Is now a good time to buy embryos?

I have noticed recently that many  breeders who have embryos for sale, are still pricing them at the same prices they asked for the past few years. With all classes of live cattle selling for more money now than they have been in history, shouldn't embryos be higher priced as well? I am just wondering that if someone was wanting to get some embryos from some excellent donor X sire matings, that maybe now is the time to be trying to find them. It seems to me that some that I have seen offered are a real steal!

Embryos are not a good option for everyone, but they do offer the opportunity to purchase genetics from some of the best animals at much lower dollars than live offspring from them would cost. If you are in the business for the long haul, they are an option worth considering.

First off I ma going to say I feel like way to many cows get flushed.  I believe only the very elite cows in a breed should be flushed.  With the high cost of recips I would feel like this is a bad time to purchase embryos unless you plan on saving them for later use.  The time to buy embryo is when we are in a depressed cow market so you can limit your recip cost.  I have not figured it but would guess with the cow market the way it is now a live weaned calf out of a recip would be some were in the $2,500 to $3,000 range and it still may not be very good.  So you through a couple of those away and $5,000 to $6,000 will still by you a very nice cow.

I'm not sure what breed of embryos you are looking for but the prices have gone up.
You really have to shop around.  I was looking at an embryo auction and I was thinking I might be able to get one breeding for $400 an embryo.  They sold for $1,500.  Will is absolutely correct that there are a lot of average animals getting flushed.  I think $400 should get you an embryo out of a really good cow but if you pick the wrong auction site you will be overpaying if you "win" with the top bid.  I would also find out who flushed the cow to see how much experience they have. If you buy from a big outfit that flushes frequently, they will likely use an experienced person.  Good luck.

Will said:

First off I ma going to say I feel like way to many cows get flushed.  I believe only the very elite cows in a breed should be flushed.  With the high cost of recips I would feel like this is a bad time to purchase embryos unless you plan on saving them for later use.  The time to buy embryo is when we are in a depressed cow market so you can limit your recip cost.  I have not figured it but would guess with the cow market the way it is now a live weaned calf out of a recip would be some were in the $2,500 to $3,000 range and it still may not be very good.  So you through a couple of those away and $5,000 to $6,000 will still by you a very nice cow.

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Preach it! I agree 10000%. nothing gets me more than reading an online sale footnotes on calves and 5 -6 calves say "donor quality". Really??

I started this thread after talking with a few people at our local fair and the topic of embryos came up. There were some major league Simmental, Polled Hereford and Angus breeders in the discussion and everyone of them said they had not increased their embryo prices since the cattle markets had rose to what they are today. They all said they probably should increase their prices but just had not done it. I asked what they were asking for their embryos and most said they sold them for $350- $600 per embryo and I know that some of these embryos come out of cows that had produced $20,000 offspring. This discussion just made me wonder if there was an opportunity here to select some good genetics at decent dollars.

In regards to too many ordinary cows being flushed, I have to agree in general. Last year I sold embryos to 9 countries and I was really surprised at what they want to buy. Right now, I am flushing cows for breeders in 3 countries and they are definitely not what I consider my best females. But then, I saw an awesome set of ET calves from a flush that I thought was a bit crazy to do.

I think there are times in all market conditions where it is very economical to improve your cow herds and we have to learn when these opportunities arise. I think there may be some opportunities right now in purchasing some embryos. As mentioned before, a person has to have a long term plan in order to use embryos in your program. It is definitely not a quick fix solution

Exactly. My thing is, alot of these great looking heifers never throw calves that are as good as they are. same way with bulls. I saw Ohio Senator as a baby and truly thought he would be the next great one and he has been a major disappointment to me. not that all his calves are bad but they seem rather average. I thought he would take monopolys place. Like my cows, I have had some 5000-10000 show heifers that calves are just okay. But I got a 1500 total solution cow that is just plain ugly and just a no miss cow. cheapest calf I have sold out of her has been $1800 and ranges up to $4500. and she clicks with everything!!! nobody would have called her flush quality as a baby, but I would flush her before a $6000 monopoly cow I have thats a past show heifer

We have for a number of years now raised our own clean up bulls by purchasing embryos; the price of a yearling purebred bull (Angus and Simmental) is astronomical...you can purchase amazing purebred genetics for a small fraction of the cost of a pb bull with the same genetic background in an embryo, plus you may really get lucky and get some great heifers also.

I always say....you either got money or you've got time......it takes alot of forward thinking and planning to go the embryo route for herd sires.

It depends.  There are soooooo many eggs sitting in tanks right now that it seems that they should be cheap, especially with the cost of recipients.  They will keep under LN2 and good genetics are good genetics.  If you want the elite eggs, they are going to cost you and its more of a risk.  I have purchased eggs for as little as $25 each and as high as $750 each.  Both good buys provided I get calves.  I have had entire purchases that produced zero calves.  Buy them if they can make you money, which is easier now if you have average cows.

I think economically, now is a good time to buy $300 eggs that you want to gamble on, especially if the seller is guaranteeing a pregnacy for every 3 eggs. After shipping and implant and drug  costs, your gonna have around $1200 in a calf, that if a dud, will pay for itself at the sale barn. And if you get 2 duds, ur in the green . Jmo

I've got some for that 300 ,guarantee, and I have 400 on hand getting up in age and probably won't use them all ....Varios breed combinations ...