AI questions

dun · Dec 6, 2005

dj":28qakakj said:
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Do you keep it(the straw) in your pocket for a timed two minutes?
Are you having good luck with this method of thawing for products that aren't Genex's?
For anyone that AI's in DEC-JAN do you keep the gun in your shirt/jacket/coat/coveralls to keep it warm between cows?

Not Jeanne:

I've only done the pocket that with Genex products, the other studs recommend a warm water thaw.
I have my wife keep the gun inside of her clothes until I've actaully got a hold of the cervix, then she quickly hands it to me and I get it inside the cow fast.
Worse then trying to keep the semen warm is trying to not freeze when you have your arm in a 100plus degree cow, pull it out when it's 20 degrees out and then stick it into another 100plus degree cow and repeat. That's part of the reason we've never gone to a fall calving season

dun

Bobg · Dec 6, 2005

dj":1adhyb8g said:
Jeanne - Simme ValleyFor anyone that AI's in DEC-JAN do you keep the gun in your shirt/jacket/coat/coveralls to keep it warm between cows?

I keep the gun wrapped in paper towel and stuck down my pants until I'm ready for it. As far as pocket thawing, my AI instructor said to only use that method if it's recommended by the semen supplier.

Bobg

dun · Dec 6, 2005

Bobg":8lzhcaew said:
I keep the gun wrapped in paper towel and stuck down my pants until I'm ready for it.
Bobg

Good point, I forgot to mention that.

dun

jenna · Dec 6, 2005

Luckily, all the dairy cow ai is done in a warm (50 degree) area considering it is -10 outside right now. Yeah, I get my practice, but my mom also helps out when I am not around sometimes. She's been doing ai longer than I have, but I have mostly taken over now.Between breeding and taking care of the maternity area, it sometimes get to be a full day for me. Do any of you ever use multiple guns at once, and if so how many. I've used three before considering we have several cows to breed at a time, and I ussualy keep the guns in my coat.

dun · Dec 7, 2005

jenna":2by5no3p said:
Do any of you ever use multiple guns at once, and if so how many. I've used three before considering we have several cows to breed at a time, and I ussualy keep the guns in my coat.

I have 3 guns and if I'm breeding to multiple bulls I'll load them with different semen. I use the type with the locking ring and have several different colors of ring so I can remember who is in what gun. Sometimes even if I'm breeding multiple cows/heifers to the same bull I'll load all of them at once so I don;t have to stop inbetween cows.

dun

Jeanne - Simme Valley · Dec 7, 2005

Hubby has been AI'ing for 35+ years. Used to use a little thermos bottle when they had ampules. Don't know how long he's been pocket thawing - but long before Genex or anyone ever recommended it. We use 100% AI all those years & pretty much maintain a 60 day calving season, so yes it works. Actually, he "cow" thaws. Our tank is about 10 feet from the chute. He draws the straw, puts it in a paper towel, then in his pocket. Stays there for as long as it takes to get the gun ready (not long), puts straw in gun than proceeds to breed cow. Semen is not thawed when enters cow. He always times it, making sure the semen is in the cow at least 2 min before depositing it.
The company that collects our bull recommends water thaw. I asked him about the pocket thaw. He said he heard there was no more than maybe 1% difference in methods.