The cost of producing a 1-year-old Ankole heifer:
| Cost range (R000) | |
| Cost of embryos (say 4-8 embryos @ R5000/embryo) | 20-40 |
| Recipient cost up to pregnancy (current rate commercially available) | 35-40 |
| Cost of recipient till weaning (R2000/month x 15) | 30 |
| Recouping of recipient cost | -15 |
| 70-95 | |
| Assume a 15% abortion rate | 80-110 |
| But only 50% of births are heifers | 160-220 |
| Assume some value/bull calf | 10-20 |
| Realistic cost to produce a 1 year old heifer | 150-200 |
| *If one assumes that a top cow (±R500k) produces 20 female offspring over her lifespan, then the owner should aspire to recoup some of that value per calf | 25-50 |
| Fair price for quality heifer | R175-R250 |
Very interesting figures!
Congratulations