AI'd some cows

[KNERSIE]

I just stick it in until I can feel it with the other hand then manipulate the cervix/reprotract.

To me it depends on how easy or small the cervix is especially in the case of young heifers. I use the right hand to thread the gun through the cervix as much as I use the left to manipulate the cervix. I AI'd lots of jersey heifers a few years back and they were small, on the low end they weighed just over 500lbs. That's probably where I started doing it this way.

 

[gberry]

Any of you use the sheath protectors? Do you think it makes any difference?

 

[bandit80]

Any of you use the sheath protectors? Do you think it makes any difference?

Not sure what you mean by sheath protectors. I use a spiral syringe. Cut the crimped end of the straw of semen, insert it into the blue piece on the sheath, and slide the sheath over the gun. Give it a twist when it is to the top to lock the sheath onto the gun. Not sure what a sheath protector is?? :help:

 

[gberry]

Any of you use the sheath protectors? Do you think it makes any difference?

Not sure what you mean by sheath protectors. I use a spiral syringe. Cut the crimped end of the straw of semen, insert it into the blue piece on the sheath, and slide the sheath over the gun. Give it a twist when it is to the top to lock the sheath onto the gun. Not sure what a sheath protector is?? :help:

www.agtechinc.com/store/product.php?pro ... 272&page=1

Actually goes over the sheath. Supposed to add extra protection against infection although I don't think we've had any problem with that. The only reason I asked is when I took an AI class at a large dairy, the guy that did their AI work said they seemed to make things easier. He claimed it would slide through the folds in the vagina easier. I am an amateur and occasionally have found that I think the gun is about to go in the cervix but can't quite make it go. After some time and struggling, I realize there is a thin fold of vaginal wall between the gun and the cervix. I was wondering if anyone else had used them and if they helped this problem. It's probably nothing a few thousand more head of experience wouldn't fix.

 

[KNERSIE]

Any of you use the sheath protectors? Do you think it makes any difference?

Not sure what you mean by sheath protectors. I use a spiral syringe. Cut the crimped end of the straw of semen, insert it into the blue piece on the sheath, and slide the sheath over the gun. Give it a twist when it is to the top to lock the sheath onto the gun. Not sure what a sheath protector is?? :help:

http://www.agtechinc.com/store/product. ... 272&page=1

Actually goes over the sheath. Supposed to add extra protection against infection although I don't think we've had any problem with that. The only reason I asked is when I took an AI class at a large dairy, the guy that did their AI work said they seemed to make things easier. He claimed it would slide through the folds in the vagina easier. I am an amateur and occasionally have found that I think the gun is about to go in the cervix but can't quite make it go. After some time and struggling, I realize there is a thin fold of vaginal wall between the gun and the cervix. I was wondering if anyone else had used them and if they helped this problem. It's probably nothing a few thousand more head of experience wouldn't fix.

Never used them myself, but I know my vet uses them to AI flush cows. I doubt it would make passing the pistolette through the cervix any easier. With experience you'll soon recognise that scratchy feeling when you reach the opening of the cervix.

 

[dun]

With experience you'll soon recognise that scratchy feeling when you reach the opening of the cervix.

Even on heifers that only have cervix the size of a cigerette you will feel it. It's harder to find because it's smaller, but it's still there.

 

[bandit80]

Any of you use the sheath protectors? Do you think it makes any difference?

Not sure what you mean by sheath protectors. I use a spiral syringe. Cut the crimped end of the straw of semen, insert it into the blue piece on the sheath, and slide the sheath over the gun. Give it a twist when it is to the top to lock the sheath onto the gun. Not sure what a sheath protector is?? :help:

http://www.agtechinc.com/store/product. ... 272&page=1

Actually goes over the sheath. Supposed to add extra protection against infection although I don't think we've had any problem with that. The only reason I asked is when I took an AI class at a large dairy, the guy that did their AI work said they seemed to make things easier. He claimed it would slide through the folds in the vagina easier. I am an amateur and occasionally have found that I think the gun is about to go in the cervix but can't quite make it go. After some time and struggling, I realize there is a thin fold of vaginal wall between the gun and the cervix. I was wondering if anyone else had used them and if they helped this problem. It's probably nothing a few thousand more head of experience wouldn't fix.

Nope, never used them. I always found it easiest to hold the syringe with only two or three fingertips as opposed to holding it with my entire hand. That seems to make it easier to feel the sandpaper type feeling of the cervix. I maybe do 100 head a year, but experience is the only way to get good at it.

If you are having trouble with haing a vaginal fold in front of the cervix, try pushing the cervix forward as far as possible to straighten it out. Then you should be able to slip the syringe up the opening of the cervix, and then work the cervix back over the gun.

 

[tncattle]

AI'd 40 cows for a friend of mine yesterday on a timed AI synchronization protocol. Only took an hour and a half from start to finish. They were pushing them through just as fast as I could get the gun ready! To say my arm was tired towards the end is an understatement. I was still able to grab a cold beer when we were done, however. :lol:

What exactly did you use to AI them? What kind of gun?

 

[dun]

It's called a gun or syringe depending on who is talking. In the picture it's the long silver thing with the three button looing things on the left end. The roundish thing is a straw cutter, the tweezser looking thing in front is a straw tweezer

 

[tncattle]

It's called a gun or syringe depending on who is talking. In the picture it's the long silver thing with the three button looing things on the left end. The roundish thing is a straw cutter, the tweezser looking thing in front is a straw tweezer

I remembered a while back reading something about an AI gun where I think you could supposedly see inside the cow or something like that? But that's all I remember.

 

[dun]

It's called a gun or syringe depending on who is talking. In the picture it's the long silver thing with the three button looing things on the left end. The roundish thing is a straw cutter, the tweezser looking thing in front is a straw tweezer

I remembered a while back reading something about an AI gun where I think you could supposedly see inside the cow or something like that? But that's all I remember.

With the speculum method (used on goats and was used on horses at one time and maybe still is) you insert a speculum into the vagina and visually locate the OS.