AI Question

[NCSU Maverick]

I bred two heifers for one of my buddies this afternoon. The first heifer was actually seen standing, and I bred her no problem. The other heifer had her estrus sticker wore about 2/3 off but he never actually saw her standing. On this second heifer, who may or may not have been in heat, I could NOT get the gun through the cervix. I could sort of get it started but could not get it through. When breeding our own heifers we only breed stuff we see in heat, but this was different situation, where I may have been trying to breed a heifer that was not in. My question is this, if a heifer is NOT in heat, could the cervix be closed so tight the gun would not go through at all? (This heifer is NOT bred)

 

[dun]

Even if she isn;t in heat you should be able to thread the cervix over the sheath. It can be dfficult but it is possible. If she was in heat and you couldn't pass the sheath there may be an anomoly in the cervix

 

[Outrigger2]

i agree with dun. there have been heifers i know where in heat and could not get the gun passed at all. i don't think the bull even got this one bred. it is just the way it goes.

 

[NCSU Maverick]

Well that makes me feel a little better. I've bred cows that were not in heat and not had any trouble and I have never had as much trouble as I had with this heifer. Obviously I'm no expert but I could not get that gun to pass through there at all. I guess if it was easy then everybody would do it.

 

[Double R Ranch]

Well that makes me feel a little better. I've bred cows that were not in heat and not had any trouble and I have never had as much trouble as I had with this heifer. Obviously I'm no expert but I could not get that gun to pass through there at all. I guess if it was easy then everybody would do it.

I had a heifer that was hard to get threw. Once I did she didn't take at the normal breeding time. Next time around I waited a bit longer time after standing heat to breed and the cervix opened up enough to get threw and she bred. Might be worth a try.
Double R

 

[novatech]

The last heifer I bred this year was supper tight. She took the first AI. Some of the easy ones did not. I gave up on trying to predict.

 

[dun]

The last heifer I bred this year was supper tight. She took the first AI. Some of the easy ones did not. I gave up on trying to predict.

I bred 65 head of Holsteins that had been synched and figured I could tell which ones were going to settle. They ran all the way from dry holes with the cervix closed through those that the mucus was right and the cervix was open and some that the mucus was already white. A couple of those dry holes came into standing heat the day after I AIed them but the majority of them settled. Ended up 56 settled first service.

 

[Double R Ranch]

The last heifer I bred this year was supper tight. She took the first AI. Some of the easy ones did not. I gave up on trying to predict.

I bred 65 head of Holsteins that had been synched and figured I could tell which ones were going to settle. They ran all the way from dry holes with the cervix closed through those that the mucus was right and the cervix was open and some that the mucus was already white. A couple of those dry holes came into standing heat the day after I AIed them but the majority of them settled. Ended up 56 settled first service.

From what I understand, (could be told wrong) but that is DARN good for holsteins. I hear that they are hard to ai and get to take. Was told that dairies are happy if 20% take at a time. Maybe you know, is that true?
Double R

 

[dun]

From what I understand, (could be told wrong) but that is DARN good for holsteins. I hear that they are hard to ai and get to take. Was told that dairies are happy if 20% take at a time. Maybe you know, is that true?
Double R

Possibly in the mega dairys that's the norm. When I was doing dairys in CA I was in the high 80s low 90s most years. The dairys around here run around 70-75 first service. The problem is with the statistics. If you pull out those cows that are AIed 5-6 times and run with a bull for 6 months and still don;t settle the percentages may be even higher.

 

[angus9259]

I had a cow in standing heat and couldn't get through the cervix. Got as far as I could and dumped the semen. She took.