AI Breeding questions:

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Joe Boy

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Jan 31, 2007
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I want to ask a couple of questions about some tricky things I have encountered to see what others are doing to help the situations:

1.  Occasionally when we synchronize cattle we have one that the cirvex seems to have a twist in it in a little bit of an "S" shape.  I will tell you later what I do, but I was wondering what you do.

2.  In breeding heifers for the first time we have run into some that seem to be rather fat with perhaps a few layers or folds of fat or skin that makes it difficult to approach the cirvex with the magic wane.  What do you do?

I hope that over the years that I am not the only one who has met with these little problems that take up some time to inseminate.

Thank you.
the preacher

PS:  I recently AI'ed my neighbors Angus cattle to an old bull to try and get him some breeding bulls.  He asked me an interesting question, "Joe, will there be any inseminators in heaven?"  I told him I sure hoped so, at least one!
 

olsun

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Mar 17, 2008
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IMO I don't believe sync has anything to do with a curved or S shaped cervix. When I encounter such an animal, I find that it pays to take your time. Don't force the pipette. Rather than pushing the pipette, I have found that it is easier for me to pull and guide the cervix onto the pipette. I hope this helps, because it is very common to find such a problem, and you haven't seen your last one.
 

Show Heifer

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After shoving the panic that arrises in such situations, I take a very deep breath, find my "happy place" in my head (depends on the weather, but usually in Alaska watching whales or fishing), and take my time. I usually try and stretch/straighten the cervix out by pulling or pushing, sometimes both.
My heifers are always considered fat (although I think they are just too short for their weight!! ::))  So I have learned to be patient and just find my way through.

This year I also re-AI'd some that were those "in between-ers" (breed late in evening AND in morning, or in the morning AND in the evening) and so far, not one single has repeated. Definately worth the cost of the extra semen to me!!
 

JSchroeder

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I've just given up on a few of those creatively shaped cervix cows.  We have one that has a cervix shaped like your index finger if you make your fist into a knuckle and it's as hard as a rock.  It's a waste of time to even try AIing her but she'll stick to a bull every time.

(on the bright side, we never would have known how well she clicks with Brahman bulls for F1 replacements if it weren't for her 'problem')
 

kanshow

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Is cervix shape heritable?    I think it must be - according to the notes on our AI/Breeding sheets from our own herd. 
 

Jill

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Show Heifer said:
This year I also re-AI'd some that were those "in between-ers" (breed late in evening AND in morning, or in the morning AND in the evening) and so far, not one single has repeated. Definately worth the cost of the extra semen to me!!

We always figured the 21 days earlier was well worth the 20 bucks if there is a doubt.
 

Bawndoh

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On another note, just wondering how everyone handles HUGE cervixes?  They are supposed to be easy, but some that I have done are so big I can barely keep ahold of them.  I have large (long) hands for a female, and I find it very difficult to breed these cows.
 

kanshow

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2.  In breeding heifers for the first time we have run into some that seem to be rather fat with perhaps a few layers or folds of fat or skin that makes it difficult to approach the cirvex with the magic wane.  What do you do?
I don't think that it's necessarily fat that causes this.  Anyway, what I do is take the cervix and push it as far forward as I can until the folds straighten out.    That's the way I was taught... seems to work in most cases. 

On another note, just wondering how everyone handles HUGE cervixes?  They are supposed to be easy, but some that I have done are so big I can barely keep ahold of them.  I have large (long) hands for a female, and I find it very difficult to breed these cows
I know what you mean..Most of the time, they are thankfully short and open - or at least in my experience.    I had one this spring that I kept loosing hold of - I think it was the biggest one ever.  I just couldn't 'hang on' like needed to.  I finally got the end of the gun in it and managed to get another hold and worked it thru all the while praying that it would be an easy and short trip thru it.

I tell you what I hate are the ones with really strong anal spincter muscles.  Those are killers for me.     
 

shortyjock89

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kanshow said:
I tell you what I hate are the ones with really strong anal spincter muscles.   Those are killers for me.       

Ugh.  I hate that.  A few years back, the guy that AIs heifers for us lost feeling in his fingers, and he was only in her for like 20 seconds.  She wasn't very happy.  She got bred though, and she hasn't been like that since. 
 

Joe Boy

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Jan 31, 2007
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1.  Occasionally when we synchronize cattle we have one that the cirvex seems to have a twist in it in a little bit of an "S" shape.  I will tell you later what I do, but I was wondering what you do.

In some cases I have been able to gradually feed the cirvex onto the magic wane, but something that I have found is the cow lacks an hour to 4 hours being completely ready.  Most of them can be bred really easy in about 2 hours and no more than 6.  I have done AIing since 1979.

2.  In breeding heifers for the first time we have run into some that seem to be rather fat with perhaps a few layers or folds of fat or skin that makes it difficult to approach the cirvex with the magic wane.  What do you do?

The pushing the cirvex forward works really well on most.  Some can be penetrated by pulling the wane out and reentering the cow.  Only in heifers have I found this a problem.

3.  Large cirvex... is sometimes tough to find the hole in the cirvex but by being patient it can be done.  I use to breed dairy cows for some dairymen and have put the pipette all the way before achieving the desired spot.  Some large cows have their cervix deeper within too.

Be patient always.... this is what my friend had in mind.  I told him that many men are not good at this job because they feel "might makes right."  Forcing something is damaging.  He was watching me breeding cows at 3:00 pm in 100 degree weather with no roof over my head.  He came back at 9:00 p.m. when I was breeding heifers.  I told him some will curse the cow but know better than to hit or hurt her.

I do not like those that give you a tight squeeze or heifers that have to back up or go forward when you are near the moment of truth.... being a big guy I cannot squeeze them down without limiting my ability to function.
 
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