1st attempt is a fail. Looking for feedback

[Highlandheath]

Well first attempt on our two Highlands is a fail. Blood test back today, hard open. Our cows act like they have never seen a chute before and we stressed them out big time getting them to move through. I am wondering how much that stress hurt us?

I believe that our biggest problem was heat detection. At 66 hrs our dominate cow was standing to let the very submissive one smell her. She was also showing a lot of interest in her urine. We have never seen the submissive one mount the dominate one, so I figured this may be the only sign I get with her and Ai'd.

The submissive one never showed a sign of heat, but the protocol called for AI at 72 hrs.
Protocol was:
GnRH - 7days CIDR - PG - heat detect and AI at 72 hrs with GnRH

Any feed back for the deflated rookies?
It's really hot here now. Should we wait for cooler weather to try again?

Thanks for your patience with us, and all your help.

 

[MRRherefords]

We used the same protocol. Only difference is we give a second PG shot 24 hours after pulling the CIDR. That made them hot, hot. Went 1 for 2. They were both in hot heat. The one that did not take lost her calf due to embryonic death. Obviously stress is never a good thing, and may have something to do with it. Don't get discouraged. We were 1for 3 our first year. It does take some patience, research, and talking to those with experience to get the perfect combination.

 

[wbvs58]

You have synched them once so you should have an idea when they are due on heat so put some patches on them and see if you can catch them on a natural cycle. Are you doing the inseminations yourself? Have you had much experience? It does take a bit of time to perfect the technique but persistence is the key and attention to detail.

Ken

 

[dun]

You have synched them once so you should have an idea when they are due on heat so put some patches on them and see if you can catch them on a natural cycle. Are you doing the inseminations yourself? Have you had much experience? It does take a bit of time to perfect the technique but persistence is the key and attention to detail.

Ken

Correct as far as it goes. But the cows being spun up, i.e. excited and nervous can also cause serious conception problems. As can extremely hot/humid weather.

 

[Highlandheath]

Thanks for your replies,

We are leaning to do it on our own. The first attempt took a really long time as I got oriented, and I am sure that did not help on the stress. I was able to manipulate the cervix over the gun and palpate it just inside the uterus. The second one went a little faster. I spoke to a vet who likes to use a speculum, so I am going to try that next.
I understand there will be a learning curve, and we will stick with it. Honestly the procedure itself now felt like the easy part. The heat detection and cow management felt like the hard part. Of course I could be way off.

 

[True Grit Farms]

Thanks for your replies,

We are leaning to do it on our own. The first attempt took a really long time as I got oriented, and I am sure that did not help on the stress. I was able to manipulate the cervix over the gun and palpate it just inside the uterus. The second one went a little faster. I spoke to a vet who likes to use a speculum, so I am going to try that next.
I understand there will be a learning curve, and we will stick with it. Honestly the procedure itself now felt like the easy part. The heat detection and cow management felt like the hard part. Of course I could be way off.

Your dead on, the rest can be controlled or learned.

 

[Highlandheath]

I read somewhere deep in this forum that someone said 90% of the time he is breeding at 72 to 96 hrs. Has that been your guys experience?

 

[dun]

Forget the speculum! It's faster, more accurate and easier to do the manual method by feel. I originally learned to use a speculum and used it on dairy goats (still the only viable way for them) for 5-6 years. Did it with cows for a short time until I went to AI school and learned the manual method.

 

[Highlandheath]

I will continue to learn manually. The speculum is only for some one to visually verify that I am in the place I think I am until I am more confident. Of course it will not help me with depth.
With all this heat we will try and watch for a natural heat. I that does not work we will sync again in cooler weather.

You guys are a great help. I learn more here than the books and websites I have read on most any cattle subject. Thanks

 

[wbvs58]

As Dun said, I would not even try to mess with a speculum the way you are taught is tried and proven. The cervix doesn't lend itself to be poked and probed at to get something through, the folds catch and fold over the gun stopping it from going through, it needs to be worked over the top of the gun.

Ken

 

[Highlandheath]

That makes sense

 

[dun]

That makes sense

When we did dairy goat AI we had special sheaths/pipettes that had kind of a hook on the end. You would put that in the OS and kind of screw/push/twist it through till you cleared the last ring. Unless the cervix is wide open just pushing a regular sheath/pipettes through ain;t gonna work.