PattySh
Loving the herd life
What age to heifers generally have their first heat? Will her heat cycles be more obvious because she is with 2 steer calves?
Is this a good price?
- Thread starter scrambledmess
- Start date
Imissmygirls
Lonley for cows
Well, if we had one breed at 9 months... there's your answer!
I'd start serious observations at 9 months or so and hope to get a cycle of 18-21 days so you can be sure of observations to breed at standing heat at 12 months. If you miss at 12 months, you still have plenty of time to catch her the next few heats.
Thank heavens you have other stock, because it is very hard to detect heat in a lone cow-- unless you luck out and get a bawler or an overly affectionate gal.
Watch for the bleedoff at the END of a heat period.
Check into AI prior to when you need it, too. Get the call-in number and the hours he/she is available. Find out what semen the tech normally carries with him and can he find your place!
I'd start serious observations at 9 months or so and hope to get a cycle of 18-21 days so you can be sure of observations to breed at standing heat at 12 months. If you miss at 12 months, you still have plenty of time to catch her the next few heats.
Thank heavens you have other stock, because it is very hard to detect heat in a lone cow-- unless you luck out and get a bawler or an overly affectionate gal.
Watch for the bleedoff at the END of a heat period.
Check into AI prior to when you need it, too. Get the call-in number and the hours he/she is available. Find out what semen the tech normally carries with him and can he find your place!
PattySh
Loving the herd life
Thanks for all the advice! New to this cow breeding...my other animals the sire is always on premises. I have to call the closest local farmers to see who their AI tech is. What is an average cost for such a service?
Imissmygirls
Lonley for cows
Last time I heard it ranged from $8 to $100+ depending upon the sire used.
jhm47
True BYH Addict
Good dairy semen usually costs in the $25 - $50 range. A good proven bull is usually at the higher end of that range. Your technician will generally charge $10 - $30, depending on how far he has to drive. All in all, that's a great bargain, compared to using an unproven bull that might sire large calves that require assistance from a vet. These proven bulls also will produce heifers that produce many more $ than an unproven bull.
Imissmygirls
Lonley for cows
I would suggest allowing the technician to choose the semen within a given price range. S/He can evaluate your heifer's poor points and match them with a bull's strong points. There is an art and a science to that and most good technicians are good at it. They see a lot of cows and a lot of bull's offspring.
COUNTRYMAN
Chillin' with the herd
speaking as a tech, check with your local farms, you more then likely will be able to find some one local to you that will come over and take care of this for you. I charge 15.00 for local but have driven many miles to breed 100 or more animals at a time for 10.00 per head (thats just cost of breeding, not the semen)
If you were my neihbor i would charge you nothing for the service other than the cost of the semen, but thats just me
If you were my neihbor i would charge you nothing for the service other than the cost of the semen, but thats just me
