Australian beef producers spend thousands of dollars each year on buying bulls. But with high prices at most 2010 spring bull sales, some farmers are looking for cost effective ways to introduce superior genetics into their herds. Artificial insemination (Al) could provide an effective, but more affordable, means of achieving genetic improvement. Whether to breed via natural mating or to artificially inseminate (AI) is often a question of cost and practicality. The seedstock industry has been using AI to introduce superior genetics into their herds for many years. While the practice is less common in commercial herds, AI may be a feasible option for some producers to quickly inject better genetics into some or all of their female herd without the expense of buying a premium bull.
展开▼
