True Grit Farms":1yex5i1j said:
Been trying to learn how to AI, and alot more outs than ins for me so far. This AI stuff requires an open mind and no quit. From the little that I have learned so far, I'm amazed at how different each cow feels and the different placements of the cervix.
Oh yeah and a Holstein is a big cow in more ways than one.
1. Use quality semen.
2. Establish a routine for loading your gun - be diligent.
3. Heat detection is paramount. Regardless how good your techniques are, there must be an egg there when the sperm is there.
4. Yes. The cervix is like the nose, they come in different shapes and sizes but they all work the same. The cervix is easy to find. Not always easy to thread your gun through.
5. Learn to clean out too much manure. Makes a big difference.
6. Work your grip on the cervix to the vaginal end to close off the fornix. The little finger side of your palm will act like a funnel and the gun will go in easier on the more difficult cervix.
7. Make sure you do not go too deep. Use your index finger to feel the tip on the uterine side of the cervix.
8. Do as many cows as you can. Know the anatomy.
9. It is a blind man's game. Form an image in your brain of what you are doing. You are manipulating a rod through a fleshy opening that is pointing back at you.
10. It is not luck. It is determination. Enjoy the challenge.