We are proud to be offering Bovine Reproductive Services through the reproduction leader ST Genetics as a Semen Sales Rep and A.I. Specialist serving Alabama, Mississippi, & Tennessee.
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Services include:
Hormone Administration
Heat Detection
Nutritional Programs
Breeding Supplies
Liquid Nitrogen Supplier
Sire Selection
Herd Evaluation & Consultation
Custom Artificial Insemination
Estrous Synchronization
Preg-checking
As science as my witness, I am a firm believer that artificial insemination coupled with a planned synchronization program is the most cost effective way to create VALUABLE pregnancies in your cow herd. Valuable because we can utilize the most PROVEN sires from your breed of choice to reach specific goals that are economically relevant to your operation. With A.I. you get all of this for less dollars per pregnancy than buying even a below average UNPROVEN bull. Perhaps the biggest benefit of A.I. is many of the sires we use have several thousand calves already born. This means we have a much better idea of how future offspring will perform. With artificial insemination, one can reduce calving difficulty, wean bigger calves, obtain better carcass traits, and ultimately retain replacement heifers that will be more productive in your herd.
Forget the advantages of using a PROVEN bull and I would still be bullish on A.I. programs that utilize estrus synchronization. Synchronization programs combined with proper nutrition and health management will help return later calving cows back to heat sooner which results in more calves born during the first 21 days of the breeding season that will in turn be older and heavier on payday.
I realize that an A.I. program doesn’t fit the management and labor scenarios of every ranching operation. However, give me a call and I would be glad to discuss how and if I might be able to help improve your breeding program.
What conception rate can I expect?
On average between 50% - 70% of a herd will conceive to a single timed insemination. Most herds employ a "clean-up bull" to breed the remaining open cows on the following 2-3 cycles. Using the cleanup bull we target a 95% total herd pregnancy rate at the end of breeding season. Before starting a breeding project you should be aware these are averages, and the individual breeding project may do better or worse than the average. This is especially true when working with smaller groups. Herds that tend to have good results with A.I. breeding are typically herds that have had good results with bull breeding in the past. A.I. will not overcome a poor nutrition program, poor management, or a poor herd health program.
What are the advantages of using A.I.?
Artificial insemination provides the cow-calf producer an opportunity to use bulls possessing superior genetics that may otherwise be unavailable due to costs. A producer, through A.I., essentially has the ability to breed his or her cattle to any sire that semen has been collected and is available from. Depending upon the needs and goals of an individual's breeding program, A.I. offers an economically feasible means of increasing productivity over a wide range of traits. A producer, using expected progeny differences (EPD’s), can select a sire from many thousands of sires, which possesses the traits that he or she is looking for in his or her operation. Many of these elite sires have accuracy levels associated with them based on previous performance, which can allow for well matched sire selection, depending on a producers level of risk acceptance. Every breeding is important and it should be realized that with every breeding one has the ability to strengthen weak points within the individual as a doctor would prescribe a medication to cure an illness. There should be much time and effort spent to evaluate the needs within the herd and prescribe custom breedings to increase the profitability of the operation with the next generation.
Source: Genex
What do I need to be aware of when using AI?
The missing or limiting ingredient in implementing a successful A.I. program is often in the area of management. The use of A.I. requires a sound management program. When establishing an effective A.I. program, a step by step approached may be the best plan of attack. Some of the factors to be considered are:
1) implementation of a sound and efficient record keeping system;
2) a sound nutrition program;
3) well-designed, strong cattle handling facilities;
4) a sound, effective herd health program;
5) accurate heat detection (synchronization can alleviate the pressure of this);
6) a knowledgeable, well trained A.I. Technician.
A.I. facilities should provide an efficient means of sorting and restraining individual females. They need not be expensive or elaborate, but functional, strong, and solid. They should be designed and constructed in a manner which will reduce stress on the cattle, as this will have an effect on conception rates.
Without proper nutrition, any breeding program, either with natural service or artificial insemination will NOT be successful. Nutrition can have an astronomical effect on the fertility of a cow herd. Nutritional requirements are dependent upon many factors and nutrients are utilized by the female in a specific order. Nutrients are first diverted towards those functions most essential to the survival of the cow and her calf. If the female is not provided with the adequate amount of nutrients, the reproductive functions of the cow will be jeopardized. When this happens, the cow's ability to cycle regularly, and to conceive and maintain a pregnancy is often impaired.
