Looking at jersey semen.....

allenslabs · #1 07/30/11, 11:58 AM

And I am really bad at figuring out all the stuff they have listed. But I did find a bull that I kinda like from select sires and wanted to see if anyone on here has used him. His name is TBone and I like that he adds length to the teats as I hate short teats but also liked the pictures on there too. It also said he was considered a "feedpro" bull which I took to mean that his offspring didn't require huge amounts of feed.

Any info you all can pass along to me is great!

Also some people talk about A2 and A1 and someone on another board said he was A2 but I can't see where it says that. Anybody able to tell me how they knew he was A2? Thanks!

http://www.selectsires.com

genebo · #2 07/30/11, 09:29 PM

Select Sires can tell you if he's A2. Ask.

I think it's great that you're checking out the bull before you use him. Everybody should do that.

allenslabs · #3 07/30/11, 10:49 PM

Thank you. I will have to call there on monday and find out more information. My girl is supposed to be able to be registered and the man said that he would do so and have them mail me the papers but they've not gotten here. It will take a couple weeks more I would think. Papers matter little to me but if they are available I like to see the genetics and what is expected and such. LOL! Goofy I know but still.....I like to. LOL!

**gone-a-milkin** · #4 07/30/11, 11:35 PM

No, that is not goofy. Choosing a bull is important.

If you know the faults in your cow, you can improve the genetics of your herd substantially, over time.

In general, those SS bulls are all going to be pretty good.
Sometimes a younger (less $) less-proven bull can get you good results too.
The AI techs who do this work are generally well informed of the options and can really help you to decide.

Don't just go by the pics of any bull. You cannot tell ANYthing about udder placement/ attachment by looking at just those pics.

Catalytic · #5 07/31/11, 01:52 AM

How do you find an AI tech? Finding a vet around here is a major feat, I wouldn't begin to know how to find someone who can AI.

genebo · #6 07/31/11, 12:51 PM

If you have found a vet, ask him to recommend an AI tech. My vet has a particular AI tech that he likes to work with.

Your county agricultural extension agent is always a good resource for information like this.

Then there are your local dairies. They use AI a lot, and most don't mind sharing the names of who they use.

You can search the phone book and the web, too. Look for AI technician or large animal clinic.

Catalytic · #7 07/31/11, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by genebo

If you have found a vet, ask him to recommend an AI tech. My vet has a particular AI tech that he likes to work with.

Your county agricultural extension agent is always a good resource for information like this.

Then there are your local dairies. They use AI a lot, and most don't mind sharing the names of who they use.

You can search the phone book and the web, too. Look for AI technician or large animal clinic.

I haven't found a vet, large animal vets don't seem to exist around here at all. I know there's one about an hour away, but he's in FL, and I don't know if he's even able to cross the state line to treat. I found ONE vet in my area who is willing to draw blood on my goats, but that is ALL she is willing to do, and I have to take them to her, about a 45 minute drive. (I have someone who is coming to teach me how to do that and trim hooves tomorrow, yay!) I called about 25 vets within an hour of me, and none do livestock or house calls, nor did they know anyone who did. Boggles my mind, we're in farm country.

I do have an email out to the dairy I was thinking about getting calves from asking if they AI and whether they know any vets nearby, but she hasn't answered yet. On another forum, someone recommended calling the AI places like SS, Genex, etc, and seeing if they have anyone in the area, so I'll be doing that tomorrow.

A goat breeder about 2 hours from here is going to be hosting an AI training clinic (for goats) in the late fall, I plan to attend that and learn to AI my goats, but I know it's different for cows, darn it.

Hadn't thought about contacting the extension office, i really need to remember they exist, because when I have talked to them in the past, they've been fantastic for information!

On the extension website, I did find several articles about the lack of dairies in Alabama, and one of the reasons listed as to why there aren't more is the lack of vets.

genebo · #8 07/31/11, 07:52 PM

The shortage of cattle vets is a subject that I feel strongly about. I think that all the major cattle breed associations should have a scholarship program to encourage new cattle vets to take up the profession.

