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Success rates with artificial insemination (A.I.) are affected by many different things. Condition of the cattle, plane of nutrition, number of days postpartum for lactating cows, heat detection, semen handling and technician skill level are all important factors.
One of the newer developments with A.I. in beef cattle is availability of sexed semen. Gender selection has been utilized for two decades in the dairy industry, and the number of beef bulls with sorted semen available from A.I. studs has increased during the past 10 years.
In larger commercial cow-calf operations, multiple-sire breeding herds are typically used. These herds are easier to manage, with less reproductive failure risk, but more difficult to evaluate genetic improvement in your calf crop.
A complete breeding soundness evaluation (BSE) for every bull, 45 to 60 days before each breeding season, is critical. It takes sperm 60 days to develop and mature.
There are many components to estrus synchronization protocols, so I’m not surprised when I receive a phone call with questions. To help with your next synchronization project, I’ve compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions.
We often focus primarily on heifer and cow nutrition because it is of great importance; however, it’s also important to remember that 50% of your calf crop’s genetics come from the sire.
One of the most important yearly management decisions facing producers is bull selection. This becomes evident when realizing a bull will influence the genetic makeup of 20-25 calves per bull per year.
Sex-sorted semen, or sexed semen, is a reproductive technology that allows beef producers to generate calves of the desired sex to fit their market and herd needs.
Most articles about the value of pregnancy diagnosis focus on identifying the open cow and getting her off the feed bill. With carrying cost being more than $2 per day over the winter, there is a lot of value in that approach.
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