Increasing AI success

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Jeanne, is that your experience or was there a study or something done to bring you to that conclusion?

That is common knowledge. All sync programs will tell you the same thing. Observed heat will produce higher conception rates. The only time "timed" breeding may be better is if you have a cow with silent heats.
And if I time bred a female and she came into heat afterwards - I would rebreed her.

 

[KNERSIE]

Jeanne, do you perhaps have a link that has more info regarding breeding early for heifers, late for bulls?

I find that when breeding AI I get more bulls than with natural breeding. Anyone else experienced the same?

 

[dun]

Jeanne, do you perhaps have a link that has more info regarding breeding early for heifers, late for bulls?

I find that when breeding AI I get more bulls than with natural breeding. Anyone else experienced the same?

I don;t think there is any scientific proof, it's all anecdotal. But most AI techs agree that it works that way. A while back it was discussed why, or at least the apparant reason.

dun

 

[ENNOT]

Timed AI is for convenience. That cuts thru all the BS. The best way to AI cows is am/pm rule or 12 hours after you see standing heat. Timed AI allows you to throw a hail mary at your cows.

With any synch program, the best way to get cows bred is to heat detect. All the companies are putting these programs out to get the "big" outfits excited about AI. What they don't say is that at TAI, your conception goes down.

Even with CIDR's, you are not going to get more than 60% settled. On heifers you are better to use the Lutalyse program, and on cows use the CIDR's to get them cycling at the same time. Heat detect, and then pray you did what you could right.

 

[racekannon]

I have done many different protocols and my favorite is GnRh and CIDR, 7 days pull CIDR and Estrumate, and time breed with GnRh 48 hours later. Commericals get the bull a couple weeks later and purebred I stick the CIDR back in and pull it with heat detection for a couple of days then bull. Alot of A.I. sucess is gut feeling for weather, speed their working, knowing when to change protocols. Everything must be right. Bleed a few cows and test and if you are unsure about your Cu level liver punch a couple and test. I feed excellent minerial and still Use MultiMin pre breeding. They need a good vacination program I use Bovisheld FP or MasterGuard and Spiroivac with Vibro or StayBred boostered properly. Last year 65% pregnant on time breed and this year I rebreed 25% on second heat. I sure like CIDRs better than cutting implants out of ears. I would not think of A.I. with out my tools. If I start all animals on day 1 in heat I can get 4 heats in 2 months.

 

[KNERSIE]

I agree on the implants issue. I'll never use them again. Making your animal nervous in the chute 3 days before AI doesn't make sense at all to me. I've had very poor results with the behind the ear implants

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

As Dun said, I don't have any "research" papers behind what I do. We've been doing it for years. Last year was the FIRST year we had more bulls that heifers. That sucked!
I actually talked to a scientist that is working on sexing semen, and he totally agreed with my philosophy. But, remember, breeding EARLY can lower your conception rates. I only breed early during the first part of our breeding season, than I go for CONCEPTION and breed normal to late (especially on repeats). So I usually have more heifer in the beginning of calving season. Not 100% but it increases the odds.

 

[Susie David]

This may sound like it comes from left field....
I've herd that if you massage the animal's clitorus after placing the semen it will improve the settling rate...and the cows seem to like it too.
And that is the talk around the chute...Dmc

 

[KNERSIE]

I thought it was standard practice. That's the way I was taught. You stimulate the clitoris while the pistolette is still in the cervix. The resulting contractions is supposed to help with moving the sperm around in the uterus and towards the horns and fallopian tubes where the conception will take place.

What I've also found that if you get one that keeps arching her back and you can't hold onto the cervix because of that if you stimulate the clitoris she'll almost always stand still afterwards

 

[dun]

Standard procedure. Only I wait till I've pulled the gun out before massaging.

dun

 

[KNERSIE]

I could never understand why you should do it with the gun still inside, but thats how I've been taught

 

[racekannon]

I forgot one of the most important things I use to help my AI rate are Estrus Alerts. I love em.