We had a couple of very popular cattle vets switch to small animals, because it is more lucrative. There are almost no goat vets left here.

Anyone who finds a good vet should take very good care of their vet.

Catalytic · #9 08/01/11, 05:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by genebo

The shortage of cattle vets is a subject that I feel strongly about. I think that all the major cattle breed associations should have a scholarship program to encourage new cattle vets to take up the profession.

We had a couple of very popular cattle vets switch to small animals, because it is more lucrative. There are almost no goat vets left here.

Anyone who finds a good vet should take very good care of their vet.

I have a plan for when I win the lottery. I'm going to pay for someone to go to vet school, if they will move back here and be a large animal vet. If I win enough, I'm going to set them up a vet office, too.

Peeves me off that I can't find a vet, really. I live in the country, everywhere I go...cows, horses, goats...and no flippin' vet that I can find. Hopefully I will never have a very urgent need for one, and what I learn online can get me through.

minifarmer · #10 08/01/11, 02:29 PM

Did you decide to go with Sexed or Conventional Semen? We have a bull at our Lab named T-Bone. He is awesome. I'm not sure if the Tbone you are looking at is the same, or one of his sons, as we sell to Select Sires. But at my work, we sex his semen, and process it conventional, and he is on site. A really impressive bull with great stats.

allenslabs · #11 08/01/11, 02:46 PM

No way!! Is he a jersey bull? Here is the link to select sires for him http://www.selectsires.com/bulls/Vie...nguage=ENGLISH I talked to the guy today about him and he said he is $24 per straw for regular and $45 for sexed. I am not wanting to add height so didn't know what he did. I can't read these stinkin' stat info as I know nothing about how to. So if you have a good site for that I would love it if you passed it along! LOL!

livinzoo · #12 08/01/11, 09:43 PM

Did you find out if this bull is A2? I have been asking my Select sires rep but the first response I got from him was that I should call him when he is traveling. I told him I would rather him to just email a list of A2 bulls that could be sexed he said he would check into it and it has been over a month.

allenslabs · #13 08/01/11, 10:00 PM

He said he wasn't sure and would look into it but no, didn't find out for sure.

genebo · #14 08/02/11, 11:00 AM

You can usually buy a single straw and have the lab mail it unfrozen to the Veterinary Genetics Lab at UC Davis to be tested for A2.

$24 for the straw + ~$12 for mailing +$25 for A2 test.

minifarmer · #15 08/02/11, 11:13 AM

Allenlabs: Yes, this is the JE1000, Tbone who is housed at our lab. I say go for it. The price is right and it will be sooo worth it to have a heiffer calf out of Tbone. He is a 'rising star' in the Jersey world, and you will do well to have his name on your pedigree.

allenslabs · #16 08/02/11, 12:30 PM

Awesome!!! I think he's the one I've decided to go with. Do you think it would be worth the extra to try sexed semen at least once or should I just go with traditional?

Catalytic · #17 08/02/11, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allenslabs

Awesome!!! I think he's the one I've decided to go with. Do you think it would be worth the extra to try sexed semen at least once or should I just go with traditional?

If AI usually takes in less than 5 straws, I think I would go with the sexed, IF you planning on keeping the heifer or raising her up for a while. If you plan to sell her as a bottle baby, I'm not sure the "guarantee" of a girl is worth it.

allenslabs · #18 08/02/11, 01:12 PM

Definitely. I would definintely keep a heifer and raise it if I had gone through the trouble for the sexed semen and all that. I am not sure I will be any good at getting a cow AI'ed as I've never done it before which is my only real concern with paying that much more for the sexed semen versus the traditional. But, ya never know until you try! LOL!

Patty0315 · #19 08/02/11, 04:47 PM

I have a tbone calf . Very dairy , nice girl but only 1 month old so hard to tell much . Select sire will have an ai guy come and ai your cow . No need in getting a 3rd party involved.

Patty

allenslabs · #20 08/02/11, 05:15 PM

Oh wow! I would love to see a pic of her! Probably is hard to tell much at a month old but still....bet she's pretty. Did you use traditional semen or sexed?