Services and Advantages
Artificial Insemination (AI)
Artificial insemination (AI) is one of the most effective tools available to cattle producers to improve productivity and profitability of their cattle operation.
Advantages of AI:
InCalf, funded by Dairy Australia, reported that using a professional AI technician can improve dairy herd conception rates from five per cent to fifteen per cent.
According to the NHIA, joining more heifers to AI increases the production rate and yields faster genetic gains for the herd.
Disease control. The instance of Leptospirosis (Lepto), pestivirus, campylobacteriosis, (previously known as vibriosis), brucellosis, trichomoniasis and vaginitis can all be reduced when using AI.
All licenced semen is routinely tested for common diseases and mixed with preventative antibiotics, therefore the risk to your herd of exposure is dramatically reduced. Some of these diseases also reduce fertility in the herd, so eradicating them from the herd has lasting benefits.
Sire for calving ease. You can access a large selection of sires, of all breeds, that are proven easy-calvers. Knowing you have selected a sire that produces smaller calves with less mortality gives you more peace of mind during calving.
Shorten calving periods. Synchronising cows means that their cycles will be closer together and therefore they will be calving closer together.
You can access the latest genetics at fraction of the cost of buying bulls. Bulls can be sourced from anywhere in the world and from any breed. To buy the best bull it may cost you $50,000 or you can access the same semen for only $5,000.
The advantage of optimal AI practices = better productivity + better profits.
Semen Collection and Testing
Northern Artificial Breeders provides some of the best facilities and technology for semen collection and testing. We use the latest technology out in the field with Androscope and once in the lab we use Androvision to test the semen and provide morphologies.
Advantages to semen collection and testing:
The best alternative insurance you can get. Compared to the cost of insuring a bull, collecting some semen just makes sense. You may be able to collect insurance on the bull, but you can not get the genetics back, unless you have a store of the semen.
Genetics can keep going long after the bull is gone. The performance of a bull may not be as successful of the previous season, with a semen store you get a predictable outcome for many seasons ahead.
You can use a bull to service 50 cows a year, or use collected semen from the same bull to service literally 100’s per season.
Surveys of sale bulls, by renowned beef cattle consultant Bob Freer, have shown that 10 to 15 per cent of sale bulls are either unsound or showed questionable fertility. Unfortunately, testicular size alone does not indicate fertility and professional semen testing is advised.
Testing your bulls each season before breeding is recommended, as a bull’s performance last season may have no bearing on this one. If you cannot afford to miss a season from the bull have it professionally tested and be completely prepared.
Ultrasound Pregnancy Testing
Advantages to pregnancy testing with ultrasound:
Ultrasound testing can be safely used on the fetus from as early as 25 days. Within the first five to 13 weeks gentle techniques are crucial and nothing is gentler during this phase than the ultrasound technique.
Ultrasounds can give an accurate diagnosis from 25 days of gestation.
In the first 12 weeks of gestation the ultrasound gives the most accurate guide to age, so the sooner you get the ultrasound done the better.
If you know if the cows are in calf or not it allows you to make timely decisions that can better manage your herd. With better knowledge you can plan better for the rest of the season.
