question: IS SEXED SEMEN A GOOD THING

I am not trying to ruffle any ones feathers! I have been looking at all the advertising of deer and a lot of them are advertising SEXED SEMEN! I am just wondering if every one uses it will the end result be TOO MANY shooter bucks down the road and the end result lower prices? Again I am not trying to piss any one off or start an argument on the forums THANKS FOR YOUR TIME< JIM S

No it's NOT good for those of us raising Shooters............It only props up the already dying semen market and just tightens the noose of the producers left!

Quality does should be the focus of a breeding program. Without quality does you can have quality bucks. Our adults got wiped out by ehd, thank god i have doe fawns that should be my best producers yet. If I only used sexed semen I would have been left with 10% of my does and would take years to rebuild my program. Thank goodness I have doe fawns to keep my program on track, although it will be a couple years behind now. You can't replace good typical breeding.

It is cheaper to not AI at all. We get 100% conception pasture breeding and we have a lot of twin and triplet buck fawns.

I have not A I ED in 4 years and I love the less stressful and less expensive breeding season! I am worried that all the sexed semen is going to flood our supply of bucks and run more of us out or leave little profit for all of us! If the people using sexed semen only bred HALF their does and ate the other half is one thing but when they bred the same amount of does and get mostly all buck fawns back! DO I HAVE A REASON TO WORRY? JIM

I know a ton of folks who have gotten terrible conception with sexed semen. More singles are also born. If a person gets 60% conception using sexed semen, the person pasture breeding is way ahead them. They have the cost of AI ing the doe that missed and the semen. The upkeep for every doe AI-ed is part of the equation. Plus if you are lap AI ing you are going to lose a few doe but still pay for the AI, semen, synchronization, and drugs.

Yes Jim it is a bad thing for the industry. However I don't think it is the hot tip idea that many think it is.

I am doing conventional AI this year as well as using my buck Ruben. He is also the back up buck.

Ruben was 9 buck to 1 doe fawn this year. I will take those odds over doing Lap AI and having all the expenses.

The only reason I am doing AI at all is to make specific crosses.

I'm planning to use Female in a couple does just to ensure I have offspring from them because I lost 40% of my deer to EHD last year... Since that experience I look at sexed differently... If I buy a sure enough good doe I want a female out of her more than anything in case I loose her to EHD...then I'll worry about getting a buck out of her. 


 


We all know live breeding is the most economical solution.


 


LAP vs Conventional... I did conventional first year with 0% success... Last year all my deer were run down from EHD so I did both... One of the two I did lap on 1 did not take because of stress of my backup buck... I say this because she was breed around 6-8 weeks after AI.  The most of the ones that I did conventional on and are out of my backup were only about 2-3 weeks later than my AI babies. So I did 50% on Conventional and 50% on Lap however I blame my backup buck for the LAP success.  20% breed in what should have been their third cycle so it is my opinion that they took AI but aborted.  My deer are nearing what I would call overweight this year and I am LAP AI-ing all of them and backing up none of them as a bit of a test on my theory...  The thing that worries me is 1/3 of my does were in heat when we put the CIDR's in so I have no idea how that is going to effect but I'll bump AI up about 10 days next year....

It will continue to drive down the price of semen in the market, but so will continued breeding of world class genetics. Isn't it natural that the deer semen market somewhat follow that of the cattle industry? I think the only reason that deer semen is still slightly more expensive is due to the fact that the processing of whitetail deer semen is still higher. Sexed semen is still something that is reserved for those who financially have a little more in the reserve tank when it cost $5K plus per pop to process a collection (correct me if I am wrong).   

i don't think its bad for the industry in the long Run, for every doe fawn not born is one less buck the following year, just my opinion 

Its going to cause a shift in market...back to the look not total inches because hunting ranches will get more picky with a larger amount of animals available for purchase. 

I don't know how it can be good at all!  Look what happens when we have too much Oil, Corn or Cattle for say, They market value goes down and a lot of times the market stays down in the deer business!  Not a very good out look and Roger has the right Idea, DON'T START.  Thanks for all the replies and good luck with your deer!

