I can see both sides of this discussion. A few years ago, we made a decision to only sell semen from our AI sires in multiples of 5 straws. The reason we did this, was mainly to insure that the semen quality would have a better chance of not being compromised in the handling process of less than 5 straws. It is easy for anyone to pluck a goblet with 5 straws in it off a cane but when you have to pull individual straws out and place them on another cane, there is a higher risk of damage. This idea was highly recommended to me by two of the major studs that I was dealing with, so I decided to follow their advice as it did make some sense to me. I could not believe the number of inquiries I received after this from people who wanted 2 or 3 straws. I remember having one person call and order 4 straws and when I told them I preferred to sell the semen in volumes of a minimum of 5 straws, I was told they did not need 5 straws so they would buy semen from some other bull. I guess I can't figure people like this out.
Personally, having the opportunity to purchase 50 straws on a Reserve National Champion bull for $2000, is a very attractive opportunity. But that is just how I look at things like this. Obviously, he is one of the better bulls in the breed and to me, this is a most reasonable offer to share in his genetics. Consider what it would cost you to purchase a bull of this quality to breed your cows? I expect it might be far more than $2000.
I started to sell semen from our bulls in the late 60s. 46 years ago, we priced 3 of our herd bulls at $35 per dose, and I do not ever remember having anyone question that it was too high priced. We had several reasonably small breeders purchase 20-30 straws at a time. We sold far more semen in these days that we ever do today. It was quite common in those days to be able to purchase a good herd bull and sell far more than enough semen in the first year, to pay for him. We purchased Ready Go at the then record price of $5400 at the 1973 Polled Congress in Louisville, KY and by the time we had his first calf born the next spring, we had already surpassed $30,000 in semen sales.46 years later we are still selling semen from him every year, and we have surpassed $140,000 in total sales since he was purchased. I can't quite figure out why no one would question $35 semen over 40 years ago, and yet today lots of people scream like heck that we are trying to rape them at this price. If you consider the value of a 1973 dollar today, $35 in 1973 is equivalent to asking $184.21 per straw today. We purchased many bulls for pretty good dollars back in that era, and semen sales usually paid for them easily.
I understand that we live in " different" times today. Maybe I am just getting too old, but I certainly preferred the good old times of years gone by, to some of the things I see happening today in regards to people trying to advance their cattle and accepting value for their dollars spent.
roud Jazz, Capiche,and Capt Obvious,or something that Genex etc.carries-because it is accessible,a familiar non-show oriented supplier,etc. O0
