Thanks everyone on my AI question!!

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Countryside : One Thread

I found this magazine six months ago, and along with this forum it is by far the best info a small farmer could get. Thanks again, all the books I read talked artificial Insemenation down or didn't cover the topic very much at all, anyone know why?

-- KeithSmith (peepee125@hotmail.com), January 20, 2002

Answers

I know it's been used successfully in cattle for many years ... and it's very common in horses. I know it's also used in goats but I am not familiar with that process.

I can't imagine why the books would "talk down" AI ... it has some limitations like everything else but given a vet or AI tech that is experienced and knowing what is involved, it is efficient, cost effective and can certainly give the smaller breeder access to much better quality bulls or stallions that otherwise might be available.

What were the objections to it?

-- SFM in KY (sportpony@yahoo.com), January 21, 2002.


Perhaps you're reading the wrong books! -G- I'm in big livestock country. AI has been used forever with cattle and other stockmen use it as well. It's big with the equine; easier to ship frozen semen than the mares, and it allows for a larger base of sires to choose from. This is true for ALL livestock and smaller species. Around here it's used a lot for show swine. Many dog breeders also use it, and so do breeders of other species.

A while back, when Germany beat the U.S. in the equine events at the Olympics, some said the U.S. was beat by their own horses. Germany had been importing quite a bit of semen from the U.S.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2222@hotmail.com), January 21, 2002.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