Semen

[Ric]

So I was wondering I am kinda new to the whole buying semen side of things do different semen companies sell the same bulls? If they do you go merely by price who you choose to buy from? Or do you go more by the people you know from a certain company that go out on the road and travel to sell the semen?

 

[OH Breeder]

This is totally my opinion first and foremost.

I believe ABS has high quality standards and like to buy from them when I can.. Then I go by price and shipping and handling fees. Cattlevisions from customer service have been super good, as well as Top Sires and Lautner. Launter called me back when semen was available and shipped pretty quick failrly reasonable.
If you do'nt have a preference, then my suggestion to you would be make alist of must have bulls and then start shopping the semen sites. Some only carry certain bulls.

 

[Ric]

Is there anyone that anybody recommends that does a lot of traveling and semen deliveries and they thought was helpful

 

[jbw]

I have had great luck with Lance Ellsworth, Stepping Stone, Brad Hook, Matt Lautner, and some ABS reps, They are salesmen, they are trying hard to earn your business. I have also dealt with Kirk Roecker, even though he is not really a distributor, he will go the extra mile to help you out.

I don't know about every one else, but when I buy semen from the peddlers, I feel that it rude that they don't come around in the fall sale season to have a courtesy call. I don't expect them to stop at sale season if I only get a rack or two, But, I generally buy up to 300 units a year and have sure found out who I will support in the future. I don't expect any bids, just a cortesy call.
I'm ranting tonight , I apoligize, I'll get off here now ;D ;D ;D

 

[Jill]

You know I have asked on here several times and have never gotten an answer as to whether all of the companies have the same standards for semen quality and to me, if you could ever find that out that would be pretty important.  Most of the companies out there are the same price, top sires runs monthly specials if you have one that happens to go on sale, but it really comes down to shipping after that.  The Genex rep that fills our tank can get about anything we would need and that saves a ton on shipping if we can get it that way.  I know that Matt Lautner does deliver once a year and does stop by every year to look at the calves.

 

[kanshow]

I've wondered the same thing about the standards, etc.    We got some semen from what I would call more of a distributing company last year.  All of the straws had a big end that would not go into my cito cutter.  It really was a minor inconvience and I don't think it affected conception rates. 

When I decide what bulls I'm going to use, I look at the company that carries the majority of the bulls so I can save on shipping.  Since we breed so many commercial heifers, we also look at who is giving the best discounts and sales as this can save a lot.    This year, there was a bull I'd like to have used on a few cows but could only get him at one place and there were no other bulls there I would have used.  I could not justify the shipping for those few cows so went with another bull. 

 

[jbw]

All the distributers should be able to get what you need, Cattle Visions has gotten or found me anything I've asked for so far.

 

[kanshow]

True, you just have to give them a little time to get it in. 

 

[Ric]

JBW I agree with you completely if I am willing to spend the money to buy the semen they better come to look at my calves if I think the calves are good enough.

 

[Ric]

you wouldn't happen to have a phone number on lance ellsworth would you?

 

[jbw]

1-800-774-0437

 

[Freddy]

Cattle visions  have treated  me very good, but I work with Lance in Wisconsin an Carl an Patty will sure help you out in Clark ,Missouri ...  The BULL BARN IN Stapleton, Ne. will sure help you out with some good deals , Eldon is on the road , an Cathy is in charge at the office an does a heck of a job .

 

[PowersCattle]

I would hollar at Troy Polyock 12623250007 he has some awesome up and coming bulls as proven bulls also.  Tell him I sent You.

 

[jbh]

Let me mention a couple things.......

The quality of the semen your're purchasing, first and foremost evolves around the collection facility it's being produced at.  I LOVE ABS, and they've moved alot of semen for me, BUT, the only thing they're doing different is actually checking random samples of collections to confirm quality assurance.  I say ONLY, because some might believe that there is different batches of semen  being produced at their stud, and unless they own part of the bull generally that is not true, BUT KUDOS to them for at least randomly checking to make sure the quality is there.  In many cases it REALLY PAYS OFF for EVERYONE!

Secondly,  the convenience factor of a Cattle Visions and SEK and Top Sires is appealing from a shipping and variety standpoint.....kind of like stopping at a gas station with a McDonalds....you can get everything you need(???) and be on your way.....price might be a little higher per unit....but by the time you figure shipping in......it's about a wash.

Thirdly, you can go "factory direct", (buying it from the owners).  As expected, we're only going to tell you about our bulls or maybe a close friends bulls and limit your choices to our program.....BUT, the semen generally has came directly out of the pipe, and not been shipped around a time or two, so you know exactly who to blame if it's BAD.  If everything is done right in the handling process.....there should not be a problem anyway....key word here is IF!

 

[Jill]

so you know exactly who to blame if it's BAD.  If everything is done right in the handling process.....there should not be a problem anyway....key word here is IF!

First let me say I haven't ever had any bad, just throwing this question out there. 
Who is liable if it's bad, not going to name names, but have heard of owners/distributors not standing behind bad semen.  Is there recourse there, or is it just tough luck, can't say what caused it it go bad type of thing?

 

[jbh]

so you know exactly who to blame if it's BAD.  If everything is done right in the handling process.....there should not be a problem anyway....key word here is IF!

First let me say I haven't ever had any bad, just throwing this question out there. 
Who is liable if it's bad, not going to name names, but have heard of owners/distributors not standing behind bad semen.  Is there recourse there, or is it just tough luck, can't say what caused it it go bad type of thing?

I can only speak for myself....but I generally replace it after a few questions to make sure I'm not getting scammed.  There has been ALOT of problems in the industry....with no QUALITY ASSURANCE guidelines to follow...and if you don't have a conscious, then the user is never gonna know until it's too late.  Several of the major multi-bull consignment companies are about to pull their hair out trying to stay on top of the product quality that they're distributing, trying to put an end to this aggrivation!

 

[jbw]

Semen collected at Nichols is awesome!  Jay has a reputation of putting out a high quality product. The owners of the bulls should be the one that demand high standards. It seems that to many of them just want it froze so they can make a buck!  I know of some bulls that have been pulled out of Nichols because Jay would not freeze them, hats off to you Jay for setting standards and upholding them. 

I know that some of the distributers that have said 'good' when I told them were a bull was collected.