Semen collection in Texas

[Cattletime]

Can anyone recommend a quality semen collection company or individual in Texas?  This would be for a bull we own and for our own private use.

 

[afhm]

Elgin Breeding Services in Elgin.

 

[bulldawg]

You could check with Champion Genetics in Lindale, TX or Bovine Elite down around Bryan/College Station. They both have websites. Good Luck.

 

[Cattletime]

Thank you for the responses.  Used Elgin last year and checked with Bovine Elite last year as well.  Will call Champion Genetics, thank you.  Would prefer someone East of Houston/Dallas.  Also since it was for our own use and the same bull, was hoping not to go through all the testing again, if that is a possible option.

Was told of an individual named Ernest Bell, but we don't know him or anything about his operation other than he does bucking bull stock. 

 

[afhm]

You could check with Champion Genetics in Lindale, TX or Bovine Elite down around Bryan/College Station. They both have websites. Good Luck.

Bovine Elite is only a distributor not a collection facility.

 

[RLR]

Repro Select in Shepherd, Texas.

http://www.reproselect.com/

 

[Bradenh]

what about camp cooley in franlkin

 

[CJC]

Repro Select in Shepherd, Texas.

http://www.reproselect.com/

Ernest can do it all. He has a nice facility and a set of working pen I would love to have. 

 

[shorthornplus]

Champion is actually in Canton, Texas and i would highly recommend them to anyone.  We use them for bull collection and have recently used them for embryo work as well.  Had great results.

 

[cowman 52]

Mark Steele in Graham does a good job-- will come to you and is good to work with.
  avoid EBS  since doc passed their atitude is not so very good-  captain is horrible

 

[BDCO]

what about camp cooley in franlkin

camp cooley sold out

 

[CAB]

http://www.championgenetics.com/


There is the link to Champion Genetics. Great PPL to work with and can do on farm collections if the bull will cooperate. We had Wilson collected @ their facility and were very happy with the work that they did.

 

[Joe Boy]

Great Plains on the north side of Shamrock, TX.   Great people.  Easy in and out.  Price is right.  They have collected two bulls for me.  They collect a lot of rodeo bulls, show bulls, and every time I have been there in the front pen you will see Yellow Jacket.  I have been there 5 times and he was there each time.

 

[cryogenicstexas]

Your question was asked quite some time back, but I would like to comment. Health testing of a bull is actually in your best interest. It is not at all acceptable from a bio security standpoint to bring your bull to any semen facility with no testing. Would you want your "clean" bull housed with bulls of lesser test status? Didn't think so. Any facility that would allow this to be done is not following accepted practices. You should only use facilities that are inspected and approved by the NAAB and CSS. With this said, you can take a bull into a legit facility and ask for only PRE ENTRY TESTING. This way, you will be able to house the bull in isolation and only pay for minimal required testing.

It is a small world and getting smaller. Do you want to introduce disease into your herd? How about into another ranchers herd? Quit worrying about testing costs and realize/accept that this is just the way it is and it is in your best interest and that of the entire cattle industry.

I hope your semen collection efforts went well back when you posted!

I happen to know what I am talking about. I have been a CSS Board member for 7 years and have been actively involved with semen collection in Texas for 50 years.

 

[cryogenicstexas]

Mark Steele in Graham does a good job-- will come to you and is good to work with.
  avoid EBS  since doc passed their atitude is not so very good-  captain is horrible

Cowman,

It is apparent that you knew Dr. Cardwell? I knew him too. I happen to be his son. I was raised at his vet hospital and went on to run EBS. My sister and I have owned EBS for over 25 years. Doc passed away about 7 years back. While he did come by from time to time, we had been in control of the business well prior to his untimely death.

It is inevitably that in our situation some will elect that as the original "leader" passes, the business goes to hell. We recognize and appreciate this phenomena. Actually, only recently have my sister and myself felt true "ownership" of this company. This is due to major changes  - actually a revolution - in the way we are heading into the future. We have just completed a 3 year expansion program that gives us the finest facility in the industry. We feel that despite our long-term ownership, it is still the House that Doc built.

With that said, I know that we produce a straw of semen that is consistently superior to our competition. I know this due to my time in the industry and the time I spend behind a microscope. I know this in my heart and am at peace with this notion.

Clearly, you have had some experience that led you to believe that our "attitude" has slipped since we lost Doc. For this, I am genuinely sorry. For us both. Our intent is to try and make all comers satisfied. As for EBS/West, I have no idea how you came to the conclusion that they did such a poor job. It is not semen quality as I conduct ALL quality control examinations. I will share with you that we have now closed that facility. No. not due to poor performance. Due to: location - fuel costs, liquid nitrogen costs doubled, AND last but not LEAST, we have finally secured technology that will cool a bull during summer with FRESH air, not recirculated air from a typical AC system.

Indeed. My attitude has changed since Docs death. He was much more than my hero and best friend. He was so much more than you will ever know. Almost a moment passes that I do not think of him and his strength. If I can be half as good at my job as he taught me, then I will be just fine.

I would suggest that you take a second look at us. I hope that whatever caused you to lose confidence in our services was actually minor. I invite you to visit our facility and see how the House that Doc Built looks in its newest incarnation. Also, please visit our web site at elginbreedingservice.com. Docs grandson created it for us.

In the meantime, I wish you the best.

Always do the right thing. Some will be gratified. The rest will be dumbfounded.

 

[cryogenicstexas]

Mark Steele in Graham does a good job-- will come to you and is good to work with.
  avoid EBS  since doc passed their atitude is not so very good-  captain is horrible

Semen collected "on the farm" sounds like a great deal! But it isn't. Semen quality cannot be adequately controlled outside of a laboratory. Of MOST importance, there is no assurance that the semen is "disease free" as it would be if the bull is taken to a facility that is inspected and approved by the NAAB and CSS! You didn't know about disease that can be transmitted through frozen semen? Contact the NAAB/CSS on the web and find out about the risks of not knowing.

 

[cowman 52]

You know, I've been half way the idiot in this deal,  but lets do a little thinking.  Most of the people who want semen on their bull use it S an insurance policy.  Collection runs around 1.25 or so a straw and with a little luck 2 jumps and I'm covered for most situations.  Now I understand vet has to pay for his schooling and everything else but in these times of high cattle prices and high everything else I don't need the cadaliac super deal.  There
ain't a younger vet practicing that is on the prescription for this and an office call for that and you can't do such and such. And there are cow people who just ain't gonna go there.  The deal over lutalyse was in my opinion about 30 percent drug safety and 70 percent vet assoc wanting the mark up for the scrip and the office call and to heck with the cost to the rancher.  Now the on farm collection is maybe  a 1 time deal with not a lot of return business  so let us raise all the what if and maybe so we can run a sizable charge for services that will help us make the deal better for who?    Then when the customer arrives at your facility, let us see just how rude, how short, how much of a inconvenience he can be by stopping at your place.  Start by you can't go there, be there,  see that and I wont be back.  I may not get a bull worth collecting often but if he is injured in the stud I WILL be there to see how and why it happened.  If that is against your rules well I can go down the road. 
There was a time when a friend living near the stud could stop in and pick up a box of gloves or sheaths and it wasn't a problem,  but no more.