Why use artificial insemination
A cattle breeder may choose to utilise artificial insemination (AI) in their herds for several reasons including:
- genetic improvement
- access to genetics from across the world
- access to genetics from bulls that they would not otherwise be able to afford to purchase
- to reduce the number of bulls required
- access to breeds that are not available locally
- to join a bull with more females than he would be able to serve naturally in one mating season
- to mate individual cows to specific sires
- potential increased value of progeny from AI sires
- to reduce the risk of infection from venereal diseases