Flush Costs

[ploughshare]

I couldn't find a good answer in the archive so here is the question to the group.  How much does it cost to flush a cow?  I am trying to make a budget and I already know the semen, recips,  boarding costs.  What is the cost of the flush and then to transfer or freeze each embryo.  Thanks, GS.

 

[Dusty]

Around 400-450 for the actual flush.  Then anywhere from 40 to 75 to freeze them or put them in. 

 

[BCCC]

I was quoted 300 for the flush, and 25 to freeze each embroy and I think 45 to implant them.

 

[Cowboy]

BCCC -- that would have been 40.00 for the transfers.

GC -- up in Iowa I think you could expect to pay quite a bit more than out here in Nebraska where I am, but the quote from BCCC is correct for my operation here. Feed is 4.00 per day for resident donors.

Good luck with your quest -- you are welcome here if you'd like to make the scenic drive!! hehehe

Terry

 

[kanshow]

I just got my bill for a flush we did.  The total was $500.  I need to look at the invoice to see exact cost breakdown  but it would include board for at least 2 weeks - might have been 3?, all of her injections, the AI (not the semen costs), collection, and freezing & storing the embryos.  I might add that due to time constraints on my end, they did everything for us this time. 

 

[Doc]

My guy charges;  $300 flush , $50/egg to freeze up to 10, anything over 10 $25/egg, $3.50/day board. He charges $50 transfer fee if he froze them, if he didn't freeze them then $100.

 

[GONEWEST]

Costs me $100 to flush, $100 for the drugs, $100 per egg or implanted ot $200 per pregnancy. $35 an egg to freeze.

 

[Endless Meadows]

The last quote I had was $300 to flush,  $25/embryo to implant fresh or $35/embryo to freeze.  Cost does not include embryo storage, hormone shots, semen, breeding fee, or boarding.

 

[jrg]

We set up the donors and recips on farm and have the tech's come out and flush and transfer eggs, it sure beats having to haul them all an hour and back.  Flushing cost is $325 including the drugs and fresh transfer fee is $55.  We just flushed in November for our '09 fall borns, the total cost including semen, CIDRs and lutalyse for recips, flushing, and transfers was just under $3,000.  We put in 21 eggs, so the cost was $142/egg transfered.  So far, 19 of the 21 settled, giving us a $158 investment in each ET calf. 

 

[Jill]

I think we flush the same place kanshow does, if so here is her break down also

Collection (including drugs) 350.00
Freezing Fee                      150.00
Transfer Fee                        50.00 per embryo

The freezing fee is the one you have to watch, that is where you will see a HUGE difference in price.  The place I use charges 150 per day whether I have 1 cow or 4, 1 embryo or 60, your costs go up considerably when you figure a per embryo fee of 35-75 versus 150 total.

 

[JSchroeder]

We just flushed in November for our '09 fall borns, the total cost including semen, CIDRs and lutalyse for recips, flushing, and transfers was just under $3,000.  We put in 21 eggs, so the cost was $142/egg transfered.  So far, 19 of the 21 settled, giving us a $158 investment in each ET calf.

 

Early or late November?  I wouldn't use the word "settled" for anything sooner than the third cycle after transfer. 

 

[jrg]

We transferred on the 13th, so they are just shy of the 3rd cycle.  I knew I shouldn't say anything about our success rate, I'll prob have a few come open now!

 

[Cowboy]

Over the years, I have seen a huge swing in the way things are done. Costs have skyrocketed for the small things like dishes and syringes/needles etc that never seem to get noticed. I have tried my best to keep costs low as possible, here -- I do all the dailly work with the donors, from feeding -- heat checking/health , the entire shot sequence and breeding (LATE at night - hehehe) and then of course all the flush work, lab work, and freezing. There is alot to it, those of you who have had several done will know it isn't a snap of the fingers .

The last several years I have had a large number of donors come in here who were having problems elsewhere for whatever reason. I spend alot of time with these cows, so they have the best chance to work. I use conservative doses on the drugs, and I do not push the cows to flush every 35 days as some do. Some of them will work OK that way, but not for very long.

These donors are from several states, so travel is a big issue. Most of the time, I Never get the chance to transfer any of the embryos -- they are shipped back to the owners and they have them transferred there by a more local tech. In order to make the place keeping cash flowing, I had to start charging per embryo or I couldn't keep it going. There is no charge to store semen or embryos here. I have 3 tanks full of stuff right now, so that costs to leep the tanks serviced too.

As an example -- using Jill's service tech's fees compared to mine --

Here -- flush 300 including drugs
            Freeze 10 -- 25 each = 250
            Transfer later --  40  = 400 ======= 950

There  Flush 350 including drugs
          Freeze 10 ---      150
          Transfer 10 x 50 = 500  ============ 1000

I wanted to clarify some of the various responses -- sure -- there are some higher and some lower, that will never change.

The average cost per embryo leaviing here is usually UNDER 65 dollar per egg, sometimes that includes the donor board. I have been called a fussy SOB many times, and I admit that I am -- this is one area where it pays big dividends. I hope the Gods of ET will alow me to keep going for many more years. We will see - hehehe!

Sorry for the long drawn out reply here -- just had too much time on my hands today I guess!

Take care all -- best of luck for 09

Terry

 

[kanshow]

I like the one time freezing fee of $150 because it doesn't penalize for a good flush.  In most cases, the place where Jill & I flush is going to be doing the implanting as well as the collection so they aren't doing a double whammy on us..   $25 per embryo for the freeze & then $40 - 50 for the implant.   

ETA:  I can also see Cowboys point where he knows he probably will not implant many of them.

 

[ploughshare]

Thanks for all of your input. It has really helped me get perspective.  I have purchased embryos before, but now I am buying a flush and wanted to know where the costs stood.  I am guaranteed at least 6 eggs, so your break downs have helped a lot.  I could have called my ET guy but his office manager can be kind of a crank.  Thanks again.  GS 

 

[JSchroeder]

jrg, lol, been there.  I'd say that's the biggest hidden cost of ET.  By the time you realize the recipients aren't going to settle they're already out of the breeding cycle.

 

[kanshow]

What is everyone's average percentage with ET?   

 

[ploughshare]

I went 4 of 6 on frozen embryos this year, so 66%.  I was 0% with eggs from one source and 100% with embryos from P-F.  All recips were managed by my ET practitioner.

 

[Jill]

We went for several years in the low 90's, haven't figured it lately but 2 years ago we only had 67% so it has dropped down some overall, but should be still in the mid 80's.  We have had really good luck (knock on wood) and really haven't seen much difference in fresh or frozen, we are however putting in our own embryo's not some we bought elsewhere don't know if that makes a difference or not.

 

[jbzdad]

made a big difference here in Kansas. Last year  bought four embryos and had one stick in a rented recip cow, It was a HW... it died, about killed the cow, nearly killed me and the missus trying to deal with it... this time bought three embryos from Stacie and Greg Fisher... they all took... they were flushed and put in by Glen in Salina....Hope we can get them delivered...SO FAR....,If I had a choice I would have the flusher be the implanter