Values Dated: 2018
Getting the most out of your reproduction program is vital in today’s cattle industry. Recently developed synchronization systems for cows and heifers are more reliable, more productive, and more profitable than before. Synchronizing cattle reduces costs, saves labor, and adds value to both your breeding animals and the calves you produce, generating rewards that mean greater profit potential.
Beef Synchronization programs get a high percentage of pregnancies in the 1st week of the breeding season resulting in:
• lncreased Pregnancy Rates
– By increasing the potential number of heats during the breeding season.
– lnduces a fertile estrus in many anestrous cows.
– More days postpartum when the next breeding season begins.
• lncreased Weaning Weights
– earlier-born calves are heavier at weaning time.
• lncreased Uniformity of your Calf Crop
– groups of same age, same weight and same color calves are worth more!
• More Predictable Performance
– using Proven A.I. Genetics allows you to utilize sires that have Proven Performance.
• lncreased Cow Productivity
– Heifers that are born early in the calving season are more likely to conceive early in their first breeding season and subsequent breeding seasons, wean heavier calves and are more profitable during their lifetime than their later-born contemporaries.
Pregnancy Rate: Number of cows that are pregnant at the end of the breeding season = 90%
A.I. Pregnancy: Number of cows pregnant to A.I. sires at the end of the breeding season = 55%
Synch Cost:
1 CIDR = $11.00 (100 cows) = $1100
2 doses GnRH @ $2.50 per dose ($5.00 per cow x 100 cows) = $500
1 dose Prostaglandin @ $3.00 per dose per cow ($3.00 x 100 cows) = $300
Total = $1,900
Semen Cost: $20.00 per cow bred, 100% of cows are inseminated, 100 units x $20.00 = $2,000.00
Labor Cost: 100 cows receives 3 trips through chute for CIDR in, CIDR out, then AI = $600.00
A.I. Total Cost: (Synch cost, semen cost, and labor cost) = $4,500.00
- Clean Up Bulls
2 Bulls @ $3,000 each (purchase price) + $1.50/day maintenance for 2 yrs ($1095.00) = $7095 ($3,000 x 2 = $6,000 + $1095 = $7095)
* $7095 – $3240 salvage value [ 2 bulls ] [salvage of 1800 lb. bull @ $0.90 / lb. = $1620] = $3855 / 2 years= $1,927.50
Total Breeding Cost: ($4,500 [A.I. Total Cost] + $1,927.50 [Bulls]) $6,427.50
Added Value
Age Advantage: $5054.40
- Postpartum days are shortened per cow by 13 days when compared to natural breeding.
- 13 days x 90 cows = 1170 calf days
- Calves gain 2.7 lbs. per day
- 1170 calf days x 2.7 lbs. = 3159 extra lbs @ $1.60/lb = $5054.40
Genetic Advantage: $1320.00
- A.I. sired calves can add 15 lbs. over average weaning weight on days more calves on shortened intervals alone (not counting genetic advantage).
- 55 calves x 15 lbs. = 825 lbs. x $1.60/lb. = $1320.00
Total A.I Advantage = ($5054.40 + $1320.00) $6374.40
Total cost per 100 cows = $63.74 per head
Total Breeding Cost ($6,427.50) – A.I Advantage ($6374.40) = $53.10
Cost per Calf (90): $0.59 per calf
Pregnancy Rate: 90% Number of cows that are pregnant at the end of the breeding season
A.I. Pregnancy: 0
Synch Cost: $0.00
Semen Cost $0.00
Labor Cost $0.00
A.I. Total Cost $0.00
4 bulls @ $3,000 each [purchase price] (to cover 100 head ) = $12,000
4 Bulls + $1.50/day maintenance for 2 yrs ($1095.00) = $5095 (+ $12,000) = $17,095
$17,095 – $6,480 salvage value (4 Bulls) = $10,615 / 2 years= $5,307.50
(salvage of 1800 lb. bull @ $0.90 / lb. = $1,620)
Total Breeding Cost: $5,307.50
Added Value
Age Advantage: $0.00
Genetic Advantage: $0.00
Total A.I Advantage: $0.00
Total cost per 100 cows: $5,307.50
Cost per Calf (90): $58.97 per calf
Total profit margin in A.I. bred cattle VS. Natural service: $58.38 per head x 90 head = $5,254.20
Realize this is before adding premiums A.I. cattle will garner for carcass quality, grid value to potential feedlots or if you retain interest on your calves throughout the feed sector to harvest and overall genetic superiority for weight gain.
