Beginner to Beginner

[inyati13]

Sometimes a beginner can help another beginner. I have been doing some AI on the fall calvers and a few heifers. Something that I learned may help others. Getting the gun to the cervix, was not difficult, but on a couple it took time to get the gun started into the opening of the cervix. When you read the manual, it states "Get the gun to the cervix, and then place the cervix over the gun". I was over focusing on those words. When I would get to the cervix, I was tending to over work the cervix thinking I had to fit it over the end of the gun. I think what the manual should say is, "Get the gun to the cervix, grip the vaginal end of the cervix and start the gun in the cervix. Then, manuver the cervix over the shaft of the gun."

I solicit review of this thought by you experienced folks. Because what I found myself doing was trying to "pick up the cervix and slide it over the gun." I think it takes some manuvering of the cervix to thread it over the shaft of the gun but getting the gun started into the opening is a not as much "placing the cervix over the gun as the manual makes it sound."

Ken and CP would you guys comment on this?

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Something new I learned this week (and I have been doing this for years). Anyone experience when breeding a virgin heifer, they dance all over and whack their tail and smack you? Well, I had out Genex rep over to demonstrate using sexed semen (since we are so bad at it), to see if she was doing anything different that we were (trying to find a margin of error where we can improve so we can get better results). She uses a soft plastic tube, like a large straw, with a white plastic tip on the end. She places that in the vagina first, and then slides the pipette into that. The soft plastic tube goes all the way to the tip of the cervix, and the pipette pushes out the end of the white soft tip into the cervix. This is softer than the metal pipette, and the heifer did not even wiggle when she put the pipette in. She said she only uses it on virgin heifers, but will not breed without it.
Other than that, we are breeding the same way. Nothing different. So we will see if the heifer takes. We have one more to cycle this weekend, and then everyone has been covered once. YIPPEE!

 

[bse]

Ron theres several little things that they don't really teach you sometimes either way has to work for me I hold the cervix and try to start it if no luck I move it around and try and thread it when they seem to get tough I just look at my surroundings and collect my thoughts seems to help me but nothing is like doing several and figuring out what works for you.
F S R a question about the straw going to the cervix and stopping does it hang out of the vulva and push your breeding rod through it? cant wrap my mind around it.

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Ron theres several little things that they don't really teach you sometimes either way has to work for me I hold the cervix and try to start it if no luck I move it around and try and thread it when they seem to get tough I just look at my surroundings and collect my thoughts seems to help me but nothing is like doing several and figuring out what works for you.
F S R a question about the straw going to the cervix and stopping does it hang out of the vulva and push your breeding rod through it? cant wrap my mind around it.

Yes, the end is outside of the vulva. Then the pipette is placed inside of it. The best way to describe it, is if you have bred mares, or done a culture on a mare. It is like an extra sleeve on the pipette, that softens it. Flexible.... it looks like a great big clear straw with a soft plastic tip. I will see if I can find a picture...
Here is a link to what I think is the same thing she used....http://livestockconcepts.com/en/ai-bree ... ctors.html

 

[inyati13]

Something new I learned this week (and I have been doing this for years). Anyone experience when breeding a virgin heifer, they dance all over and whack their tail and smack you? Well, I had out Genex rep over to demonstrate using sexed semen (since we are so bad at it), to see if she was doing anything different that we were (trying to find a margin of error where we can improve so we can get better results). She uses a soft plastic tube, like a large straw, with a white plastic tip on the end. She places that in the vagina first, and then slides the pipette into that. The soft plastic tube goes all the way to the tip of the cervix, and the pipette pushes out the end of the white soft tip into the cervix. This is softer than the metal pipette, and the heifer did not even wiggle when she put the pipette in. She said she only uses it on virgin heifers, but will not breed without it.
Other than that, we are breeding the same way. Nothing different. So we will see if the heifer takes. We have one more to cycle this weekend, and then everyone has been covered once. YIPPEE!

