Couple of Timed AI (TAI) questions

[tdarden3k]

Doing some reading on the TAI process and I was wondering if any of you were using it and the success that you have had with it ?

Also with the TAI process when it comes time to AI are you seeing pretty much all of your cows in standing heat as you begin ?

Anyone use the TAI protocols and then manually detect and inseminate ?

One more thing .... I understand that MGA is a feed additive. How do you feed it to get the proper amount per animal or over a 14 day period do you just count on them to get enough of it. ?
Thanks

 

[Alan]

I have been using TAI for about 10 yrs. bear in mind I have a small herd so I and my mentor only AI about 12 to 15 a year, him a lot more. I use CIDR's, GnRH and Lute. I feel happy to have about a 60 to 70% successes rate. But on my size of a herd I have gotten a couple of pretty good clean up bulls, so for me, the herd has improved many fold over. As far as waiting until all is in standing heat, no, we hit them early in the morning but only run them through once and hope for the best, the clean up bull gets them in about 14 days. But if you have the time to watch and wait your success rate may be better.

Alan

 

[tdarden3k]

I have been using TAI for about 10 yrs. bear in mind I have a small herd so I and my mentor only AI about 12 to 15 a year, him a lot more. I use CIDR's, GnRH and Lute. I feel happy to have about a 60 to 70% successes rate. But on my size of a herd I have gotten a couple of pretty good clean up bulls, so for me, the herd has improved many fold over. As far as waiting until all is in standing heat, no, we hit them early in the morning but only run them through once and hope for the best, the clean up bull gets them in about 14 days. But if you have the time to watch and wait your success rate may be better.

Alan

Thanks Alan
I was wondering regarding the CIDR's. I have seen them inserted and the process looks fairly straight forward. I was wondering if cattle show any distress or discomfort with them in for (I believe ) a week.

 

[Alan]

I have never had a cow have a problem with CIDR, very easy to insert. The only thing I have had happened in the years I have been synching my cattle for timed AI, I did have one cow one time lose the CIDR sometime during the 7 day period.

 

[gpl]

We have used TAI for about 10 years. We expect to see a 1/3 to 50% of the cows in standing heat at breeding time. We plan for 50% conception and consider everything else to be a bonus. We will run 60-65% some years. Accurate consumption of MGA can be a problem, that is why we prefer to use a CIDR. Details are critical to a good TAI program. Timing, handling and administering injections, cattle handling, vaccination and mineral program, etc. We are currently using the 5 day program on cows and 14 day program on heifers. Can't seem to notice any discomfort from the animal, but be sure to put a little lube on the CIDR tip when inserting.

 

[bse]

I expect to get 90% in heat doesn't always happen but on average it has im with Alan on most of it but I usually have 2 breedings heifers usually come in a little earlier so if my 72 hrs is at 8 am on whatever morning I will usually breed about 25% the evening before if your having a tech do it that may not be something you can do. At 72 hrs everything gets bred if they have been in heat or not and everything gets GNRH after breeding all this is the 7 day cidr protocol I have used the 5 day didn't think much of it. it may work for others the 14 day cidr on heifers works great and you can time them out with the cows just takes a little planning. I don't know anything about the MGA never used it. I don't put lube on the cidr tip I do put it on the cidr gun I use 3 guns after it comes out of the cow it goes in water and novalsan then rotated through so there as clean as possible before going into the next cow. that's just the way I do it.

 

[hopalong]

Due to the fact most of my clients have small herds 1 to 5 animals i use the 7 day TAI protocol with moderate success 60 65% Most do not have a set schedule for calving they just want calves so I make every attempt to catch them in heat as opposed to the exact hour called for in the protocol... Most do not want or have a clean up bull so i am the only resource they have.. can only do the best I can do and most are happy with my service... All of my clients are by referral. and i am trying to cut back


As far as a lube on the insert and gun i use mineral oil