artificial insemination

[mab2n]

Could someone tell us the basics about artificial insemination? Is it difficult to do for someone who has never tried it themselves? Should we just let the vet handle it? If we can find one that does it.

Thanks.

 

[dj]

welcome mab2n
There are numerous and varied posts under the subject AI
click on the search tab at the top of the page and you'll get days of reading on the subject.
If you'd like an example of what AI is like.
Fill a 30 gal trash sack half way with oatmeal.
drill a 1/8 hole in a bar of soap lengthways.
put the soap bar in a large balloon.
Pour cooking oil on the balloon and trash sack.
Put a clumsy shoulder length plastic glove on one arm.
In your other hand hold a piece of baling wire.
Now with your gloved hand reach in the trash sack of oatmeal
and pick-up the bar of soap in the balloon. Then try to put the baling wire through the hole in the soap without poking a hole in the balloon. The whole time working in the dark and somebody is trying to push your arm back out of the oatmeal sack.

 

[AngusLimoX]

I laughed all the way through dj's description, the only place I thought it a bit weak was in describing the force the cow can exert on your arm! lol Some of the most frustrating times of my life! And then you pull your arm out and what do you get! ( If not quick enough! ).

Do the search dj suggested, and I suspect your gonna see a lot of stuff you may not understand ( synchronizing, heat detection, etc.. ) and then come back with more questions.

A simple answer to one of your questions is that many farmers both dairy and beef do their own AI. It usually involves taking a course ( mine was 5 days ) and several dozen simulated inseminations under instruction and dozens more practice inseminations.

Depending on how many head you are running it can get expensive to do your own, but there are costs with a bull as well. You should have semen distirbutors in your area, and if you buy from them I think it is about $14 a head for the tech if you do the heat detecting.

 

[preston39]

AI costs for 40 cows vs a bull;

40 x 1.25(75% effective AI)=50 x $20.00(per straw of good semen)=$1,000...annual costs and a lot of work.

A good bull at $3,000. can breed 40 cows..... for 8 years,+ cost of keep and terminal value of around $.50 per pound. The numbers are convincing..... for the bull...even if you include the value of one more(cow) calf from your herd instead of the bull..

AI is good for obtaining top/superior genetics into a herd for maternal cow/bull breeding stock....but, not for regular annual breeding over a long period.

 

[Rod]

Point well made by preston, I've only AI'd for the genetics and what little that has been it was a pain in the a##.

 

[dj]

Point well made by preston, I've only AI'd for the genetics and what little that has been it was a pain in the a##.

8) For you or them? :lol:

 

[Rod]

hard to say, but I would think the cow probably hurt a little more, but I did land on mine pretty hard as well.