Kris, I can see numerous benefits. Yes, the heifers are nervous and dancing. I wear safety glasses to avoid having tail hit me in the eye. But the tube would remove the folds in the vagina and center the gun so that it would not get as easily hung up in the fornix. Where do I get one? I imagine it is lubed before insertion?

 

[cowgirl_jenna]

Yes, the end is outside of the vulva. Then the pipette is placed inside of it. The best way to describe it, is if you have bred mares, or done a culture on a mare. It is like an extra sleeve on the pipette, that softens it. Flexible.... it looks like a great big clear straw with a soft plastic tip. I will see if I can find a picture...
Here is a link to what I think is the same thing she used....http://livestockconcepts.com/en/ai-bree ... ctors.html

I've thought of trying these too thinking the same thing that they might help in the ways you stated? I think these are the same thing...
http://www.enasco.com/product/C11050N

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Yes, the end is outside of the vulva. Then the pipette is placed inside of it. The best way to describe it, is if you have bred mares, or done a culture on a mare. It is like an extra sleeve on the pipette, that softens it. Flexible.... it looks like a great big clear straw with a soft plastic tip. I will see if I can find a picture...
Here is a link to what I think is the same thing she used....http://livestockconcepts.com/en/ai-bree ... ctors.html

I've thought of trying these too thinking the same thing that they might help in the ways you stated? I think these are the same thing...
http://www.enasco.com/product/C11050N

Jenna, that is almost exactly like what she used!

 

[cow pollinater]

I do very little moving of the cervix. I just grab it and get it into position while I'm inserting the gun and then there's just a little wiggle with my pinkey finger to get the gun started in the cervix. Once it's started I push the gun in until I feel the right spot with my index finger.
Every once in a great while I'll have a cow that I have to push the cervix forward and then come back to the gun to get the folds out but even then when I pass her most of the work is done with my outside hand.

I had to stop and think about it for a minute before I responded. "I don't know, I just do it." was the first response that came to mind. :lol:

 

[cow pollinater]

Something new I learned this week (and I have been doing this for years). Anyone experience when breeding a virgin heifer, they dance all over and whack their tail and smack you? Well, I had out Genex rep over to demonstrate using sexed semen (since we are so bad at it), to see if she was doing anything different that we were (trying to find a margin of error where we can improve so we can get better results). She uses a soft plastic tube, like a large straw, with a white plastic tip on the end. She places that in the vagina first, and then slides the pipette into that. The soft plastic tube goes all the way to the tip of the cervix, and the pipette pushes out the end of the white soft tip into the cervix. This is softer than the metal pipette, and the heifer did not even wiggle when she put the pipette in. She said she only uses it on virgin heifers, but will not breed without it.
Other than that, we are breeding the same way. Nothing different. So we will see if the heifer takes. We have one more to cycle this weekend, and then everyone has been covered once. YIPPEE!

I doubt that the sheath protector had much to do with keeping her calm. They do make sheaths that have a soft rubber bulb end on them though if you think it might help.
I'm not a fan of sheath protectors because it adds a somewhat cumbersome step into a process most people are already familiar with and there is usually some poking and jabbing going on inside the cow until people get used to using them. I don't know very many people that use them but one guy that does says that the biggest downside is that sometimes they crimp the end of the sheath when you push it through and it can be bad enough to cause the semen to discharge back into the sheath instead of into the cow.

 

[inyati13]

I do very little moving of the cervix. I just grab it and get it into position while I'm inserting the gun and then there's just a little wiggle with my pinkey finger to get the gun started in the cervix. Once it's started I push the gun in until I feel the right spot with my index finger.
Every once in a great while I'll have a cow that I have to push the cervix forward and then come back to the gun to get the folds out but even then when I pass her most of the work is done with my outside hand.

I had to stop and think about it for a minute before I responded. "I don't know, I just do it." was the first response that came to mind. :lol:

CP, you provided the feedback that I went fishing for. I took the training and I read the book. I was getting something different from my recent experience. Thanks. I appreciate the reinforcement.