First time breeding info

[BryanM]

Great site have learned a great deal just from lurking! My situation is Have 2 heifers Started out 4h projects. I want to have them ai'd. First question after I find a bull to match each heifer is how many straws do I buy? or is the norm? Question #2. how do I know standing heat with only 2 heifers? Do I bring them into heat then use paint or scratch tags? Or I presume an ai tech or who ever is do the ai will know that?

One more for right now, Is a unit 3 straws? and is shipping expensive when dealing with this type of cargo? thanks for any help or ideas or advice!

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

:welcome: from New York
First thing is to find an AI tech in your area. I would have to "assume" you do not have your own nitrogen tank. So, if not, you have to have someone hold the semen for you in their tank. Maybe you have neighbors that have one.
"Most" companies will only sell 5 units at a time - but there are some that will sell singles. Shipping will cost you more than the semen in a lot of cases when only buying very small amounts. Check out ABS and Genex. They deliver free. Plan ahead - may take a month or two to get your semen delivered.
Standing heat means that the one in heat will STAND when another cow mounts her (like a bull). The one on the bottom, standing, is the one in heat. If the one on the bottom jumps/runs away, it is probably the one doing the jumping that is actually in heat. You have to spend time in the morning & evening watching them. They will get very "perky" when they are in heat and they usually will have a clear discharge from their vulva, and the vulva will usually swell & look a little shiny.
You can give shots to both to make them come in at the same time or just observe them & write down when you see them in heat. You can expect them to cycle again 17-19 days later (cows normal time is 21 days but heifers usually have a short heat cycle). So mark it on your calandar & watch to breed.
There are patches (K-Mar) and other scratch off patches that are a great AID. You still need to SEE observed heats. When you see one standing, she should be bred about 12 hours later. Rule of thumb. If standing in the morning - breed in the evening. When standing in the evening - breed in the morning.

 

[BryanM]

does that mean a 1 unit= 1 straw? And To be safe how many straws do you order. to be safe? I guess i need to clarify if do you use one straw when you ai or say do you ai 12 hours after a standing heat and another 12hrs to make sure you got the job done. Or do you hit 12hrs after standing heat with one straw then wait 21 days?

I do have an ag teacher who has a tank and that is going to do the ai. and I have my bulls picked out! So I think thats half the battle?

 

[dun]

One unit is one starw. You use one straw 12 hours after the observation of standing heat. That's all you use per heat cycle per cow. Since you'll probably have to buy 5 units(straws), find a bull that will work with both cows. If things work out you will have 3 starws left over for next year.

 

[cow pollinater]

Don't pay shipping! Contact ABS, Select Sires, Genex, Semex or Accelerated genetics and find someone close by. I can get you in touch with ABS in your area if you need help finding someone local.
Usually semen is sold at least five units at a time but if you contact someone that is used to dealing with small orders alot of times they are willing to dose out one unit at a time if you buy from what they already have in inventory.

 

[BRAFORDMAN]

http://www.bovine-elite.com/semen.asp

Try here.

 

[tsmaxx47]

:welcome: from New York
First thing is to find an AI tech in your area. I would have to "assume" you do not have your own nitrogen tank. So, if not, you have to have someone hold the semen for you in their tank. Maybe you have neighbors that have one.
"Most" companies will only sell 5 units at a time - but there are some that will sell singles. Shipping will cost you more than the semen in a lot of cases when only buying very small amounts. Check out ABS and Genex. They deliver free. Plan ahead - may take a month or two to get your semen delivered.
Standing heat means that the one in heat will STAND when another cow mounts her (like a bull). The one on the bottom, standing, is the one in heat. If the one on the bottom jumps/runs away, it is probably the one doing the jumping that is actually in heat. You have to spend time in the morning & evening watching them. They will get very "perky" when they are in heat and they usually will have a clear discharge from their vulva, and the vulva will usually swell & look a little shiny.
You can give shots to both to make them come in at the same time or just observe them & write down when you see them in heat. You can expect them to cycle again 17-19 days later (cows normal time is 21 days but heifers usually have a short heat cycle). So mark it on your calandar & watch to breed.
There are patches (K-Mar) and other scratch off patches that are a great AID. You still need to SEE observed heats. When you see one standing, she should be bred about 12 hours later. Rule of thumb. If standing in the morning - breed in the evening. When standing in the evening - breed in the morning.

jeanne; is NYABC still in operation?

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

tsmaxx - "jeanne; is NYABC still in operation?"
Sorry, but I don't know what you mean?

 

[jtbakv]

I would have to "assume" you do not have your own nitrogen tank. So, if not, you have to have someone hold the semen for you in their tank. Maybe you have neighbors that have one.

Why do you need a nitrogen tank?
does the temperature have to be that low?
Fridge not cold enough?
Does the nitrogen keep it cold and not freeze? is this the point?
Just asking. Because I dont know and courious about AIing myself

 

[dun]

I would have to "assume" you do not have your own nitrogen tank. So, if not, you have to have someone hold the semen for you in their tank. Maybe you have neighbors that have one.

Why do you need a nitrogen tank?
does the temperature have to be that low?
Fridge not cold enough?
Does the nitrogen keep it cold and not freeze? is this the point?
Just asking. Because I dont know and courious about AIing myself

Semen has to be kept frozen at around minus 300 degrees, don;t recall the exact temp but it's way colder then any freezer.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Many of us that do a lot of AI, own our own tank. There are different size tanks and they "hold" nitrogen for a certain amount of time (it evaporates). We generally have someone from ABS, Genex or other studs come & fill our tanks on the farm (I pay $30/tank/visit)
I think it's closer to -410 - but no matter - it's COLD.
When they collect a bull, the semen is frozen & is kept frozen in nitrogen until a cow is ready to be bred. You only have a short time frame to breed the cow once the semen is frozen.

 

[dun]

You only have a short time frame to breed the cow once the semen is frozen.

I think she means thawed. Frozen semen will remain viable for 50 years or more if kept frozen

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

You only have a short time frame to breed the cow once the semen is frozen.

I think she means thawed. Frozen semen will remain viable for 50 years or more if kept frozen

Thanks for the correction!

 

[novaman]

Liquid nitrogen has a temperature of approximately -320 degrees F. If the temperature gets too high the semen develops crystals and damage sperm cells. I thought I heard something like -150 degrees or warmer will start to create those crystals.