When to breed
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Dsth
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if you are seeing other heifers/cows trying to ride her but she is not standing, I would breed her now. I like to breed 12 hours after seeing them in standing heat or after signs of heat have ended. You could also breed her now and again in 12 hours if you are comfortable with spending the extra $ on semen but that would cover about 99% of the breeding window.
kentuckyguy
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If you know she wasn't standing before 11:30 I would breed her around 5-7pm. Maybe a little earlier if you didn't check her before 11:30.
I tend to breed a little earlier rather than later. Once you feel of her cervix you will know for sure. Heifers tend to be easier for me to pass a rod through the cervix when I catch there heat at the right time.
I tend to breed a little earlier rather than later. Once you feel of her cervix you will know for sure. Heifers tend to be easier for me to pass a rod through the cervix when I catch there heat at the right time.
Dsth
Well-known member
one more piece of info that I would like to pass on. watch for a bloody show for the next few days. ideally I like to see a bloody show about 36 hours after breeding. this is a habit I still use after 30 years of AI. it can give you confidence that you are breeding at about the right time and also identify cows/heifers that ovulate early or late for future breeding cycles which can improve conception rates.
bigbluegrass
Well-known member
I find this chart helpful.
If 11:30 AM was the end of standing heat, then the percent in calf decreases by 20% over the next 5 hours, then drops off much quicker after that.
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
Chart is confusing. I have never seen an animal stand for 18 hours. Maybe 12, but very few.
If one is standing at 11.30, I would breed her around 4pm.
But, we don't do our own ai. I have a tech come 2x a day.
Been doing 100% ai for 60 day calving for 40 years. It's not rocket science. You have a pretty big window. And I don't use cheap semen, so every conception is very important.
If one is standing at 11.30, I would breed her around 4pm.
But, we don't do our own ai. I have a tech come 2x a day.
Been doing 100% ai for 60 day calving for 40 years. It's not rocket science. You have a pretty big window. And I don't use cheap semen, so every conception is very important.
Dsth
Well-known member
I agree that 18 hours standing is a long time especially if they are talking about average time in the chart. question about your breeding time. would you breed at 4pm if she was still standing or showing strong signs of heat yet? articles that I have read say that early breeding is one of the leading causes of not conceiving. I have since delayed my breeding time on cows I see standing late morning/early afternoon to the following morning. had a cow two years ago in that situation and she got out in the pasture the morning after and didn't get her bred until the next morning. Thought it was a waste of time but bred her anyway. she is an older cow and that is the only heifer calf I have gotten out of her. also read that female sperm swim faster which would explain the heifer calf.
bigbluegrass
Well-known member
I agree the above chart can be confusing. It doesn't actually show standing heat for 18 hours, but only 15 hours. The text on the top says 18 hours. I would agree that 18 hours is longer than the average for most cows. Of course, most of us never truly witness the beginning of standing heat. How long a cow is in standing heat depends on the cow and various environmental conditions. I had one cow that almost always stood for a full 24 hours. She had to be bred based on the end of standing heat, not the beginning. She would not settle if I bred her toward the beginning of standing heat. Of course, she is an odd ball and not the norm. Most of my cows can be bred anytime during standing heat and up to 5 (maybe even 10) hours after standing heat has ended.
Here is another chart. I think Dun shared this one on this site once, but that might be a different one. This chart shows standing heat from about 4 to 16, so 12 hrs. The best time to breed is toward the end of standing heat to around 5-8 hours after standing heat has ended. That agrees with the first chart I posted. Predicating the end of standing heat is the challenge, at least for me.
Here is another chart. I think Dun shared this one on this site once, but that might be a different one. This chart shows standing heat from about 4 to 16, so 12 hrs. The best time to breed is toward the end of standing heat to around 5-8 hours after standing heat has ended. That agrees with the first chart I posted. Predicating the end of standing heat is the challenge, at least for me.
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
I check my cows at dawn and dusk and few times in between.
I will breed in standing heat if I know or she appears to have been standing for more than 4 to 6 hours (roughly).
It is easier to be too early than too late.
But, according to some researchers working on sexed semen, told me breed early for heifers and late for bulls. Male sperm is slim and faster. Female fatter and slow.
Theory, breed early, fast male sperm arrives but too early. Cow has not ovulated. Slower female arrives after ovulation and fertilizes the egg.
If I have to breed very early in the standing heat, I give a shot of GNRH to make cow ovulate.
I will breed in standing heat if I know or she appears to have been standing for more than 4 to 6 hours (roughly).
It is easier to be too early than too late.
But, according to some researchers working on sexed semen, told me breed early for heifers and late for bulls. Male sperm is slim and faster. Female fatter and slow.
Theory, breed early, fast male sperm arrives but too early. Cow has not ovulated. Slower female arrives after ovulation and fertilizes the egg.
If I have to breed very early in the standing heat, I give a shot of GNRH to make cow ovulate.
