Why AI?

[VirginiaCattle]

I've started using the 14-day CIDR protocol. The pregnancy rates are much higher than the 7-day ones.

 

[novatech]

Once one has developed the discipline to cull for fertility, or lack of, then AI can pay off in weight gain and beef quality alone.
Breeding for replacement heifers is a no brainer. There is no faster way to gain herd improvement than the use of AI.
There are other things one should know before considering AI. That is a lot of genetics and how to read and apply EPD's just to name a couple.

 

[cow pollinater]

I like plain old lute shots and hot heifers. That's not for everyone but I sleep better that way.
Heifers are hard to sync. All of our sync protocols are written for cows and(not to be crude...but) teenage girl cycles are NOT the same as forty year old mother of three cycles.

 

[Jessica06]

For anyone that wants to use AI, and has a relatively small herd, learning how to do it themselves is a must, impo. So much easier to be able to do everything yourself on YOUR time, rather than trying to coordinate with someone else. I would say that especially applies to those that prefer to breed on natural heats.

We have been using the 7 day cidr protocol on our heifers for the last few years, and are pretty happy with it. We are playing around with trying out TAI this year, though. Last year was a circus, trying to detect heat and get the timing right on the 10-15 or so heifers that were in heat within any given 12 hour period over 48 hours. I will say that if you don't have your heifers in optimum body condition, you will just be throwing your money away. Mucho importante. That being said, AI can absolutely be worth the time and money...if you do your research and pick good bulls that are worth the trouble to breed to and do what you need them to do!!! A video is worth a thousand pictures.