Good Paper On AI

Bright Raven · Dec 16, 2018

This is very interesting.

Although it is very important to get the semen in the uterus, recent research shows that it doesn't matter if it is in the horn or the uterine body. Get this:

THEY FOUND THAT A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE SPERMATOZOA REACH THE OVIDUCT WITHIN MINUTES OF DEPOSITION.

The more important component of transport is the sustained phase where sperm are transported to the oviducts in a "trickle-like" effect from the so-called reservoirs in the cervix and the uterotubal junction (junction between the uterine horn and the oviduct). The sustained sperm transport phase delivers sperm to the ampulla portion of the oviduct in a more uniform manner over a sustained period of time.

In recent studies, however, a large proportion of sperm deposited in the uterus of the cow are lost from the tract by retrograde transport. In most cows, approximately 60 percent of sperm inseminated into the uterus are lost to the exterior within 12 hours. Most of these sperm are lost via mucous discharge and urination.

Most AI manuals caution against "horn breeding". It doesn't matter. Within minutes the spermatozoa occupy the entire uterus.

https://hoards.com/article-4904-it-just ... sperm.html

LCBulls · Dec 16, 2018

That’s an interesting article. The last few years I’ve been worried about placing the semen too far, so I would bring the tip back to just past the cervix. Sometimes having to re-thread the last ring again because I’d come back to far.
Thanks for sharing.

Redgully · Dec 16, 2018

Placement is way over rated. I have had a number of cows i couldn't get through the cervix at all but still stuck. I used to be fanatical about it until talking to an ai tech who was in a group who did a experiment where they recorded every cow over two years and where they placed the semen. They did a few thousand and he said the conception rate was the same no matter where the semen went. Timing and cow health is the big key to successful ai.

Bright Raven · Dec 16, 2018

Redgully":1lq98lxl said:
Placement is way over rated. I have had a number of cows i couldn't get through the cervix at all but still stuck. I used to be fanatical about it until talking to an ai tech who was in a group who did a experiment where they recorded every cow over two years and where they placed the semen. They did a few thousand and he said the conception rate was the same no matter where the semen went. Timing and cow health is the big key to successful ai.

I will not go as far as to say "placement don't matter". I know what you mean but your wording might be misconstrued by beginners. Placement in the body of the cervix or even worse, deposition in the vagina is not going to provide good results. I still deposit in accordance with the standards - about one inch beyond the last cervical ring in the uterus.

LCBulls · Dec 16, 2018

Anyone have a heifer or cow that seemed impossible to thread? We had a heifer this year that seemed like there was no cervical opening. Tried her three different cycles with no luck.
I finally gave up and and sent her with the Bulls for over 3 months. At the end of the year she turned out to be open.
Is there any chance that a cow or heifer doesn’t have a cervical opening?

Bright Raven · Dec 16, 2018

LCBulls":1wxceruf said:
Anyone have a heifer or cow that seemed impossible to thread? We had a heifer this year that seemed like there was no cervical opening. Tried her three different cycles with no luck.
I finally gave up and and sent her with the Bulls for over 3 months. At the end of the year she turned out to be open.
Is there any chance that a cow or heifer doesn’t have a cervical opening?

Yes. It is possible. There are thousands of iterations of anatomical anomalies.