All things Dairy

[Happy at it]

Is there any difference between the sexed semen with different companies? I have only used the occasional draw or two in the past but would be hoping to buy all sexed straws to use on both cows and heifers going forward. Any advice appreciated.

 

[John1975]

Depends who you listen to, 4M has worked just as well as conventional for us

 

[som farmer]

I think theres 2 other reasons I can see that have a bearing on that, 1 being milk contracts, to get a new one you need atleast 100 cows from what I found when I was starting up (I know theres people on here with contracts with less and I'm VERY jealous of you but theres no way a new producer would be able to get one - I personally would rather milk 50 cows that 500 but that's just me) and ideally all of them want million litre producers, with my friesians I need around 150 to do that realistically. Then because you're bigger you either need 2 things lots of machinery and staff or less staff and bigger more expensive machinery to get it done quicker, then because you have this expensive machinery OR big contractors bills to pay for you need more cows, then land and then even bigger machinery and thus starts the hamster wheel everyone says about

I think if the truth is known theres not that many farmers who want hundreds of cows and most of us would rather have less cows as long as we can still make a living from them which is the difficult part

l think it's a very big mistake, for buyers not wanting 'small' producers, some will be great, some messers, but they need younger farmers in the industry, and those younger ones, are the new ones coming on.
We were lucky when we restarted, smaller local cheese maker would take anybody, nearly, on, not a big round, but some were milking 20 to 30 cows, cc and bacto's, no problem, they closed in the end, by which time we had got going, another local cheese maker took most on, a couple were refused, 1 of which av 1000cc, and never under 100 tbc, wonder why they closed...........
Absolutely certain many dairy farmers have complicated things, through no real fault, and ended up on that hamster wheel, the desire to grow, and produce better and greater, is inbred, and a lot of us, needed little encouragement to do so. We have been told the day of the smaller mixed farms, have gone, we have to 'specialise', advice, that may be for processors benefit, rather than farmers. It is very hard to get off that hamster wheel, when you are on it, perhaps with elms, brexit etc, we may be able to slow it down a bit. The other big problem in farming, is everything is so expensive, to the price we receive, our baler man, was quoted £110,000 to p/x his tractor, for a new one, to wrap bales at £7.00 a time, takes a lot of justifying, if it ever can.
As for contractors, machinery repairs and replacements, must be a nightmare, our accountant does a lot of accounts, for contractors, and say's, if they cant make money, doing it, why do you think, you can do it cheaper ?

 

[Holsteinfriesian90]

Depends who you listen to, 4M has worked just as well as conventional for us

Same here.

 

[lazy farmer]

Anybody else getting nervous at lack of repeats ?

 

[Farmer Keith]

Anybody else getting nervous at lack of repeats ?

Im seeing too many for my liking

 

[Rossymons]

Is there any difference between the sexed semen with different companies? I have only used the occasional draw or two in the past but would be hoping to buy all sexed straws to use on both cows and heifers going forward. Any advice appreciated.

I can vouch for 4M. Used a lot of it, pleased with the results. Would recommend

 

[buffalo_soldier]

Is there any difference between the sexed semen with different companies? I have only used the occasional draw or two in the past but would be hoping to buy all sexed straws to use on both cows and heifers going forward. Any advice appreciated.

As said, depends who you listen to.

In summary:
They will all tell you theirs is the best.
Cogent will tell you they do all the sorting and only theirs is done to the higher spec as no-one else is willing to pay for it.
Genus will tell you they have their own fancy machines now that's better than the rest.
When that's put to Cogent, they will tell you that Genus are using a tech that they left behind a decade ago.

In practice I've found 4M to be a good product from wherever I've bought it. I've been all sexed for several years now.

 

[John1975]

As said, depends who you listen to.

In summary:
They will all tell you theirs is the best.
Cogent will tell you they do all the sorting and only theirs is done to the higher spec as no-one else is willing to pay for it.
Genus will tell you they have their own fancy machines now that's better than the rest.
When that's put to Cogent, they will tell you that Genus are using a tech that they left behind a decade ago.

In practice I've found 4M to be a good product from wherever I've bought it. I've been all sexed for several years now.

If we get a free hat/coat when purchasing 3M it makes up for it

 

[Spudley]

Is there any difference between the sexed semen with different companies? I have only used the occasional draw or two in the past but would be hoping to buy all sexed straws to use on both cows and heifers going forward. Any advice appreciated.

We've found there is as much or more difference between individual Bulls, regardless of which company sold them. Also using all sexed ( from 3 different companies) plus beef.

 

[jimmer]

Anybody else getting nervous at lack of repeats ?

Yes

 

[Wilber32]

Another vote for 4m here. Only use sexed now.

 

[TheRanger]

Was using 4m last 2 years, have moved onto a mix ot 4m and sexcel this year. Only doing the heifers so not massive numbers. Will be interesting to see the difference, but as @Spudley said there’ll probably be a bigger difference bull to bull, than company to company.

 

[Beef farmer]

Anybody else getting nervous at lack of repeats ?

Yep, just gotta sit it out now. Week 7,8,9 can break a man

 

[sidjon]

Anybody else getting nervous at lack of repeats ?

Day 25 and had first return from day 1

 

[lazy farmer]

Yep, just gotta sit it out now. Week 7,8,9 can break a man

Now that’s cheerful!

 

[Chimera]

Does everyone's cows tell you that they're fed up of walking?? 2.5 hours for a 1.5k walk this morning!! Due to start dry off next week. Feel like drying the lot off today

 

[vantage]

Does everyone's cows tell you that they're fed up of walking?? 2.5 hours for a 1.5k walk this morning!! Due to start dry off next week. Feel like drying the lot off today

Just shut up a few fields for bales and see how fast cows move when they break out, as mine did this morning!

 

[som farmer]

Does everyone's cows tell you that they're fed up of walking?? 2.5 hours for a 1.5k walk this morning!! Due to start dry off next week. Feel like drying the lot off today

yes, ours are out about as far away, as they can be, they just amble, nibbling the sides, spread out over 6/700 metres of track, with no intention of speeding up ! Plus side, they really p5ss off a few locals, that are 'anti' farmers, when they have to wait, while they cross the road, going out, buggers run.

 

[Jdunn55]

Does everyone's cows tell you that they're fed up of walking?? 2.5 hours for a 1.5k walk this morning!! Due to start dry off next week. Feel like drying the lot off today

I thought my half hour for 2.5km was bad! They do get grumpy when they're ready to go dry!