AI'ing some heifers

[grubbie]

I'm not the fastest at inseminating, don't have a ton of experience at it. All I have done is older cows and I'm pretty confident in my ability. Today I did my first heifers, first AI after a ten year hiatus
. I had a horrible time, can't get hold of the cervix on those little critters! I have only done two so far, synched 7 and only two were standing today, expect the rest tomorrow. Took me almost half an hour on each animal....it was embarrassing. The first ones cervix was so small I couldn't hardly feel it. The second ones cervix kept rolling up to the left side. Once I did get in on her it took a while to make sure I was actually there because the uterine body was so tiny. Any tips for making heifers easier, other than more practice and experience?

 

[dun]

Any tips for making heifers easier, other than more practice and experience?

That's the only way I know of!

 

[WalnutCrest]

...or, you could hire it done and let them fiddle around with it...

Good luck to you!

 

[grubbie]

...or, you could hire it done and let them fiddle around with it...

Too stubborn for that. I had an AI tech tell me that heifers were easier than cows, I disagree. But I will get this done even if it costs me the feeling I my left arm.

 

[dun]

...or, you could hire it done and let them fiddle around with it...

Too stubborn for that. I had an AI tech tell me that heifers were easier than cows, I disagree. But I will get this done even if it costs me the feeling I my left arm.

I agree with the tech, I far and away prefer heifers for ease of breeding.

 

[regolith]

Not to worry... those little critters get in calf just by looking at the AI tank...

Yup, they can be hard, but that's what I've found, they get in calf even if you don't get all the way through the cervix on them & you probably hit the tough ones today and have the easy ones to do tomorrow.
I've done one or two that you'd think they were a three year old the cervix was that good... mind you one of those I did with her hips caught up in the headbail because she thought she was little enough to walk straight on through.

 

[ntd red]

I have issues with heifers as well, give me a mature Brahman cross any day. Practice is the only way.

 

[grubbie]

Sure learning a lot,........a lot of things NOT to do. Did two more tonight. The first one went down in the chute, was darn near sitting on her ass. Lost a straw on that one. Reloaded and tried her again, she did it again. Turned her loose, didn't want to lose anymore straws. The next one went okay, got her threaded but it still takes me forever. Wish I could say I learned something about technique and how to do it better, but I didn't. After she was done I was feeling confident again, decided to try the first one again. Down she went again, another wasted straw. She will be open. Too bad, she'll eat cake out of your hand and follow you around like a dog, get her in the chute and she goes bat-crap crazy.

 

[KNERSIE]

I also prefer heifers over old cows. If your heifers are on the small side ignore the am pm rule and AI on standing heat, it is standard practice in jersey herds here. Conception rates will be pretty much the same, just a few more heifer calves.

 

[Hook]

To help with the problem of the cervix rollin, take your hand and pin it against her left side.

 

[inyati13]

I am of the mind that it does not matter to me if it is a heifer or cow, i.e., I have gone in and inseminated some of my heifers without any problem. Others had those hard to manage cervixes. On the other hand, I have a couple big cows that challenge me to get in there deep and manage their big cervix. No problem finding those big cervixes, but I have been like you on some of the cows, worked hard and long to get into them. I think you already have the tip you need. Stay in there til you get it done. You will get it done!

 

[dun]

In the last 2 days I AIed 2 first calvers that I had also AIed as heifers. According to the records both were easy to breed with shallow cervixes. The one yesterday was the same, probably around 30 seconds in and out. The one the day before was more like 2-3 minutes and I was in her upto my arm pit. Her birth canal was stretched LOOOONG and a lot of loose tissue you had to stretch to get into ther cervix. Cervix was only about 2 hands deep when I got a hold of it but I hd to stretch that long canal to be able to hit the OS

 

[bse]

On the one going down if you run her in the chute and put a bar behind her and not catch her head they seem to stay up.

 

[dun]

On the one going down if you run her in the chute and put a bar behind her and not catch her head they seem to stay up.

