For those that AI....I have questions!

6e · #1 01/23/12, 10:04 AM

I finally found a place near us that will AI cows. $10 a head to AI, plus $5 a day for boarding. Plus you have to pay for the AI tool and so forth which runs about $40 total I suppose. Is this reasonable?
I am pretty excited as then I could pretty much have my choice of any bull in the country. I'd really like to breed my Jersey girls to a Mini Jersey bull.

So, questions:

To AI, what equipment would I have to have? I suppose, since I'm not using any of their bulls that they have, then I'd probably have to buy a shipping tank and all that. What kind of expenses are involved there? Is there any place that sells semen tanks reasonably priced?

I saw semen is shipped by the "straw". How many straws does one need for one cow?

Other than the obvious advantage of having your pick of superior bulls, is there any advantage to AI when the bull is on pasture? It's not like we're feeding him per se except in the winter.

haypoint · #2 01/23/12, 11:14 AM

A straw is all you need for a breeding. Nice to be able to breed the following day if you were a bit early on that first breeding. Saves shipping costs to get enough for a breeding in case she comes back in heat.

You can order your straws of semen when they put in an order for theirs and they may even let you store your straws in their tank.

That pasture bull is costly. You could replace him with a cow and get a calf each spring. You have little information on the calving ease of the bull you have in the pasture. AI bulls are studied for calving ease. After a few years you must change bulls and every time you bring in livestock, you risk bringing in diseases, too.

A standard Jersey is a small cow. They are known for their calm, easy to lead/handle nature while producing high quality, creamy milk. A mini-Jersey is bred for being small.IMHO, if a standard "normal" Jersey is too large, there are some excellent milking goats available.

willow_girl · #3 01/23/12, 10:21 PM

When I took an A.I. class last year, Select Sires offered a starter kit with everything you need -- tank, gun, etc. I think it was around $700. The class was $500, but upon completion you got certificates that could be redeemed for $500 in semen.

So, depending on how many cows you have there, it might make sense to take the class and do it yourself. If you had your own tank and equipment, you could even hire out to do A.I. for other folks who only have a couple of cows.

6e · #4 01/23/12, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willow_girl

When I took an A.I. class last year, Select Sires offered a starter kit with everything you need -- tank, gun, etc. I think it was around $700. The class was $500, but upon completion you got certificates that could be redeemed for $500 in semen.

So, depending on how many cows you have there, it might make sense to take the class and do it yourself. If you had your own tank and equipment, you could even hire out to do A.I. for other folks who only have a couple of cows.

I've considered it. The place that I found that will AI also teaches classes, but from what I've read, cows are extremely difficult to get it right and good chance of doing more harm than good if you go through the walls. And hard to tell when you've gotten it just past the cervix, but not past the horns. They said that it takes doing it to many many cows to get any good at it. Did you find that to be true? If I thought I could do it, it'd be worth the $500 to me for the class.

Callieslamb · #5 01/24/12, 07:46 AM

I paid $40 to have someone come to my farm and AI my cow. I'm not sure why they would want you to bring the cow to them. Yes you can keep your own supplies that would depend on how many cows you have. I had one. I called the AI guy and since he was usually in the area, it was $40. $60 for sexed semen. He had plenty of jersey bulls to choose from, so I didn't need to buy my own straws. However, if I had say a Dexter that he doesn't normally carry semen for, I could buy a several straws and he would keep them for me until I needed it. I don't know that I'd want to haul an animal to get it bred. I'd be afraid all the changes would affect her ability to settle.

haypoint · #6 01/24/12, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Callieslamb

I paid $40 to have someone come to my farm and AI my cow. I'm not sure why they would want you to bring the cow to them. Yes you can keep your own supplies that would depend on how many cows you have. I had one. I called the AI guy and since he was usually in the area, it was $40. $60 for sexed semen. He had plenty of jersey bulls to choose from, so I didn't need to buy my own straws. However, if I had say a Dexter that he doesn't normally carry semen for, I could buy a several straws and he would keep them for me until I needed it. I don't know that I'd want to haul an animal to get it bred. I'd be afraid all the changes would affect her ability to settle.

If they are running a dairy, it would be easier to catch her in heat as they will be in the barn so often. Having the cow at the owner's farm makes catching her in heat harder. You either have to go over there often or depend on a newbe to know what they are looking for and call you.

I'd be concerned about moving her, too. But if done a couple weeks in advance she should be aclimated.

willow_girl · #7 01/24/12, 12:39 PM

Quote:

I've considered it. The place that I found that will AI also teaches classes, but from what I've read, cows are extremely difficult to get it right and good chance of doing more harm than good if you go through the walls. And hard to tell when you've gotten it just past the cervix, but not past the horns. They said that it takes doing it to many many cows to get any good at it. Did you find that to be true? If I thought I could do it, it'd be worth the $500 to me for the class.

Actually my old boss gave me a lesson in breeding because I wanted to A.I. two of my cows. This was back in '04. I watched an online tutorial first, gave my cows shots to 'set them up' so i could breed them both at the same time, and he brought his tank and equipment over. I settled both cows on the first attempt ... beginner's luck!