Reproductive performance and the ultimate success of an A.I. program can be greatly affected by the health status of the cow herd. Many diseases affect the reproductive performance of the herd; as such, vaccination schedules should be implemented and followed as this is the most effective protection against them. The use of A.I. can aid in preventing against or spreading many of these diseases as they, for the most part, are sexually transmitted. All semen collected in the United States must be tested negative for these diseases, thus females that may be affected will have a lesser impact on the health of the herd due to the decrease in the amount of natural copulation as a bull will transfer disease from cow to cow.
Conception is dependent upon proper timing of insemination. Insemination 10-14 hours following standing heat is the best way of ensuring proper timing. Accurately identifying the period of standing estrus or heat is often the most difficult aspect of an A.I. program. Heat detection is difficult because it requires a serious commitment of time and careful observation of the cow herd at several times during the day. Estrus detection also requires a practical understanding of the cow's behavioral responses and physical reactions around and including estrus.
The final ingredient in a successful artificial insemination program is a properly trained and knowledgeable A.I. technician. Two important areas which require the most emphasis are placed are semen handling and proper placement of the semen in the female’s reproductive tract. Extreme caution must be exercised when handling semen as sperm are very susceptible to the environment. A knowledgeable and sure-handed A.I. Technician should be able to palpate the reproductive tract to find the cervix, work the cervix over the pipette, and place the semen properly into the uterine body.
What is estrous synchronization?
In conjunction with artificial insemination, estrus synchronization can also be incorporated. Estrous synchronization is simply the manipulation of estrus. It can easily be implemented through industry standardized protocols. This allows for a reduction in time and labor, both at the time of insemination and at calving. Many calves can be born within just a few days, allowing a producer to concentrate his or her resources into a few days rather than a long calving season. This will also increase the uniformity and average weaning weight of offspring, as more calves will be born at the beginning of the calving season. The cost of estrus synchronization is relatively minimal when compared to the savings in time and labor, especially in first-calf heifers. In spite of this enormous potential to improve production levels, many beef producers have not put themselves in a position to take advantage of the benefits offered by A.I.
What is the synchronization process like?
The synchronization programs we most commonly use require 3 trips through the chute (including when we A.I.). This can sound intimidating for someone who hasn’t done A.I. before and it is true that it isn’t feasible within some facilities and some herds of cattle. However, when synchronizing cattle most trips through the chute require only a single injection. In some cases multiple cattle can even be injected simultaneously when lined up in a sturdy alleyway. In most herds where we employ A.I. the cows get used to the working facilities during the synchronization protocol which has the added benefit of making them easier to work for other purposes.
COWS
HEIFERS
Most producers perform part of the synchronization at their farm in order to keep the cost of the breeding project low. However, you need not worry if you don’t understand all of the synchronization steps. We provide specific instructions with every breeding project regarding what to do and when to do it.
What does it cost?
There are many variables that affect the cost of the individual breeding project including the number of animals to be bred:
* The semen cost for the sire used (range $20 - $200/straw)
* The amount of travel required ($.85 per mile).
For a typical A.I. project you can expect to spend approximately $50-$70 for the synchronization (drug prices included below) and artificial insemination. When done correctly, A.I. pays for itself in the form of increased weaning weights, a more uniform calf crop, and improved genetics in the herd.
What should I do to get my cattle ready for AI?
The nutritional and health status of a group of cattle is one of the major determinants of the success of an AI project. The best results are seen when cattle are at least 45-60 days post calving and a body condition score of 5-7. In addition, fertility is elevated when cattle are gaining body condition throughout the breeding season and decreased when cattle lose condition during the breeding season. Using a high quality mineral supplement will also help ensure your cattle have the best chance of becoming pregnant.
We recommend a pre-breeding vaccination protocol for any animal we A.I. and strongly encourage pre-breeding pelvic measurement and reproductive tract scoring on heifers to ensure they are mature enough to become pregnant and deliver a calf without difficulty.
When not to use artificial insemination?
Just like all of the services we provide, we only offer artificial insemination when we believe it will pay returns to you the producer. Artificial insemination is a powerful tool for the cattleman. However, it will not overcome poor nutrition, poor management, or poor health. In addition, artificial insemination is not possible or safe to conduct in poor cattle working facilities. We are committed to helping every herd we work with become more productive. However, in some cases that might mean investing in working facilities, establishing a breeding season, culling open cows, reproductive tract scoring heifers, or vaccinating before implementing an A.I. program.
