Diy ai or ai company ??

[3rdgenerationdairyman]

Hi just wondering what opinions guys have on DIY ai as too using cogent precision or rms ? Any opinions and story's welcome.

Sorry if this has already bein discussed.

 

[owen r]

Done DIY for years, good if you have the time to do it. Can pick and choose the bulls you want.

 

[Farmer Keith]

DIY is fine so long as you’re good at it and have an option for cover when you’re off farm.

 

[3rdgenerationdairyman]

DIY is fine so long as you’re good at it and have an option for cover when you’re off farm.

Yea I get cows in calf anyway by no means them all or all to one service.. problem I have is seeing cows bulling good strong heats and getting the timing just right. I just use tail paint

 

[49801]

Scratch cards supposed to be good.

 

[dinderleat]

Scratch cards supposed to be good.

I really rate scratch cards but have a collar system on trial and I am really impressed but I am diy Ai

 

[Headless chicken]

We block calve so when we’re busy we’re really busy. We use a local company providing a walk and chalk service. No way I could do it without them. It’s still a team effort and we hold cows back for them and I’ll still watch them. Amazing how many I’ll pull out on behavioural changes because I know the cows that just aren’t rubbed on the chalk.

 

[3rdgenerationdairyman]

I'm AYR calving. Trying to use alot of sexed this year and noticing a good few repeats. Every cow served would see blood behind her the next day although I'm told this is normal

 

[Princess Pooper]

I'm AYR calving. Trying to use alot of sexed this year and noticing a good few repeats. Every cow served would see blood behind her the next day although I'm told this is normal

yes, blood normal shows she's been on heat, don't always see it but sometimes it's 2-3 days afterwards, sometimes only way you know they've been on heat. Collar systems do help a lot and have the added benefit of helping monitor health through eating and rumination, often gives a heads up of a mastitis or other problem. Given that you are AYR it is a big ask to spend the time looking for heats all year round so a collar system might be your best solution, We use collars for heat detection but no technicans on farm; DIY AI, sexed for replacements, then beef.

 

[Horn&corn]

We’ve got genus Rms. Expensive to see this much money going out every month but the 2 techs are very good and we probably couldn’t afford to do it ourselves with the success they are having with sexed and beef.
all depends on who is actually on the ground

 

[som farmer]

we have reverted back to a technician, as we block calve, could be any number, 22 is our max so far, cows and hfrs, chap we use is really good, one day last week, served 137 on his round ! He's doing it all the time, we have 2 blocks, 6 weeks in each, conception rate is key to a tight block, why risk it ? PNC, then we will serve for 7-10 days to estrotect strips, then jab, serve to strips, worked extremely well last year. On pd, 2 cows needed a prid, 1 never got i/c, the other might be.

 

[3rdgenerationdairyman]

yes, blood normal shows she's been on heat, don't always see it but sometimes it's 2-3 days afterwards, sometimes only way you know they've been on heat. Collar systems do help a lot and have the added benefit of helping monitor health through eating and rumination, often gives a heads up of a mastitis or other problem. Given that you are AYR it is a big ask to spend the time looking for heats all year round so a collar system might be your best solution, We use collars for heat detection but no technicans on farm; DIY AI, sexed for replacements, then beef.

Yea just dont think I can justify the price of the heat detection at the minute but would like to go that way with the health benefits at some point

 

[3rdgenerationdairyman]

we have reverted back to a technician, as we block calve, could be any number, 22 is our max so far, cows and hfrs, chap we use is really good, one day last week, served 137 on his round ! He's doing it all the time, we have 2 blocks, 6 weeks in each, conception rate is key to a tight block, why risk it ? PNC, then we will serve for 7-10 days to estrotect strips, then jab, serve to strips, worked extremely well last year. On pd, 2 cows needed a prid, 1 never got i/c, the other might be.

What type of cows you running

 

[3rdgenerationdairyman]

I really rate scratch cards but have a collar system on trial and I am really impressed but I am diy Ai

What type is it ?

 

[dinderleat]

What type is it ?

Alta/needap

 

[3rdgenerationdairyman]

Have they give you a price per cow estimate?

 

[Farmer Keith]

Yea I get cows in calf anyway by no means them all or all to one service.. problem I have is seeing cows bulling good strong heats and getting the timing just right. I just use tail paint

Whatyour submission rate at? the lower it is the more value you’d see from a collar system in a AYR system surely, having this discussion with a mate who’s running a 55%submission rate at the moment.

With regards to timing I’m not sure it’s really important, most techs will only be there once a day be it AYR or block and plenty of those farms have standout fertility results.

It has to be said I don’t envy you AYR guys one bit when it comes to heat detection and AI, moving to block calving was easily the best decision I ever made, the simplicity of it all makes what I was doing before look insane, and the herd is improving for it.

 

[Will Blackburn]

Yea just dont think I can justify the price of the heat detection at the minute but would like to go that way with the health benefits at some point

Plenty of systems will do pay as you go. Saw a presentation on the genus system, pretty cheap. I would say other possibly more expensive systems have greater health benefits.

 

[Farmer Keith]

Plenty of systems will do pay as you go. Saw a presentation on the genus system, pretty cheap. I would say other possibly more expensive systems have greater health benefits.

Good idea, tie another ball and chain around your neck. Just another bill to pay each month before you make a penny.

 

[pappuller]

Good idea, tie another ball and chain around your neck. Just another bill to pay each month before you make a penny.

all depends if it wipes its face tho, we have collars on the bots and still run rms, yes its a cost but the figures are rolling along nicely submission rate currently 71% rolling, preg rate 27%, last 21 weeks preg rate running at 41%, 180 cow herd and we have an average of 15 confirmed pregnancys a month until 1st September. but it does come at a cost, but neither me or my son have any interest in diy ai.