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Irish dairy farmers are in the middle of peak breeding season with beef farms also busy. For those choosing to use AI it can make up a significant part of the breeding cost.
With numerous AI companies to choose from we examined the average cost of inseminating a cow around the country.
The figures below are an average of charges provided by AI technicians nationwide.
Unsurprisingly, the south had the lowest cost of AI while the west was the highest. Technicians explained that this was due to the herd sizes they were dealing with in the different regions. While AI technicians working with larger herds in the south could service 10 cows in one visit in the west it was more common to only serve one or two.
The prices in the east and north for a first dairy service were both €33 while the north was slightly more expensive for a beef service.
The higher prices across the board for a dairy service was due to the higher cost of dairy straws in comparison to beef straws.
The repeat charge quoted above included two to three services depending on the company.
Straws
The cost of dairy AI straws is fairly consistent between AI companies, ranging between €16 and €22 depending on the bull used.
The cost of commercial beef straws is lower, with most companies charging around €10 for the average bull. Bulls of higher genetic merit could cost anywhere from €14 to €20. However, pedigree beef straws are a much higher price ranging from €30 and up.
When choosing straws price generally will not be one of the most important deciding factor. Important management decisions should not be based on a few euro but rather on choosing the right straw for the right cow.
For those buying their own straws and requiring an AI technician to serve them the table below is the average charge.
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