Sexed semen

[mixed farm]

Trying to figure out today where's the economic tipping point. For arguments sake let's just say that you you have 20 high fertile cows. You put 10 to conventional semen @€20 and 10 to sexed @€45. 80% keep to conventional so that's 4 heifers at €400 and 4 bulls at €50.
60% keep to sexed so that's 6 heifers @400.
So €1800 of calves for conventional plus 2 extra calved for €200
or €2400 for €450 worth of semen plus you lose 2 extra cows for 3 weeks. It seems conventional still leads the way on those figures or am I missing something. Oh and this is from someone who bought sexed today.

 

[TheRanger]

You should be getting similar conception rates from Sexed and conventional semen if using 4M, meaning you shouldn’t lose three weeks on the two cows.

 

[buffalo_soldier]

I don't follow your calculation sorry.
Here's how i see it roughly, without the beef straw purchase cost:

100 cow herd. 20% replacement rate needs 20hfrs.

80% concept conv. Needs 50 straws @£20 =£1k, leaves 20 beef calves @£50 = £1000, 20 beef calves @£250 = £5k
Net income £5k

60% concept sexed. Needs 35 straws @45= £1575 leaves 60 beef calves @£250 = £15k
Net income £13425.

They would need to pay me to use conventional nowadays.

 

[crashbox]

Depends how much you need the replacements?

On heifers I like to sexed semen, say 6 weeks (60 to 70% conception) then in with Hereford bull.

Beef stores will then be worth more than the fresian steers would be so perhaps factor that in.

 

[thewalrus]

Should have your heifer calves born in a shorter space. Not sure how to calculate the benefit of that. But certainly worth a good bit

 

[crashbox]

Oh, and on a heifer, a heifer calf will drop easier than a bull calf. If it saves one heifer in fifty that's worth something.

 

[More to life]

I don't follow your calculation sorry.
Here's how i see it roughly, without the beef straw purchase cost:

100 cow herd. 20% replacement rate needs 20hfrs.

80% concept conv. Needs 50 straws @£20 =£1k, leaves 20 beef calves @£50 = £1000, 20 beef calves @£250 = £5k
Net income £5k

60% concept sexed. Needs 35 straws @45= £1575 leaves 60 beef calves @£250 = £15k
Net income £13425.

They would need to pay me to use conventional nowadays.

All of this and you only need to breed from you very best stock.

 

[mixed farm]

You should be getting similar conception rates from Sexed and conventional semen if using 4M, meaning you shouldn’t lose three weeks on the two cows.

Any difference between conception rate for cogent 4m and genus sexcel?

 

[frederick]

On highly fertile cows different between sexed and conventional negligible. Greater difference with poorer fertility.
This year first year to 100% sexed. Would never go back. Aid heifers for 12days then bulls in. Aid cows for 17 days black and white top 60p% the rest and next 10days bb then angus bulls in.
All heifers born in 3weeks from better cows. Few b and w bull calves. More blues (calved well). Tightest early calving percentage ever.

Next step is eartags If grant comes through and sell the bulls all ai.

 

[glow worm]

For us by far the biggest advantage is no, or virtually no, B&W bull calves. I read somewhere that sexed semen calves need to be kept on best cows milk for longer as they have a lower immune system. Any truth in that? Cant say that we have noticed any difference. We have however seen a difference in conception rates with different Ai companies .. and no, I am not going to name them.

 

[Holsteinfriesian90]

For us by far the biggest advantage is no, or virtually no, B&W bull calves. I read somewhere that sexed semen calves need to be kept on best cows milk for longer as they have a lower immune system. Any truth in that? Cant say that we have noticed any difference. We have however seen a difference in conception rates with different Ai companies .. and no, I am not going to name them.

Oh go on

 

[vantage]

For us by far the biggest advantage is no, or virtually no, B&W bull calves. I read somewhere that sexed semen calves need to be kept on best cows milk for longer as they have a lower immune system. Any truth in that? Cant say that we have noticed any difference. We have however seen a difference in conception rates with different Ai companies .. and no, I am not going to name them.

What a load of tripe! Can’t do that easily with Johnes.

 

[coomoo]

For us by far the biggest advantage is no, or virtually no, B&W bull calves. I read somewhere that sexed semen calves need to be kept on best cows milk for longer as they have a lower immune system. Any truth in that? Cant say that we have noticed any difference. We have however seen a difference in conception rates with different Ai companies .. and no, I am not going to name them.

What’s the point of ‘The Farming Forum’ if we’re not sharing.

 

[mixed farm]

What’s the point of ‘The Farming Forum’ if we’re not sharing.

You don't have to criticise, just say you've has better results with named company A than company B

 

[Rossymons]

I read somewhere that sexed semen calves need to be kept on best cows milk for longer as they have a lower immune system. Any truth in that?

It's a hell of a claim and I cannot see how it can possibly be accurate.

 

[Rossymons]

We have however seen a difference in conception rates with different Ai companies .. and no, I am not going to name them.

I'd be willing to take a guess!

 

[som farmer]

anyone using sexed male beef semen ? Sexed dairy, value of bw bull v beef, easy call.

 

[TheRanger]

Any difference between conception rate for cogent 4m and genus sexcel?

Only used Cogent so far. Getting 65% on maiden heifers, which isn’t as high as I was hoping, but not terrible.

 

[Rossymons]

anyone using sexed male beef semen ? Sexed dairy, value of bw bull v beef, easy call.

Those that are tend to finish the animal themselves. So for a small increase in cost for the sexed semen they're able to lock in extra margin at the other end from having a heavier animal.

 

[dairydurham]

I don't follow your calculation sorry.
Here's how i see it roughly, without the beef straw purchase cost:

100 cow herd. 20% replacement rate needs 20hfrs.

80% concept conv. Needs 50 straws @£20 =£1k, leaves 20 beef calves @£50 = £1000, 20 beef calves @£250 = £5k
Net income £5k

60% concept sexed. Needs 35 straws @45= £1575 leaves 60 beef calves @£250 = £15k
Net income £13425.

They would need to pay me to use conventional nowadays.

Surely you will need more straws @ a lower conception rate ,or have I misread it ?