Select Sires

Bad Timing and Less Expensive Semen Can Cost You Money
Transcript of Select Sires' Reproductive Moment Program
on DairyLine Radio Which Aired May 22, 2003
With Mel DeJarnette, reproductive specialist,
Select Sires Inc.

This week’s Reproductive Moment is with Mel DeJarnette, reproductive specialist at Select Sires.

Mel, today’s Reproductive Moment deals with less expensive semen and repeated questionable signs of heat, which can be a very challenging topic for dairy producers. Mel, tell us about it.

As reproductive efficiency begins to decline in a herd, we see a couple of things that begin to happen.

Number one, it begins to create a sense of urgency. Producers feel that any time a cow shows even the slightest sign of heat, they need to go out and breed her.

Secondly, because they are having reduced reproductive efficiency, they will tend to use less expensive semen, particularly for those repeat breeders in cows that are showing questionable signs of heat. The perception is that a cheap dose of young sire semen is less expensive than missing the heat. This is true if the cow is really in heat, but it may not be for those repeat services of cows that are showing questionable signs of heat. Research has shown that a non-estrous re-insemination can reduce pregnancy rates to that initial service by as much as 90 percent. Thus, for every time that the vet diagnoses a cow pregnant to a previous service, which occurred prior to that last service, there were probably seven, eight, or nine other incidences where the fetus was aborted because of that last service. So, counting semen costs, breeding costs, and extended days open, each incidence of an abortion can easily run in excess of $200. Therefore, every time the vet diagnoses a cow pregnant to a previous service this could represent a cost of more than a $2,000 loss to the operation. So, I don’t suggest that producers need to pay more for semen, however semen price should be the least of your concerns when re-inseminating cows. The most important question is: "Is she really in heat?" Cheap semen can get very expensive if its inseminators are too liberal in their estrous diagnosis of previously inseminated cows.

If you have got any questions on estrous-detection programs and re-inseminating cows that have been previously serviced, or anything we can help you with at all, don’t hesitate to contact your Select Sires Reproductive Solutions™ specialist. We’re there to help.

Thanks Mel. That’s Mel DeJarnette, reproductive specialist at Select Sires.

™Reproductive Solutions is a trademark of Select Sires Inc.

Copyright 1996-2003 Select Sires Inc. Last updated 22-May-2003.

Select Sires Inc., 11740 U.S. 42 North, Plain City, Ohio 43064 / Phone: (614) 873-4683 Fax: (614) 873-5751