AI Synch Cleanup

[BRAFORDMAN]

I have decided that I would synch and AI half my brahman in October to sexed semen.

I would only attempt AI once. I have an experienced AI guy doing this for me.

I have two options.

1. Synch 1. Synch
2. AI 2.AI
3.Turn cleanup bulls 2-3 weeks later 3. Wait 30 days draw blood
4. Turn Clean up bulls out

The blood test would let me know who for sure isn't bred by to AI bulls. But i may lose 3 weeks on my calving season by waiting to draw blood.

Which option would you choose? and Why?

Thanks,
Justin

 

[bse]

I turn the bull in at 15 days after on my commercial cows then he stays 32 days which will give them 3 cycles and give me a 45 day calving season. I pull blood 28 days after the bull comes out then the opens get on the trailer. My purebreds i will patch again at 17 days and rebreed if neccesary then they will go with the bull and the same routine. I just use the due date and go 10 days before and 10 days after and call it an A.I. calf

 

[regolith]

First option. Simpler, and think what the delay in calving will cost - in the time to get calves to weight and in a more spread out calving season the following year also.
You can use other ways to be relatively certain which calves are AI (use different breed for the bull, draw blood or pd at a point where the pregnancy can either be dated within the week or the later pregnancy is undetectable, use heat detection patches to observe which cows cycle again, use date of birth as a guide). Any of those should leave no more than 1 or 2% uncertain calves that can be DNA tested to confirm.

I'm not sure I'd be keen to stack up factors that reduce conception rate over such a high proportion of the herd - synching is one and sexed semen is another. Not having a bull with cows that are still cycling counts too.

 

[cow pollinater]

I think you're going to be disapointed either way. I hate hearing people tell me they're going to use sorted semen on cows with no follow-up except bulls.
If your goal is to improve your cowherd then use conventional semen and get a whole bunch of cows pregnant and accept that some of the calves will be bulls. In the long run that's a lot faster and cheaper route than getting one or two extra AI heifers and the rest sired by whatever bull you could get your hands on.

 

[BRAFORDMAN]

I think you're going to be disapointed either way. I hate hearing people tell me they're going to use sorted semen on cows with no follow-up except bulls.
If your goal is to improve your cowherd then use conventional semen and get a whole bunch of cows pregnant and accept that some of the calves will be bulls. In the long run that's a lot faster and cheaper route than getting one or two extra AI heifers and the rest sired by whatever bull you could get your hands on.

Maybe conventional is the way to go if I was going to AI once.
I would be Ai'ing 8 head some will have calves on them. I have to take them to a guy to Ai them. I do not live at my ranch and I do not have someone to watch them as close as they would need to detect who has come back in heat. And room and board isn't cheap where i take them. So they can't stay 3 weeks to see if they come back in. Too costly!

I have 2 brahman bulls one red and one grey. And i have a nelore bull(registered as a brahman). They aren't throw away bulls. They will help improve my herd. But I will also need more females that are unrelated to the bulls. And with the cost of cattle, I will not be buying registered replacements anytime soon. So breeding them is the most affordable option.

So AI is a chance to get some unrelated females. But heifers from my bulls will be kept as well.

 

[cow pollinater]

I'd bet that you'll get as many AI heifers from conventional semen at a lower cost than you would using sexed semen.The conception is so much more reliable that with what you're putting your cows through by moving them on top of syncronization that you'll have more heifers by doubling the conception rate. Plus you'll get more calves on the ground twenty one days faster and that's money in your pocket.
Another thing to consider: When you move your cows, try to give the lutalyse shot the day BEFORE you move them or at least a few hours ahead of the move and then after they get bred try to get them home within the first few days. If that's not possible move them and then let them get settled down before you give the shot. Lutenizing hormone binds to the same receptor as adrenaline, so if you stress your cows around the time they should be releasing (or are injected with) LH, you'll have a poor response on your syncronization and conception rates.

 

[BRAFORDMAN]

Thanks for the tips!

I think I will use conventional semen. I leave all the shots to my AI guy. I will talk to him and see how he think I should do it.