7 & 7 Synch protocol anyone using it?

[Dsth]

similar result as BryanM. had a virgin heifer that was not seeing any signs of heat and had vet check her. he said she was cycling and suggested the 7 & 7 protocol. did her and a cow that would be close to 60 days postpartum at end of protocol. both cycled at about 60 hours and heifer had hair rubbed off and rash from getting rode. both were bred yesterday morning, so we will see the results in a few weeks.

 

[Double R Ranch]

I actually saw less strong heats and response from the same cows I did last year with 14 day cidr protocol. Not horrible responses with the 7&7 just saw stronger and earlier responses from the 14 days of Cidr's without the extra shot in the middle. Will be interesting to compare over the next few years.

 

[WarEagle73]

I just finished breeding cows using this protocol and will definitely be using it again. Set up 16 head (7 first calf cows, 4 second calvers, and the balance ranging from 4-12). 14 of the 16 were in heat by hour 60, with 13 of those between 36-60. The two non-responders were bred on time at 72 hrs had pretty good tone to their cervix.

we also set up 7 heifers on the 7 day cosynch with CIDRs and observed heat for 72 hrs. Really poor results. Last year we had great luck with the same protocol. Thinking about using 7&7 on heifers next year. It hasn't been studied in heifers yet, but from a reproductive physiology standpoint, it should work just fine I think.

Had the vet out to preg check a few weeks ago. Looks like we ran 75% on the 7&7 group. Of the 4 head that didn't get bred, 2 were the non-responders that we bred on time, one was the oldest cow in the herd that is probably going to be leaving this year, and the last one was a first calf heifer that I re-AIed 21 days later and she didn't stick then or to the bull. I'm pretty sold. I know it's small numbers, but basically if they responded, they came in heat quickly and stuck. If I can get 70%+, It's worth the extra trip and time.

 

[Jake]

Used it on 4 sets of 30-50 cows. It appears that the non-responder rate is basically 15% on mature cows that are cycling, most everything in within a 36 hour window. Didn't get great response on 2 year olds. Preg check will tell us if the TAI portion is worth it on that 15% or whether they need to just be skipped all together.

 

[wbvs58]

I'll be interested to hear the results of preg tests. Thanks for posting Jake.

Ken

 

[Gonz]

I am going to try 7&7 on the cows but I am sold on the 30 day protocol for heifer.

 

[jschoolcraft86]

My results with the 7&7 were uninspiring (I had 10 out of 20 come into heat. conception rate was abysmal), but it might have had something to do with the freeze stressing them out and the forage not being optimal (the mating we were putting in was not a very sticky one either). The real factor for me was the ability to confidently re-use CIDRs after a 7 day sync versus worrying about enough progesterone being left on the CIDR after the 7&7.

I would not be opposed to trying again with an improved nutrition program an more cooperative weather before I totally wrote it off.

 

[GoWyo]

Just finishing A.I. run here. Synced 49 head on 7&7 protocol. Pulled CIDRs Sunday, bred 22 on Tuesday starting around noon, 15 Wednesday morning (today) and have 3 this evening with 4-5 for Thursday morning. Only breeding on observed heats. A couple non responders calved late April, so not surprising. Two appear to be thinking about showing heat that have no excuse. Heats seem to be plenty hot, but maybe a little shorter than regular 7-day CIDR. We are on a good flush of grass and cows in good condition. I think it tightened their timing a lot.

 

[Double R Ranch]

We have now put in Cidr's for breeding. Was planning on going with the 7 & 7 again but going back and rereading has made me wonder what everyone currently thinks of this protocol. I am thinking about going back and doing the 14 day cidr with no shot at 7 days. I also noticed the updated recommendation on the 7 & 7 is now TAI at 66 hours. What's everyones thinking these days?

 

[GoWyo]

I used 7&7 in 2021. Heats were good. Conception on cows was only about 60%, but it was also 95* first week of June, which may have been a factor. Went back to more conventional 7-day CIDR protocol in 2022. At preg check and after observing pretty close 20-odd days after AI, think it was more toward 70-75%. Not sure it was worth the extra logistics. Will plan on using 7-day CODR in 2023.

 

[Mountaintown Creek Ranch]

We have been using 7 day for a few years. The guys at Select Sires also said we should go 7-7 but we have had great success with 7 day so we stayed with it.
We do our own AI so we're not waiting on a vet or tech and I shoot it at the top of the time curve. Last I time I did the math we were around 70% conception.