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RUN YOUR RANCH
SHIPPING
Once you've made a purchase at Christensen Genetics, we'll go to work on shipping it to you.
Your animal will arrive on a coordinated route driven by either us or a trusted independent contractor. We send these trucks out based on other shipments in the area and on weather both at our ranch and yours. We will always put you in direct contact with the driver to know when to anticipate seeing your animal before they arrive.
We attempt to group up the cattle to make shipping economical, and send shipments in seasons that will limit heat stress in transit and upon arrival. We cover all costs of maintaining your animal(s) until there is a group, a driver, and weather that permit the safest and most economical delivery of your purchase.
If you purchase frozen genetics from us, we will release your purchase to your name at Hoffman AI in Logan, UT. You can call them and pay for shipment via credit card over the phone to have your shipment sent directly to you at any time.
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RECEIVING
When your cattle first arrive at your ranch, keep them in a secure pen for a few days to settle in with access to free choice hay, mineral, and water. After the cattle have settled in for a few days, you can turn them out to the pasture of your choosing. Cattle from Christensen Genetics are fully vaccinated upon arrival. We recommend an annual fall booster of Bar-Vac 8, ViraShield 6 + VL5, and Vetrimec.
When receiving frozen genetics, transfer the semen or embryos directly to a long term storage tank that has been properly charged with liquid nitrogen.
FEEDING
Cattle from Christensen Genetics will perform well on hay (alfalfa or any kind of grass), free choice mineral or lick tub (we feed RioMax), and access to good, clean water. For a higher rate of gain, a limited amount of steam flaked corn per day may be fed.
CALVING
Calves can be born from 21 days early to 21 days late from their due date - we have DNA verified calves at both extremes! Start watching your cows for calving 21 days before their due date. Most calves are born from 7 days early (primarily Angus) to 10 days late (primarily Akaushi).
When you see a water bag appear hanging from the cow's vulva, you should see a calf on the ground within 30 minutes or call a vet.
Once the calf is born, we recommend vaccinating with Alpha 7 + CD and InForce 3 PMH, along with tagging and recording a birth date, birth weight, and sex.
WEANING
A standard age for weaning is 205 days, or nearly 7 months. That being said, calves can safely be weaned from 4 - 10 months of age, depending on your management plan. For best health, vaccinate and booster with Pyramid 5 + PreSponse, Vision 7 2020 with pinkeye, LongRange, and StandGuard prior to weaning. Heifers will need to receive a dose of Estrumate and a brucellosis vaccination from a vet after weaning, depending on the state in which you are located. For data submission purposes, record an individual weaning weight as close to 205 days as possible.
YEARLING
As close as possible to a year of age, record a yearling weight and have a carcass ultrasound done if a certified technician is available. We freeze brand our cattle with both individual ID and an ownership brand at this age.
Heifers should be vaccinated with Express FP10, dewormed with LongRange, and given Estrumate for any accidental pregnancies.
Bulls should be dewormed with LongRange, branded, and have a breeding soundness exam done by a veterinarian.
BREEDING
There are three basic options for breeding: natural service, artificial insemination, and embryo transfer.
OPTION A: NATURAL SERVICE. If you are new to cattle, turning out a bull for natural service is the best option. Simply lease or buy a bull, turn him out with your cows, and let him do his job. No facilities, drugs, or technicians required. Natural service is the cheapest, easiest, and highest success rate breeding option.
OPTION B: ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION. Requirement 1: Ability to get your cattle in a chute multiple times. Requirement 2: Access to synchronization drugs. Requirement 3: Access to an AI technician. If you can meet these three requirements, then you are ready to purchase semen. Once you have the semen stored with your AI technician and an AI date scheduled with him or her, you are ready to begin synchronizing your cattle. Start by inserting a CIDR and giving a shot of GnRH (Fertagyl, Cystorelin, or Factrel). One week later, remove the CIDR, and give a shot of PG (Estrumate or Lutalyse). 60 hours later, have your AI technician inseminate your cows.
OPTION C: EMBRYO TRANSFER. I do not recommend attempting embryo transfer until you have proven you can run a successful AI program. Once you have successfully run an AI program, you are ready to attempt embryo transfer. Embryo transfer has all of the same requirements as the AI program detailed above, but you will also need to find a technician that can implant embryos. Many AI technicians are not able to implant embryos. Once you have met these requirements, you are ready to purchase embryos. Once you have the embryos stored with your ET technician and a date scheduled with him or her to implant them, you are ready to begin synchronizing your cattle. Start by inserting a CIDR and giving a shot of GnRH (Fertagyl, Cystorelin, or Factrel). One week later, remove the CIDR, give a shot of PG (Estrumate or Lutalyse), and apply an Estrotect patch. For the next 5 days, check your cows for pink Estrotect patches and mark which cows come into heat when. The heats should center on days 2 - 4. One week from the center of the heats (day 3 after Estrumate), have your embryologist implant embryos into all recipient cows 6 - 8 days after their expressed estrus. Embryos are a cost effective way to improve your genetics if you are able to achieve a high conception rate. If you are not confident in your ability to do so, a more cost effective option is to purchase confirmed pregnancies.
MARKETING
By 18 months of age, most animals that will not be retained for breeding are ready for marketing as either a breeding bull, a bred heifer, or for slaughter and sale as beef.
When marketing a breeding bull, I would recommend reaching out to commercial ranches in your area and building a relationship with the owners. If they understand that you are there to help them achieve THEIR goals genetically, and back it up with quality products and service, you will have a long term customer. Commercial cattlemen are the backbone of the bull business.
If you are marketing a registered bred heifer, your market will likely be different as you try to reach out to other purebred producers. To do this, I would recommend looking for a consignment sale with an offering that matches what you have for sale.
Finally, to market an animal destined for slaughter, I would recommend selling by the individual cut. This will require slaughter at a USDA inspected facility and direct to consumer marketing.