Proof it isn't cheap to breed 101

We use to have our own standing stallion so it wasn't as much then..but then if you look at what it cost to show him and register him to make sure he earned his right to breed I guess it does add up too...now I will only do live cover and only with stallions I know the owners and know what they have done to title that stallion....even then we have left our mares open last year and someone elses horse helped himself and now were paying for it...I will not do AI....

Why sure I'll share :)

Stud fee: 275, no booking, lfg
Shipping fees alone: around 125 that includes sending back the containers
Collection fees: so far 450
Vets: .........expensive!....915 for twice breeding and the ultrasound coming up.

Total breeding her is so far for two times: 1365.
Ill get back to you on feed and other stuff. I need a calculator and I'm on the road. :)
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Last year

Stud fee. WHich I will not post as I get deals and it is not fair to the stallion owner to advertise something that has been worked out between them and myself based on my mares pedigree and show records.

Shipped semen. 2 shipments at $250 each so $500. Should have only needed one but that was my fault.

Shipping cost at $74 times 2 so $150.

Vet cost at 20 days was $106

Vac was $17 each times 3 so $51 Then the 4 way which I normally would not factor in but I will was $14.

So my totel for this foal due here in a few weeks is....


$821.00

Not bad considering what the foal will/is worth.

My rule of thumb for breeding is you need $5000.00 in your back pocket or don't bother.!!!

Stud Fee was $1000.00 with two free collections

Shipping was $100.00 by air........only need one collection and shipping as mare took on the first attempt

Shots apprx $100.00 for 3

Emergency visit (9am) for mare and foal care as we had complications plus a visit at 4pm the same day to do a colustrum test ...approx $700.00.

2nd visit to suture mare after swelling was down and flush for an infections approximately $500.00

3rd visit for foal for ulcers from meds mom was one apprx $350.00 includes meds and blood work.

I am missing some stuff as I thought I had added it once and it was about $4000.00 to put the foal on the ground.

Super Nova

The others is just what happens and could with any horse. May not be the exact same things but there is always cost in having horses and non of this would be considered the norm.

I disagree........the costs you are talking about is what it takes to get a mare in foal......not what it takes to put a foal on the ground.....in my books those are two different things.

All I am suggesting is that anyone breeding should be budgeting for the unexpected.

Even with out complications......I would have had my vet out for a foal and mare check which would have run about $350.00 as it would have been an unscheduled appointment.

From what I got from what you listed the last part was after the mare foaled so that is seperate and could have happened if you bought the foal or any horse. Again may have been a bit different but the cost is still there.

As for the mare and foal check. Not sure why that would have been an emergency call as most vets have openings with in a day of foaling to come out and check the foal. Most can make it that day and as long as you do not need them NOW or after hours it is just a farm call. I have only needed a vet one time after a foal hit the ground for a mare foal check. Been doing this long enough that I know when I need to call a vet and when I do not. However I do believe that if you are new or do not have that experiance definintly call the vet out to be sure. Do not have a problem with that.

When it comes down to it the cost of getting a mare bred and/or a foal on the ground comes down to what you can do vs. what you need a vet for.

So let me ask you something is the AI breeding really worth it, compared to live cover, in this market? Considering the amount you guys pay for shipping you could almost pay to have the mare shipped to the stud.

I always had the vet come ASAP.......2/3/4/AM.

I had the foals checked and since I breed the mares on a foaling heat the vet checked the mares and put antibiotics inside them.

Why would it not be worth it?

The cost of shipped semen on average is about $250. It would have cost me about $3K to ship my mare to that stallion one way and she had a foal on her side. Then add on chut fees mare care vet cost and so on. Then shipping the mare and foal back to me. It would have cost me about $7K or better instead of costing me $750 to that point.

If I did not want to ship my mare that fare then I would have been limited to the stallions I would have picked. I would not have gotten a NRHA Open Re Futurity champion.