# AI, straws etc



## redtailgal (Jul 2, 2011)

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## Roll farms (Jul 2, 2011)

You'll have a Nub wether for your buck....???  

If you have a buck, why are you going to AI???

From what I've read, goats are harder than cows / pigs, but easier than horses, and the success rate is around 60% - depending on how good / experienced the AI-er is / how good the semen used is.

Freeney's not mine to give you, toots...But I WILL make more...can't you be patient?  Dec. is not so far off.........


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## Renegade (Jul 2, 2011)

We a.i. some of our goats and yes I own a buck as well. I breed for show and breeding stock and one buck is not going to always be the best cross for every doe I own. 
I don't find a.i. to be difficult but have noticed some people do. It's a matter of practice, practice, practice. I took two different classes (and highly recommend doing) so I could get a few different perspectives and opinions. I also thought it would be nice to get as much practice as I could before starting on my own does. 
Everything is done through a vaginal speculum. You really have to get used to working in a small field.
I know you said the only expense on cattle is the straw but you also have the a.i. kit ($150 - $200) and liquid nitrogen tank ($500 - $1000). The expense for goats is the about same. Just add the speculum. The only real difference in supplies is the gun is smaller and a little more flexible. Though I have seen people use cattle guns. 
I highly recommend leaving collection and freezing to the professionals. It usually runs about $120 - $180 depending on the number of straws you are getting.

HTH

Donna Finley
Finley Boers


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## redtailgal (Jul 2, 2011)

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## Roll farms (Jul 2, 2011)

I have 5 bucks...surely I can make one of them fit our needs...

I've never wanted to AI b/c w/ live coverage we have better results (97% vs. 60%) but do agree, w/ more practice your success would increase.

What I'm asking, Redtail...is you have a wether, I get that...but he won't be your buck, in the biblical sense, right?  You just mean he's the resident male? 
(I was confused...I thought you thought a wether would 'do' the job for you...but also thought you knew better....see why I was confused??)

I didn't see why a small herd would need to AI *if* there was a buck in residence...but I definitely do understand about wanting to spread the genetic wealth.  
If A) I had someone close who was GOOD at it, and B) there was some awesome buck who's kids I wanted badly, I might try it on our girls.  
I don't have the time or inclination to try to learn to do it myself at this time.

If you're looking for Boer semen, try http://www.thegoatfactory.com/servlet/StoreFront


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## Ariel301 (Jul 3, 2011)

Have you considered buying a spottted buck kid from somewhere else rather than doing AI? It would probably cost more, but you would be taking less chances, since you can see the kid before paying for it. With AI, you'll have to do several does (possibly more than once before they take) and then hope to get a kid that meets your criteria for a breeding buck. And then you won't be able to breed him back to his mom from your herd, or any sibling sisters (unless you don't have an issue with inbreeding), so you'd need a second unrelated buck anyway. It seems like it would be easier to buy a buckling already on the ground that is unrelated to your does.


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## Renegade (Jul 3, 2011)

Redtail

You can find straws for exceptional bucks for between $50 - $300. You'll pay at the higher end for straws from spotted bucks. 

When working with goats it takes a while to get used to working in the small field of vision. You are basically doing all of your work in about a 1" field. I highly recommend investing in a goat a.i. gun. They are much easier to use on goats then the cattle gun. I know a few experienced cattle a.i. people that were unable to a.i. a goat until they changed to a goat gun.

Donna Finley
Finley Boers


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## redtailgal (Jul 9, 2011)

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## redtailgal (Jul 9, 2011)

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