not many people have farming knowledge here which is very easy to tell . getting non farming shareholders thinking we will be having 90% heifer calves is a certain recipe for more disappointed share holders.
I think brokers will have a hard time understanding the stock on there own they will certainly need outside help from proper dairy exports.
I disagree on this 90% its not achievable on a herd would be catastrophic on breeding pattern and milk production and very costly to farm for the worse not better. for the percentage of what you would get with so called 90% it is not a reality on a dairy herd and dangerous to use , I would think ahf would not be using it and I hope they are not. buying herds is the quickest and easiest way to increase numbers or replacement heifers on sale
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/an214
Introduction
The goal with sexed semen is to produce a calf of a specific sex. Sexed semen is widely available now and many dairy producers are using it to obtain more (and better) heifer calves.
Because of its higher cost per dose of semen, combined with a reduced conception risk, sexed semen is primarily recommended for use in virgin heifers. The use of sexed semen varies widely among dairy producers. Some
producers do not use it at all while others use it on heifers only, and some use it on both heifers and cows (Anonymous, 2008). With heifers (and cows), sexed semen is usually used for first and
perhaps second breedings, but typically
not for later breedings. The economic benefits of the use of sexed semen are different for every dairy farm. This fact sheet summarizes the recent literature on sexed semen use in dairy heifers and cows. Further, the economics of the use of sexed semen in heifers and cows are evaluated.
http://www.gtp.com.au/westerndairy/inewsfiles/Info Sheet 1 sexed semen.pdf
http://agriculture.vic.gov.au/agric...control-of-calving-difficulty-in-beef-heifers
dairy or beef its I no difference, small breeds like a angus or a jersey should put put over a heifer for calving certainly not fresians for a 1st calf.
big mistake to use Friesian bulls on a 1st time calvers thats creating more problems than its worth. will definitely be few dead heifers and heaps of calving problems and vet bills guaranteed . and loss of milk production and more labour spent on non performing cows.
if you want extra more reliable heifers you can synchronise your 1st time calvers/ heifers and put a AI jersey bull over them but that's story . not sure what all farmers do but we used almost 2.5 times the herd in ai straws. each cow had at least 2nd or 3rd submission rate to ai straws for a 30% replacement per year . high ai submission rate is very critical so is getting all cows cycling, pre paint all cows 3 weeks before start of ai season to see which are not cycling I bet most farms don't bother with that or use lazy expensive kaymars getting a worker to observe the paddock for 30 odd mins after milking . there should be no problem with ahf getting the right amount of heifer calves if managed well and efficiently with out the need for extra expenses.
submission rates are the most critical thing, getting them all pregnant. so they make milk.
(20min delay)