cost of embyos

[dutch pride]

I have been seeing a lot more cows being flushed and a lot more embryos offered for sale. At what point will the market for embryos become saturated? Will the cost of purchasing and implanting embryos ever be comparative with breeding a cow AI? Are too many marginal cows being flushed? Let us know your thoughts

DLZ

 

[cdncowboy]

Not sure it'll ever be cost comparative to AI.  I have wondered the same thing about the number of embryos on the market.  Even up here in Canada it seems there are more embryos on the market, they are purebred embryos though.  I learned the hard way that there is not much of a market on club calf embryos. 
I think you raise a good point about marginal cows being flushed, there might just be.  Seems you can look through just about every cattle operations website and they have a donor cow.  Especially in the steer world I doubt there are that many truly "great" cows.  But the cost has become reasonable enough that if they can get one good dollar calf a flush the same way seems to be the next step.  I wonder how many of these are done with the thought of selling the embryos instead of live calves, and how many remain in the owners tanks.  I suppose if you have only a small number of cows it is one way to try and increase your revenue on those cows.
The one thing I question is the idea of flushing heifers before they have actually raised one.  I guess on the flip side is flushing to the hot new bull.  These just seem like questionable ideas to me.

 

[Earthmover]

Well its funny you asked, lately we've been thinkin of flushing our good HW x Chill Factor cow and have even talked to Donor Solutions. Personnally I can't justify paying 5oo to 1500 for embryos and havin a 1 in 3 average. So we'll flush our own and hope for the best. Also we know what works on her and have the chance to greatly multiply the good ones. Plus now it lets us keep trying to find other matings that may be even better. Were not flushing to sell embryos, but I think a guy could sell some if you kept the price around 150 per egg. Maybe more guys would try ET. Also there are few certified embryologist in our area, its hard to get some one to drive 50 miles to inplant 2 eggs. It used to be that way with AI, but now every body does it even me, lol. I only do my own, not near enough experience to do other guys cows.

 

[CCW]

I don't think anyone has ever got rich selling embryos, but you can improve your cowherd by flushing your best cow and keeping the best heifers to improve your herd. While it isn't cheap to do ET, it's cheaper than buying high dollar open heifers that might turn out to be good cows or not.

 

[cowman]

I have been seeing a lot more cows being flushed and a lot more embryos offered for sale. At what point will the market for embryos become saturated? Will the cost of purchasing and implanting embryos ever be comparative with breeding a cow AI? Are too many marginal cows being flushed? Let us know your thoughts

DLZ

Well, considering every heifer (bred or open) sells with some reference to being a donor in the future I would expect more marginal cows to be flushed. I mean think about this for a second...our industry is based around pictures, fit jobs, and hope. Embryos fulfill part of that equation.

 

[Bradenh]

our industry is based around pictures, fit jobs, and hope. Embryos fulfill part of that equation.
[/quote] thats very true, and somewhat dissapointing

 

[simtal]

Are too many marginal cows being flushed?

YES

 

[Blue25]

The other night in Denver some of my dads embryos sold for 500 a piece