The above economic considerations apply to a population of dairy cattle. The economics of embryo transfer for an individual breeder might be much more favorable, and they are certainly more easily determined. In this case, however, embryo transfer would be used more to provide profit through the sale of extra offspring rather than having an impact on the milk production of the population. In summary, embryo transfer is an interesting application of new technology to dairy cattle. It offers many possible research applications and it can be very profitable to owners of highly regarded cows in selling offspring.
Embryo transfer can be a profitable business for many veterinarians and business people.
It is also likely that the science and technology of embryo transfer will continue to improve and new variations that may use embryo transfers will become available in the future. Presently, however, embryo transfer is far from the breakeven point as a genetic improvement tool for milk production. Alternative sources of genetic improvement are available through AI that offer greater opportunities for improvement of the population for milk yield. Therefore, a breeder could use embryo transfers if it is profitable for him to do so. Likewise, people engaged in the commercial embryo transfer business can be expected to promote and sell embryo transfer if it is profitable to them.