Which do you find more difficult, AI or palp

Help Support CattleToday:

A

Anonymous

Just curious what you all find more difficult to get the hang of. AI or palpating?
Tomorrows the last day of the course I've been taking. Out of 40 cows I only called 2 wrong today, so I'm pretty confident in that.
On the AI side I'm good with sync protocols, passing the rod, but we didn't get to do it on any cows in heat in chutes. Almost all the live cows we got sent were bred already. All I then were riled up after 3 trips thru the chutes in 3 days.
They say it's easier on a cow in heat, and I'm hoping to
Try to pass the rod on a live cow that isn't bred and worked up tomorrow. That's what we're supposed to get tomorrow.
You AI guys, what's your experience ????
 
Hook - took the class this spring (3 day short class). I am still very inexperienced. I passed the rod on about 20 cows in class and have not done that many out of class yet. The ones I did do, I would say it is much easier to do one of your own cows that is in heat - at least it was for me. The cows we had in class were all worked up like you said and they had been poked and prodded and had about a dozen different arms up them. I think ours were on their way to the sale barn and some were being culled for disposition, I am sure of that. To add to the fun, they were locked up for a couple hours at a time, waiting for everyone to take a turn at them. When I bred my cows I worked them like I always do, slow and steady. Got them in and did my thing and they were back out. It went much faster than the cows in class.

In our class they weren't allowed to show us how to palp a cow because it is considered a "medical procedure" - not sure if it is a KY thing or just the policy of the folks putting the class on. But there were a few bred cows in the mix and... well they told us how to check to see if the cow was bred :D So I can't really comment on AI or palp - but if I were going to, I would take AI as being easier and more rewarding to learn. I had a hard time feeling the calf when we palped - not sure why. But I can find a cervix! :tiphat:
 
Thanks for responding. Class wrapped today. The only animals i attempted to pass the rod on we're open heifers. Probably 2 year olds. Tiny thin walled cervixs. All the ones that had bigger cervixs were already bred. A couple older opens came thru but not on my shots at it. I was able to get to the cervical opening but gettingnit thru on those tiny things not even in heat was futile for me. I'm going to run mine thru the chute tomorrow, palp them and see how they feel inside.
 
I only do AI and have never papled so I don't know which is easier. The AI for me is easy or hard depending on the cow. I have had some that was as difficult as threading a needle with one hand, blindfolded in the bottom of a West Virginia coal mine at midnight when it came to passing the rod through. I have had others that you could just about throw the rod through sideways. It is very easy to get frustrated on the hard ones especially when she keeps trying to push your arm out and pinches the blood supply off and it goes numb. Sometimes it feels like it goes through when it doesn't. I ansle the rod up slightly upon removal so that the end of the rod rubs along the top of the rings in the cervix. If I feel 3 bumps I know for sure it was through. If not I sometimes load another straw and try again if I am not real sure it went through the first time. Even though I feel for the rod tip past the cervix I have had a couple of them fool me.

Most folks say heifers are easier to breed but I find that I have a hard time hanging onto that little cervix. My older cows have a real handfull of cervix which makes it easier for me to guide it over the rod tip.
 
heres some advice,to keep from forgetting what youve learned keep some cows to AI an palp on the place.you learn more an get better by doing those 2 things alot.an dont go very long in between doing the 2.or youll be questioning yourself if your doing things right.id loved taking those classes but couldnt due to having a bad hand an arm.
 
I can palpate ok but it's slow as my brain has to process what my hand is feeling and think about it. AI is automatic.
I cn find a forty-two day calf pretty quick as forty two days since last heat can be a pregnant cow that fools me or it can be a hot cow that I missed twenty-one days ago.
 
cow pollinater":3qvjhy5t said:
I can palpate ok but it's slow as my brain has to process what my hand is feeling and think about it. AI is automatic.
I cn find a forty-two day calf pretty quick as forty two days since last heat can be a pregnant cow that fools me or it can be a hot cow that I missed twenty-one days ago.
Click to expand...
Haven't bred a cow in 25 years but have palpated thousands so mine is just reverse CP...wife does the breeding. Use to could feel a calf's eyelashess or as short as 21 days....seems easier when you use AI and know when they were insiminated rather than when they're pasture bred year round.
 
I had this same discussion with our vet a while back. He worked at MARC in their reproductive section and taught at Kansas State. He thinks that the people that are really good at AI find it harder to be accurate with palping and vice versa. He still AIs a little but for his cows I do it for him, but for embryo implants he does it. He's also unbelievably accurate when palping.
 
I'm glad that it's not just me then. I picked up the palp pretty quick. Even staging. That dang fornix is My weak spot for AI.
I ordered all my supplies, emailed Macon about tanks ( still waiting for a reply), and waiting on the meds from the vet for syncing. Then I just have to wait or these cows to calf and it's game on
 
bigbluegrass":t9e4ssnh said:
In our class they weren't allowed to show us how to palp a cow because it is considered a "medical procedure" - not sure if it is a KY thing or just the policy of the folks putting the class on. But there were a few bred cows in the mix and... well they told us how to check to see if the cow was bred :D So I can't really comment on AI or palp - but if I were going to, I would take AI as being easier and more rewarding to learn. I had a hard time feeling the calf when we palped - not sure why. But I can find a cervix! :tiphat:
Click to expand...

I took my class in Mississippi and they weren't allowed to show us either. The story we were told was the vets were throwing a fit because we were taking more of there work from them. Not saying this is true. Just what we were told.
Palpation under about 5 months I feel I need more training on. Wish I could find some true information on it. Just to do it on our own cows.
 
Palping an open cow and realizing it is incredibly easy once you know what your feeling for. Getting an accurate guage on gestation can be the tricky part. Anything after 120 days gets hard to tell. I got lucky and had a great class that allowed me to do hundreds of cows. Over the last 5 years I have gotten enough practice to be very confident in my palping.

More or less self taught how to AI but have had great success in the two years I have done it. Seems like I almost always put two straws in the first one because I question myself so much. :dunce:
 
Between 120 and say 180 it's real difficult to stage because the calf has dropped over the pelvic floor beyond reach. If you're real good one may be able to tell by the diameter of the uterine artery but that would be a stretch
 

Similar threads

G
More
Replies
6
Views
430
Davemk
D
J
One or Two?
2 3
Replies
51
Views
2K
coachg
coachg
T
AI and Preg Checking Your Own Cattle
2 3
Replies
42
Views
2K
Farm Family
Farm Family
F
Red angus or red baldie heifers?
2
Replies
20
Views
896
anewcomer
A
D
Trick or treat?
Replies
2
Views
321
Double R Ranch
D

Latest posts

Top