It really isn't rocket science. You do get better, faster and more confident with practice! From what I understand, the odds of harming the cow (providing you've had some rudimentary training) are pretty slim.

Personally I'm glad I had the training ... it's just one more skill to have in the toolbox. I find it interesting and a little bit of a challenge, something I don't often get these days. LOL! I say "Go for it!" if you can afford it and have the opportunity.

Callieslamb · #8 01/24/12, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by haypoint

If they are running a dairy, it would be easier to catch her in heat as they will be in the barn so often. Having the cow at the owner's farm makes catching her in heat harder. You either have to go over there often or depend on a newbe to know what they are looking for and call you.

I'd be concerned about moving her, too. But if done a couple weeks in advance she should be aclimated.

I guess I was looking at if from a home dairy cow stand point - who'd milk her away from home for 2 weeks?

**gone-a-milkin** · #9 01/24/12, 08:50 PM

I have only ever seen AI techs who would come out to the owner's farm for the breeding.

When I was a teen I successfully settled several cows and w/o taking any classes at all.
I just did what my stepdad and the other tech both told me.
They were BOTH coaching. LOL

I havent had a chance to try it again since then, but I have had my hand in a few times.

Honestly, other than not being tall enough to service those holsteins very easily <*stands on tippytoes*>
I think it would make a great career if the market will bear it.

Having access to all those good bloodlines is a marvelous thing, kind of a miracle to me still after all these years.

bknthesdle · #10 01/24/12, 08:54 PM

We sinc the cows with shots then use straws we bought online. $15-20 a straw. (select sites) Then it cost like $3.50 a head for the vet to come out and AI. A friend even did a few of ours for free. We also used his tank to store them for free.

6e · #11 01/24/12, 08:55 PM

Both cows are dry at this time. And I do know how to determine standing heat in a cow. This place is a company. They do not go to farms to AI. You have to take the cows to them. They charge $10 a head to AI plus $5 a day to board. I have not been able to find an AI tech that goes to farms and does that and we don't have a squeeze chute anyway. I don't have to handle the cows that way, but suspect I would if I was to try and stick something in her. LOL I worry too about hauling her around. The place I found is the ONLY place I've found around here and they are 75 miles away.

Haypoint, you had mentioned it's cheaper than keeping the bull. The ONLY time it'd be cheaper is in the winter. In the summer he grazes on pasture and we put out no money on him. In the winter we feed hay and he eats that, but this year we're baling our own, and so we honestly wouldn't be "putting out money" on him for that per se. But you're right. He can't have a calf, but sort of need him if I want calves. LOL Our main reason for having him was a serious lack of being able to find a place to AI first of all and secondly, because we have a senior citizen cow and was told she takes best by live cover.....although this last time she didn't take and may well be culled now.

Sad too. She was a good cow.

Willow, thank you for the input! I'll have to think again about perhaps just taking the class instead. The reason AI appealed was not having a bull around first, but secondly, being able to breed to a mini Jersey or any bull of my choosing instead of being locked down to the one standing outside. I really would like to get into the Mini Jersey's. Our young Jersey's are pretty small, but smaller still would be nice. And Haypoint....we have goats too.

I prefer my cow milk. But a lot of the Mini Jersey's are producing 2 to 4 gallons a day! That is plenty for us and they take less space and eat less. I know some balk at the height, but I can sit on the ground if I need to. I'm not worried about it.

6e · #12 01/24/12, 09:15 PM

Looks like hubby and I are going to A.I. school to learn to do it ourselves.

A new skill under the belt.

Thanks again for the encouragement Willow. I think we'll go ahead and give it a try.

willow_girl · #13 01/24/12, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Honestly, other than not being tall enough to service those holsteins very easily <*stands on tippytoes*>

I'm short, too -- I gotta stand on a milk crate!

Actually, TWO milk crates. We breed in the free stalls. The cow is chained up by her collar, but can still swing her hind end back and forth, so I use two crates and step back and forth as necessary, sometimes giving backwards ninja kicks if another curious cow insists on being in my back pocket! (Doing A.I. always seems to draw an attentive bovine audience, and if more than one cow is in heat, it can be a little, errr, challenging.)

Yeah, it's fun alright.

bknthesdle · #14 01/24/12, 10:13 PM

We decided after last year that we're AI'ing our whole herd. You get the best genetics and it shows and it's cheaper than putting $$$ into a good bull and watching him keel over dead. Year and a half ago we bought 2 really good bulls. Spent a small fortune. One was my husband's choice the other was a red Simmental bull and he was my pick.'this summer, after only having one calf crop from him, he hurt his "tool" and died. There went our money and we were out a bull for breeding.

This year we are AI'ing. We will get the best genetics that we normally wouldn't have access to and we will have a couple of clean up bulls. One is the bull my husband bought and two are bull calves from AI'ing before that we kept back.

We won't ever spend that kind of money on a bull to pasture breed when so many things can go wrong.