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ARTIFICIAL using an estrus synchroniza- The Midwest Cattleman · February 24, 2022 · P32
continued from page 24 tion program. I am including LET LEGUMES
Economics those cost for this discussion. continued from page 14 a longer recovery period on
With a cost of about $20 for
When it comes down to synchronization, $20 -$40 for volatilization, leaching, and roughly one-third of the pas-
economics there are many semen and around $20 if you denitrification. If we can recy- ture acres each year to allow
things to consider. If you are need to hire a technician you cle that N multiple times, our seed to mature. To get enough
just looking at dollars spent, are at around $60-$80 with- overall productivity improves seed production to maintain a
it is hard to continue to feed out adding in labor. With a without additional expense. stand, we need a 60- to 75-day
and care for a bull while add- 60% pregnancy rate you are recovery period.
ing the A.I. costs on top of the at around $115 per pregnan- Seed them and keep them We used a similar approach
bull expenses. Going 100% cy. There are also other costs The challenge is getting in Missouri in combination
A.I. is possible but takes ded- to consider such as owning a legumes established into ex- with our year-around graz-
ication to details and a time nitrogen tank and paying to isting, grass-dominant pas- ing program. By stockpiling a
commitment to heat detec- have it filled about every 8 tures and then maintaining third of the farm each year for
tion and pregnancy checking. weeks which could amount legumes over a long period of winter grazing, we had built
It is challenging to maintain to $300-$500 per year. time. Fortunately, the small, into the system the required
a narrow calving window There is not one way to dense nature of most legume recovery period for seed pro-
when a clean-up bull is not raise cattle that is right for seeds allows them to be broad- duction. The combination of
used, but it is possible. all situations. If your goal cast seeded in many situa- legume seed production ahead
A study reported by Les is to maximize genetic im- tions. Sometimes, a no-till drill of winter grazing ensured new
Anderson at the University provement in your cattle and is a more reliable option, but seedling establishment. It was
of Kentucky looked at the you are willing to spend some most of the common pasture a beautiful thing.
dollar cost per pregnancy time and invest in facilities, legumes can be overseeded The author is a rancher, au-
when using bulls purchased A.I. is a great place to start. successfully. thor, speaker, and consultant
at various prices. A $3000 If you do decide to try A.I., Once established, most le- with over 40 years of experi-
bull used for 15 cows result- remember that impacts may gumes can be maintained ence in grazing management
ed in a cost of approximately take years to be observed. through natural reseeding. research, outreach, and prac-
$100 per calf, depending on The generation interval on On our center pivot pastures tice. He has lived and grazed
many factors such as preg- cattle is long so you won’t see here in Idaho, we broadcast livestock in hot, humid Mis-
nancy rate. While this may results immediately. seeded a mixture of red, white, souri and cold, dry Idaho.
not be exact today it can pro- and alsike clover in 2006 and hayandforage.com
vide a ballpark idea. have maintained those stands
When it comes to costs for without reseeding through
A.I., many beef cattle are bred 2020. We do this by allowing
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