of additional weaning weight for steer calves or as little as 10 extra pounds of weaning weight per year for the life of a replacement heifer from the AI sire will cover the cost. Simply from a production standpoint, about 50-60 lbs. In general, the results in Table 1 show it will cost about $100 in many cases to produce an AI calf. Nutrition, health, general management, semen management, and technician proficiency will significantly affect the results of an AI program. Recall there is variability in the rate of estrus and the pregnancy rate across farms. The costs and returns in the table are based on actual costs incurred in the Pennsylvania Heifer Development program, and the returns are an average from several years of AI and ES programs here in Penn State herds. Table 1 provides an outline of possible costs for AI and ES. The use of AI and ES is not without additional cost. An advantage for the commercial herd is that the calving season may be more concentrated, reduce observation at calving time, and provide a more uniformly-aged calf crop to assist in weaning and marketing management. The reader should review the protocols in general use presented by the Iowa Beef Center website. These programs have been refined and provide the potential for being highly successful to reduce the labor of estrus detection and consolidation of AI activity. Numerous estrus synchronization (ES) protocols are now available. Traits of economic and herd importance could then be more effectively targeted. Reciprocally, the use of AI for a terminal sire would replace this breeding herd, while replacements could be generated by live matings. The use of an AI program could eliminate the herd used to produce replacements. For example, two breeding herds would normally be needed for a crossbreeding program with a 2-breed crossbred cow (one herd to produce these replacements) and a second herd bred to terminal sires. The use of EPDs and other selection tools also provides the advantage of simultaneously improving growth, carcass traits, and other factors with careful sire selection.Ĭrossbreeding programs can utilize AI to capture additional heterosis or in the production of replacement females in a terminal sire program. With AI use sires can be selected specifically for maternal traits such as milk production, calving ease, birth weight, docility, and others to provide maternal improvement. Heifers selected from across the herd will retain little more than average performance. Generally, a within-herd selection program for replacements will be relegated to the progeny of just a few cows in order to make any maternal improvement in the herd. These bulls can also provide outcross or crossbred genetics that may not be available locally.Ī major reason to use AI in the commercial herd is the production of replacement heifers. This can include traits ranging from weaning weight, milk production, carcass traits, docility, and others. Most breeding and herd improvement objectives can be matched with bulls that are available. The production of calves for specialty markets such as club calves.īull studs have a wide variety of bulls available for AI use.Higher growth performance and calf value.The need for fewer bulls in the breeding season. Coupled with estrus synchronization, consolidation of the calving season.The production of replacement heifers with superior genetics.The use of genetics not usually available on a local basis.There are also viable reasons to use AI in a commercial herd as well. Artificial insemination (AI) has been a standard breeding practice in purebred cattle herds for many years.
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