DSD 6.11 | The sweet spot - Insemination timing for peak profit

With changes in the marketplace, coupled with increased reproductive performance of your herd there is an increased opportunity to improve net return. While breeding beef and sexed semen is no longer new, our industry has experienced a miscalculation of the ideal number of replacement heifers needed to optimize this model.

To ensure you’re on the right path, Megan Lauber , Dr. Paul Fricke and Dr. Victor Cabrera from University of WI recently completed work on a model of the interaction between 21-d Preg rate, semen type, days in milk and heifer survival to find the optimum window – known as the Insemination Eligibility Period (IEP). This metric will soon to be easily monitored with a tool available online.

Their model found $51.00 / head improvements in net return when all the metrics are optimized. Listen in for a comprehensive discussion about how to model your herd’s data to customize and therefore optimize your reproductive trajectory and financial success of the future.

Topics of discussion

1:33      Introduction of Megan Lauber  

2:54       Impact of strategic breeding on the beef semen industry, as of 2025

5:33       Preg Rate's impact on the insemination eligibility period (IEP) & change over time

7:49       Semen scenarios / combinations of beef and xx-semen to control inventory

9:34       Defining Insemination eligibility period (IEP)

11:21     Impact of insufficient replacements

13:03     Optimum time to inseminate a cow to maximize income

13:53     How does the shift in IEP manipulate the age of the national herd?

16:24     Figure 3: the unexpected shape of the net return

21:20     Herd turnover rate and Heifer survivability  

22:48     Heifer hoarding vs just right

25:40     Figure 5: Net Return

28:57     Figure 7: Impact on Net return when Preg Rate increases across semen models

32:15    Why was 170 d used for the net return analysis?  

33:21     What do you want “boots on the ground” dairymen to learn from this project?  

Featured Article:

An economic simulation model to assess the effect of the 21-day pregnancy rate, semen type, and heifer survival rate on the optimal insemination eligibility period for lactating dairy cows

Dr. Victor Cabrera’s TOOL website : https://dairymgt.cals.wisc.edu/tools.php

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