Someone suggested using sexed semen so I get heifer calves and grow my dairy faster. Is it worth the higher cost?
Is sexed semen worth it to get more female calves in my dairy?
JJayesh Patel5mo ago · 268 views
6 Answers
🌾Farmer.in Krishi TeamExpert ✓5mo ago
Sexed semen is processed so that a large majority of resulting calves are female, which helps you grow the milking herd faster and avoid surplus male calves. The trade off is that it costs more per dose and the conception rate is generally a bit lower than with conventional semen, so it works best when used on healthy, well managed animals, especially good heifers and cows that come into heat clearly. It pays off most when you want replacement heifers from your best cows and have good heat detection and AI timing, but it is less suited to weak animals or poor heat detection where the lower conception rate hurts. Discuss with your AI technician or veterinarian whether your herd and management are right for it, and use it selectively on your best females rather than on every animal.
HHardik Chaudhary5mo ago
I used sexed semen only on my best young cows that show clear heat. Got mostly heifer calves and grew my herd from my own animals. On weak cows I stick to normal semen.
NNilesh Patel4mo ago
Your heat detection has to be sharp for it to pay, because the conception rate is a bit lower so a mistimed dose is more costly. On my farm the wasted doses on poorly timed heats ate into the benefit at first. Once I tightened up my heat watching it worked much better, mainly on the healthy heifers.
AAshok Desai4mo ago
It made sense for me only on my top cows whose daughters I actually want to keep. For ordinary animals the higher cost and lower conception rate did not justify it. Talk to your AI technician honestly about your herd and management before spending on it across the board.
DDineshbhai Patel3mo ago
Make sure your technician actually has the sexed semen straws stored and handled properly, because they are costlier and a badly stored straw is money wasted with no result. I check that the flask has good liquid nitrogen and ask where the straws came from. The handling matters even more than with normal semen.
MMaganbhai Prajapati3mo ago
I would only use it on a first or second calving heifer in good condition that shows a strong clear heat, that is where it paid for me. On older cows with iffy heats and lower fertility the extra cost and the slightly lower conception just did not add up. Use it like a sharp tool on the right animal, not everywhere.