No Hidden Expense • Many of the Costs Involved in Keeping a Bull on the Farm are Hidden – Feed – Special Handling – Separate Housing and Facilities. • A.I. Has No Hidden Cost – Typically $8 and Up • Depends on the Sire Chosen. More Control • You Decide When Heifers are the Right Size and Age to Breed. • You Know Which Animals are Bred and Which are Open. • Sires Selected to Meet Individual Heifer Requirements – Use the Breed Associations Linear Data Ratings • Sires Can be Chosen for Type and Production Characteristics • Will Combine With the Heifer’s Genetics to Produce Outstanding Offspring. Added Safety • Bulls Can be Dangerous and Unpredictable – Have the Potential to Kill or Maim – Each Year There Are Recorded Cases of This Threat • Through the Use of A.I. This Danger Can be Eliminated! Benefits of Beef Heifer A.I. • • • • • • • • • Genetic Improvement of Herd Progeny Tested Bulls Easier Calvings Earlier Breeding Season Better Breeding Records and Identification Disease Transfer and Defects Controlled No Hidden Costs More Uniform Calf Crop Crossbreeding Easier Genetic Improvement of Herd • Heifer A.I. – Fastest Way to Improving a Beef Herd Genetically – Jump Generations by Mating Heifers with Superior Sires – Take Advantage of Bulls that Rapidly Improve Economically Important Traits • I.E. Calving Ease, Growth Rate, Carcass Quality and Mothering Ability • After Mating 3 Generations of Daughters to Superior A.I. Sires, 7/8 of a Herd’s Genetics Comes From the Sires Progeny Tested Bulls • Bulls Proven Their Ability Through Progeny Testing – A.I. Bulls May be Bred to 100,000 Cows or More – Allows for More Critical Selection Easier Calvings • Two Primary Factors Affect Calving Ease – Size of the Dam – Size of the Calf Being Carried • Make Sure Heifers are in Good Condition and Well Grown at Breeding • Ratings are Based on Information From Breed Associations and ABS Progeny Tests – Combine Calving Ease Scores for: • Heifers • Second Calf and Older Cows • Birth Weights Easier Calvings • Advantages – Reduced Labor at Calving – Fewer Calf Losses – Heifers That Can be Bred Back Sooner • ABS System – Bulls With 3 Stars Indicate a Performance Above Contemporary Average. Earlier Breeding Season • With Good Nutrition Heifers Should be Cycling Regularly • Heifers Should Cycle Earlier Than Cows – Breed Heifers Earlier • Gives Them a Longer Rest Period Before Rebreeding • The Chart on the Next Slide Shows How the Percent Cycling Heifers Increases as They Approach a Proper Breeding Weight