public, charged the cost of the straw plus $2, trip cost $35 on travel of up to 25 miles add $10 per extra up to 25 miles. Over 50 miles $2.50 per mile. I gave discounts for more than 1 head to breed.
With the cost of gas today around here $3.00 gal most likely would bring that up to $50 per breeding. Most of my customers were in the 25-40 mile range and had milked from 60-100 hd. I would preg test cows at the rate of $5.00 per hd at 60 days from breeding, plus $2.50 mile.

Then that wold be abot what I paid. I really liked the gy and he did a good job...btw, the oooo's and nn's aren't working on this person's keyboard. I cannot give the personal pronon as that key ain't working!

[Teacupliz]

where do you send Biotracking too?
do yo u have to ice the sample?

Liz iN NY

[Teacupliz]

where do you send Biotracking too?
do yo u have to ice the sample?

Liz iN NY

[unioncreek]

Liz,

Here's the URL http://www.biotracking.com/ . You only need to put the blood sample in the fridge overnight and send in the mail. If you buy the starter kit from them it includes postage. I work close to the Moscow ID lab where it was developed at and I think the charged me $2.25 per sample. You get the results via email in a little more than 24 hours. It doesn't tell you how far along they are just that they are pregnant. I AI mine so it makes it easy to determine if their pregnant so I can haul them to pasture in the spring.

Bobg