THE THING THAT CONFUSES ME AS A SEMEN SELLER THAT IT COSTS SO MUCH MORE MONEY TO GET SEMEN SEXED AND PROCESSED  THEN THE STRAW SELLS FAR LESS THAN A CONVENTIONAL STRAW THAT ONLY COSTS AROUND $10/ STRAW TO PROCESS


 


THE ONLY WAY I COULD SEE IT BENEFICIAL IS FOR A SMALL FARMER (LIKE ME) TO DRAW THEIR OWN BUCK AND USE ALL THE SEXED FOR YOURSELF TO GET RID OF MY AND A TON OF OTHER FARMERS BIGGEST WORRY/PROBLEM IS DOE FAWNS

You know what is so funny to me about everyone doing AI is, what are you producing? I use AI to add a specific cross in my herd. Or to increase a specific antler trait in my herd. I have my own bucks big enough to use as breeders. I can do some AI and some live breeding. But seems many folks do AI every year as their normal way of breeding. Have they not produced a buck worth using as a breeder? If so maybe they need to take a more realistic look at just how great their does really are.

Roger I think you are right on the money with your last info!  I just want every deer farmer to make money and stay in the biz!  JIM SIMONSON

IndependenceRanch1053981445269501



You know what is so funny to me about everyone doing AI is, what are you producing? I use AI to add a specific cross in my herd. Or to increase a specific antler trait in my herd. I have my own bucks big enough to use as breeders. I can do some AI and some live breeding. But seems many folks do AI every year as their normal way of breeding. Have they not produced a buck worth using as a breeder? If so maybe they need to take a more realistic look at just how great their does really are.




I like the ones that draw a buck..Only have yearlings and buttons out of that buck and try and spew him off as a producer and try to  market the semen. Many bucks drawn are just good shooter bucks that the owner thought to much of.  Just like you have Ruben, I have a couple bucks and many other farmers do that are bigger,better looking and throwing better offspring then the ones trying to sell semen and even the best looking paperwork is not delivering.


I think at times farmers feelings get a little overboard on their buck and flood the market with straws. 

(34,34,34); '';10.5ptFrom my perspective, the single largest factor negatively affecting the lucrativeness of the industry is that it's just plain down fun to raise whitetails and there are many who are willing to stay in the business even if they're barely breaking even.  Industries that border on hobbies will always have this problem while on the flip side industries that aren't as "fun" do not have as many people who are willing to do it at cost.  If it's not making money for them they will close up shop while many deer farmers will keep the lights on because making a profit is not their primary motivation.  As long as supply keeps up with demand competition will keep prices low because farmers are willing to go low.  I don't see this as being wrong, it's simply the reality of an industry that doubles as a hobby for many.


 


(34,34,34); '';10.5pt 


 


(34,34,34); '';10.5ptThe folks who make the most $ in this environment are the ones who find a way to separate themselves from the pack by providing a product/service that is superior to the rest while at the same time focusing on lowering costs & doing things efficiently.  This of course requires business skills that not all hobbyists will have and effort that not all hobbyists will be willing to make so there is hope for the savvy business person who wants to raise whitetails in order to put bread and butter on their table.  Said person simply needs to recognize and accept the fact they are competing in an industry full of folks who are willing to operate at a break even.

How about the amazing number of bucks that are said to be damaged at 2 or 3. If we are concerned about consistency shouldn't we consider mature offspring and their appearance year after year? Are they really damaged or is it the look that emerged from the genetics?

Yes Mike, one mans breeder is another mans shooter. I said that once on here and almost got scalped for it. But oh well.

IndependenceRanch1053981445269501



You know what is so funny to me about everyone doing AI is, what are you producing? I use AI to add a specific cross in my herd. Or to increase a specific antler trait in my herd. I have my own bucks big enough to use as breeders. I can do some AI and some live breeding. But seems many folks do AI every year as their normal way of breeding. Have they not produced a buck worth using as a breeder? If so maybe they need to take a more realistic look at just how great their does really are.




 


I know we are all partial to out own deer.  I personally think my 2yo is better than a lot of high dollar semen but i have a couple son's and daughters out of him already.  If he was a 6x6 I'd use again this year, but he's not. So it's either buy a buck, breed a yearling or AI for me.  I rarely satisfied, but hopefully in a couple more years I will be content to live breed 1/2 or more.