I had one a couple of years ago that would sit down like a dam dog. Bent the crap out of 2 guns before I decided to turn her with the bull. I don;t know how she did the next year because I sold her right after she calved. The vet had the same issue with her when he preg checked and the year before when he did the RTS and pelvic.

 

[grubbie]

The one yesterday was the same, probably around 30 seconds in and out. The one the day before was more like 2-3 minutes

That's how I was when I went to the class 10 years ago, using older cows. The first one of these heifers took me close to 30 minutes, the last one probably 15 minutes. I get frustrated pretty easily, but I have been real good about taking my time and getting it right with this. Not ready to give up and really want to get better at it. Thanks everyone for the tips!

 

[CMcC]

If you have one setting in the chute, catch her in the alley behind the chute with a halter and tie her to the side of the alley. it has worked for me 100% so far, in fact to the point that i have started AI'ing everything in the alley.

I also seem to have better success with heifers. I have AI'ed and Stuck cows and when i finished wasn't even sure where the cervix even was? lucky i guess???

 

[grubbie]

Reviving this 3 year old thread to add some notes that might help others who are having trouble AI'ing heifers as I was. I am still not very fast, but better than I was and more confident. It still takes me a couple minutes each, but I am confident I am getting it right. So, on to a few things I have learned that helped me:
* Follow the gun all the way in with your left hand, flat, with a little downward pressure. This smooths out the vaginal folds and the gun won't get caught.
* I use the gun to help me locate the cervix, rather than groping around like a teenager at the drive-in. The cervix on heifers can be tough to locate. Following the gun as mentioned, when it stops it is usually at the cervix, actually in the fornix, so feel around and find it.
* Pick up the cervix and put it over the gun. Yep, it's small and can be hard to get hold of, but think "pinch" more than "grab", you may have to use fingertips. Pick up the cervix and put it over the gun, and pick up the cervix and put it over the gun. Repeated because this was my biggest problem, pinning the cervix against the side and poking at it can work, but not well..........AT ALL.
* Find the back of the cervix and kind of pinch it down to eliminate that fornix space above and below the cervix, also gives you a good feel and smaller target for the gun.

It went much better for me doing it this way. We only did 6, we are cutting back and leasing out the majority of the place. But there were no "depositing in the second ring" or the like. Got them all threaded, confident the semen was deposited properly, including one that had a cervix shaped like a horseshoe. Hopefully these tips may help someone else.

 

[Bright Raven]

Reviving this 3 year old thread to add some notes that might help others who are having trouble AI'ing heifers as I was. I am still not very fast, but better than I was and more confident. It still takes me a couple minutes each, but I am confident I am getting it right. So, on to a few things I have learned that helped me:
* Follow the gun all the way in with your left hand, flat, with a little downward pressure. This smooths out the vaginal folds and the gun won't get caught.
* I use the gun to help me locate the cervix, rather than groping around like a teenager at the drive-in. The cervix on heifers can be tough to locate. Following the gun as mentioned, when it stops it is usually at the cervix, actually in the fornix, so feel around and find it.
* Pick up the cervix and put it over the gun. Yep, it's small and can be hard to get hold of, but think "pinch" more than "grab", you may have to use fingertips. Pick up the cervix and put it over the gun, and pick up the cervix and put it over the gun. Repeated because this was my biggest problem, pinning the cervix against the side and poking at it can work, but not well..........AT ALL.
* Find the back of the cervix and kind of pinch it down to eliminate that fornix space above and below the cervix, also gives you a good feel and smaller target for the gun.

It went much better for me doing it this way. We only did 6, we are cutting back and leasing out the majority of the place. But there were no "depositing in the second ring" or the like. Got them all threaded, confident the semen was deposited properly, including one that had a cervix shaped like a horseshoe. Hopefully these tips may help someone else.

Excellent. I follow the exact procedure you outlined so well. Thanks.

The only item I would add: give thanks to the Egyptian Goddess of Fertility. Hathor.

PS: Wyoming. Where the only real cowboys are left!

 

[wbvs58]

That's a very good summary of the procedure and should be very helpfull to the inexperienced and the experienced will do no harm reading it also.

Ken