Sexed semen and euthanising bull calves

However more recent trials suggest that the relative conception rate is 90% which has seen dairy sexed semen sales double in recent years. 

Many milk buyers are imposing bans from euthanising healthy bull calves/bonus incentives for not doing so in the near future.  With the chance of a heifer calf being born at >90%, using sexed semen to breed replacements from your top cows and beef semen for the rest of the herd can aid profitability and ease housing pressures.

The table below shows the cost of rearing a calf to 8 weeks old.  The loss on Friesian bull calves is much greater than the £9 cost of shooting at 36 hours.

If your farm is restricted by TB, it could make the situation even worse.  Breeding replacement heifers from the best animals within their herd, provides the opportunity to improve genetics and limits the need to buy in heifers and younger cows at currently high prices.  Alternatively, you are left with the option to breed heifers for selling.

On a herd of 200 cows, you may aim to breed 60 replacements per year.  To give yourself a buffer, you may rear 70 heifers to allow for losses.  The benefit of using sexed semen is demonstrated in the table below.

Kathy Harris

February 2020