AI'ing heifers (cervix)

[pdfangus]

pdf wouldn't good sanitary procedures pretty much eleminate the chances of bacterial infections?

I agree and paper towels or napkins are a cheap investment. I always make sure I have four easily reachable with my right hand before I go to the cow.

But those sheat covers are the best thing since sliced bred. Keeps what ever detrious material that may exude for the anus from dropping onto the rod as you are working. The cover may get nasty but the rod and sheath stay clean and chances of taking the exudate into the animal are greatly reduced.

 

[novaman]

pdf wouldn't good sanitary procedures pretty much eleminate the chances of bacterial infections?

I agree and paper towels or napkins are a cheap investment. I always make sure I have four easily reachable with my right hand before I go to the cow.

But those sheat covers are the best thing since sliced bred. Keeps what ever detrious material that may exude for the anus from dropping onto the rod as you are working. The cover may get nasty but the rod and sheath stay clean and chances of taking the exudate into the animal are greatly reduced.

Just to add a bit and this is probably practiced by most, but when you are ready to insert the gun use your hand in the rectum to force the lips of the vagina apart. You have to make a fist just inside the rectum and push downward (its tough to explain in words). They taught us this technique in AI school so I am assuming most others were shown this as well. The idea is to get the lips open and get the gun inside as far as you can without touching anything on the animal. This helps keep everything clean and sanitary.

 

[alisonb]

I have found that by stimulating the clitorus to make the heifer contract it relaxes the muscles of the pelvic floor for a few seconds making it easier to get hold of the cervix.

If the clitoris is manually stimulated during AI (or actually just after) it is believed that it increases uterine contractions and therefore 'pushes' the sperm on their way. This has been particularly effective with cows but seems to be the opposite with heifers. Does anybody perhaps know why?

 

[KNERSIE]

I have found that by stimulating the clitorus to make the heifer contract it relaxes the muscles of the pelvic floor for a few seconds making it easier to get hold of the cervix.

If the clitoris is manually stimulated during AI (or actually just after) it is believed that it increases uterine contractions and therefore 'pushes' the sperm on their way. This has been particularly effective with cows but seems to be the opposite with heifers. Does anybody perhaps know why?

I on't know never heard that its not effective with heifers I stimulate everyone I AI as soon as I pull the pistolette out and have outstanding conception rates on first service in both heifers and cows.

 

[alisonb]

This may be a reason(sorry for the copy + paste)--
Inseminator Awareness
Use clitoral stimulation to increase pregnancy rates
of cows only. Research has shown that clitoral stimulation
or massage for 3 to 5 seconds after A.I. increases
pregnancy rates in cows 4 to 15 percent. However,
pregnancy rates of heifers decrease by 3 to 5 percent
when clitoral stimulation is used.
The presumed method by which clitoral massage
increases pregnancy rates in cows is by increasing the
retention of semen in the uterus after insemination. The
reason that it does not help in heifers is unclear but may
be due to semen being deposited at the wrong site in a
higher percentage of heifers than cows. It is critical that
semen be deposited in the uterus and not in the cervix.
Technicians also need to be sure when they deposit
semen that they are pushing the plunger toward the
inseminating rod rather than pulling the inseminating
rod toward the plunger. It is probably better to deposit
semen a little further into the uterus than to risk depositing
any of it in the cervix.

 

[KNERSIE]

This may be a reason(sorry for the copy + paste)--
Inseminator Awareness
Use clitoral stimulation to increase pregnancy rates
of cows only. Research has shown that clitoral stimulation
or massage for 3 to 5 seconds after A.I. increases
pregnancy rates in cows 4 to 15 percent. However,
pregnancy rates of heifers decrease by 3 to 5 percent
when clitoral stimulation is used.
The presumed method by which clitoral massage
increases pregnancy rates in cows is by increasing the
retention of semen in the uterus after insemination. The
reason that it does not help in heifers is unclear but may
be due to semen being deposited at the wrong site in a
higher percentage of heifers than cows. It is critical that
semen be deposited in the uterus and not in the cervix.
Technicians also need to be sure when they deposit
semen that they are pushing the plunger toward the
inseminating rod rather than pulling the inseminating
rod toward the plunger. It is probably better to deposit
semen a little further into the uterus than to risk depositing
any of it in the cervix.

i wonder if AI isn't another one of those overthought processes. I think you should do the course, get the certificate, but the true learning school will be when you start to AI your own cattle. Once you've found method that works for you, stick to it.

 

[dun]

I on't know never heard that its not effective with heifers I stimulate everyone I AI as soon as I pull the pistolette out and have outstanding conception rates on first service in both heifers and cows.

That's the way I've alwasy done it

 

[ollie?]

I AI'd 2 head last night for a friend. A mature cow and a heifer. As usual the cow was easy for me to do...all of 45 seconds. The heifer was another story. It took me several minutes to get the gun inserted through the cervix. Most folks say heifers are easier but that is not what I am experiencing. The cervix on most of the heifers that I have bred have been very small and tight against the pelvic floor. I have a very hard time manipulating the cervix around the gun because I cannot get a good hold on the cervix. It feels like they are attached to the pelvic floor. It finally happens but only after taking way too much time than it should. On mature cows I can hold the cervix with my hand wrapped around it and manipulate it very easy but on heifers I find that I have what feels like only the ability to shift it side to side very slightly using my index finger and thumb is a slight pinching motion. I am not sure if I am describing it well but I think those that do alot of AI will know what I am talking about. I guess my question is what techniques have you found that works best on thAT small, tightly attached cervix? Is it a practice and at what point does this become easier? I have only AI'd about 40 head since AI school and it seems that I have got the hang of cows but have to work too hard on heifers.

Hoss the rectal tract of a heifer is much smaller than cows. I feel like that's what you're having a problem working around. If you find you can't pick up a cervix, reach past the cervix's typical location and find the next sphincter of the rectal tract and gently with your fingers reach through it and pull the whole rectal tract back toward you. This should give you more pliability since the rectal tract isn't stretched as tightly front to back and allow you to be able to pick the cervix up.

 

[novaman]

I just thought I would add an update to this subject. I had a heifer that I couldn't get through the last ring of the cervix. Deposited semen anyway and to no surprise she came in heat yesterday morning. I thought oh boy do I have to try this again. Got her in yesterday afternoon and went right through, simple as pie. Don't know what changed but I'm sure happy!

 

[KNERSIE]

I just thought I would add an update to this subject. I had a heifer that I couldn't get through the last ring of the cervix. Deposited semen anyway and to no surprise she came in heat yesterday morning. I thought oh boy do I have to try this again. Got her in yesterday afternoon and went right through, simple as pie. Don't know what changed but I'm sure happy!

I've found that by waiting a few hours and trying again usually solves that problem (depending on the cost of the semen)