Conception rates on Sexed Semen

[Bawndoh]

I am just wondering what everyone seems to be getting for conception rates when they use sexed semen.  I know my company (Genex) suggests you will get optimum results when used on yearling heifers.  Does anybody do a lot of
flushing with the sexed product?  What are your results?  What are results using both timed AI, and heat detection.  I am interested in using female sexed semen on a few cows.

 

[farmboy]

dont flush with sexed semen. way less eggs

 

[RSC]

I have heard that as well Zach! How do u justify $350 semen like Dr Who without flushing?

Tony

 

[farmboy]

I have heard that as well Zach! How do u justify $350 semen like Dr Who without flushing?

Tony

get a good heifer calf and sell for 1500+

 

[steers4u]

The semen from Trans Ova in the 5ml straws works very well for flushing. We have used it many times with excellent results. Both Genex and ABS will not work well at all for flushing at least for us. Best thing is to use it for normal AI use. That is just our expierence.

 

[Jill]

dont flush with sexed semen. way less eggs

The eggs in no way shape or form are determined by the semen.
It has always made me laugh when people talk about semen that is good enough to flush with, in my opinion, if it isn't good enough to flush with, it isn't good enough to AI with either.
RSC, you can't justify 350 semen on AI, I can't really even justify 100 dollar semen on AI, I guess I'm not as big of a gambler as some, but it is my feeling that there are way to many good AI bulls out there for 20-25 for me to pay that much money, I can make the numbers work on a flush, just can't do it and definitely not on a 1500 heifer.

 

[farmboy]

well doesn't sexed semen have a lower sperm count.... less sperm, less fertilization, where as the whole goal of flushing is to get more recoverable eggs.

 

[shortyjock89]

Jill- I agree 100%. I've had plenty of $1500+ calves out of $25 semen.  If I'm flushing a cow, her calves BETTER average well above $1500.

Zach- I think you mean Embryos. 

 

[dori36]

well doesn't sexed semen have a lower sperm count.... less sperm, less fertilization, where as the whole goal of flushing is to get more recoverable eggs.

You probably mean fewer embryos, not fewer eggs.  You know, the eggs get super ovulated from the flush cow, the sperm fertilize the eggs, and, bingo, embryos.  If there's less sperm available from sexed straws, you'd get fewer embryos from the same number of eggs because some of the eggs would, theoretically, not get fertilized.

 

[farmboy]

thats definitely what i meant

 

[dutch pride]

So, approx. how many sperm are there in a straw? Should be well more than enough to cover any amount of eggs if the timing is correct I would think.

DLZ

 

[HAFarm]

If you have a market for more bulls/steers or heifers why not flush with sexed semen and use 2 straws each time you breed for the flush?  Will that over come the loss of quantity/quality of semen?  Or use one straw of sexed semen and one straw of regular semen each time.  Would that increase your chances of getting the desired gender?  This would be more expensive but if you are using your best cows whats a couple hundred dollars more to slant the gender ratio the direction you have the best market. 

 

[Jill]

So, approx. how many sperm are there in a straw? Should be well more than enough to cover any amount of eggs if the timing is correct I would think.

DLZ

Millions, I had a fertility specialist tell most once that getting pregnant is nothing more than a crap shoot, it's a game of chance and timing is everything, I would think cattle would pretty much work the same way.

 

[Bawndoh]

Yes there is between 1 million and 10 million cells per straw.  But all it takes is ONE!!
So how many of you have bred cows to it, and what were your results like.

 

[linnettejane]

ill let you know my results in 3 weeks...

 

[common sense]

Here is what I know...which most days doesn't seem like much!  LOL!  Trans ova freezes sexed semen in 2ml and 5ml units/straws.  They recommend the 2ml for normal AI and the 5 ml for normal flushing.  That is the number of sperm cells in each straw.  They highly recommend using three units of the 5ml semen when you are flushing a cow.  Sexed semen is entirely a different critter and if you are syncronizing heifers/cows or going on timed heats you probably don't want to use sexed semen.  It is much more expensive and your conception rates on timed breeding will be much less.  Now, on breeding based on observed heats you are likely to have a slightly lower conception but if you do it by the book and aren't afraid to breed after 5:00 at night, you will probably see no difference in conception.  You have to remember, it only takes ONE sperm cell to do the job.  You have to use your head and good management when breeding with sexed semen.  Don't use it on your cows that have a history of fertility issues.  That would be a waste of time.  Don't use it on a group of females that you are setting up on syncronized breeding especially if you have not identified a true heat in each and every one of them.  Using sexed semen in breeding or flushing is a great opportunity to produce females for your individual purpose but if you don't make good decisions before breeding, it can be a ship wreck.  Talk to your ET person and let them help you make some good decisions. 

One more thing you should understand.  Using sexed semen doesn't mean that you have a 100% chance of having a female calf. There is still a rare outside chance that you will have a bull calf. 

Juli

 

[TJ]

One more thing you should understand.  Using sexed semen doesn't mean that you have a 100% chance of having a female calf. There is still a rare outside chance that you will have a bull calf. 

Juli

I know somebody that used sex semen & they ended up with a bull calf out of maybe 7 or 8 total calves.  It's about 90% effective, but obviously it's give or take.

 

[common sense]

One more thing.  Your a.i. tech needs to know ahead of time that you are using sexed semen as the straws are a different size and requires a special gun.

 

[Bawndoh]

One more thing.  Your a.i. tech needs to know ahead of time that you are using sexed semen as the straws are a different size and requires a special gun.

Thank You for all of your help Juli.  Fortunately I am an AI tech for others, and I do know about the straws being sized differently, and the 90% chance of having all females.  I am actually interested in some female-sexed Gus semen.  I see is is quite costly per straw, but if I am serious about the cattle business, I shouldnt be scared of paying a bit more for what I want!!  LOL. 
I also know that the semen has been quite PROCESSED....so it can have poorer motility and mobility by the time it gets into the cow.

Thank You for everyones help, and linettejane, I look forward to your results!

 

[linnettejane]

well, heres what i did...on 4/9 we put in cdirs and gave a shot, on 4/16 we pulled cdirs and gave another shot...then i started watching for heats...and we bred off of standing heats...i used sexed heifer gus on a virgin heifer(bred saturday night) and a 9 year old cow(bred this morning)...i know they dont recommend them on mature cows...but i had spent the past 3 days checking my cows every 2 hours...so i pretty much knew exactly when they started standing and needed to be bred...and i had deal with my hubby...i do the checking , get the time right, and its a strong heat, i can use the sexed semen on my old cow...if i wasnt quite sure about the exact time, the heat wasnt that strong, or we couldnt get our tech to come at the 12 hour mark, then i use jpj...needless to say, my ai guy was here at 530 this morning breeding at the 12 hour mark......and he said everything felt exactly like it was supposed to...sooooo....ill let you know in 3 weeks what happens