What type of heat Detection method do you use?

Since this is getting into spring breeding for many of us. I was curious on what method of heat dection people used?
I use the good old fashion method of watching the cows. If I suspect a cow in heat I'll go out several times a day & sometimes just sit to observe. Have found that feeding time is not a good time to observe. Have also used the patches but this time of year with them shedding, they just don't stay on for me.
One of the best tools that I use is a calendar that not only tells when the calf is due on the date breed but also tells when the next exxpected heat date is. I try to record the next expected date eeven after their breed so I can make sure I'm not missing the next heat if they didn't catch.

Red

we tried those little "beacons" that lit up when the cow was rode but we lost more than we'd like to admit.  Let me tell you, looking for red glowing pooh at night is not a lot of fun, those things never stuck even with the stickiest of adhesive.  Now my husband says his heat detection system is ME!  Lucky me, I go out several times a day during the breeding season and take notes and let him know what's going on. (pop)

We use the estrus alert patches (only the red ones) and have had really good luck with them they catch anything that comes in over night.  I am home so I will go out usually 4 times a day and watch for about 15 minutes.  We used to have a steer we cut really late in life and decided to keep him and that worked great because he would only jump at the correct time just like a bull.
We have a poster sized calendar that 21st centry genetics put out years ago, I think is set up on dairy gestation, but has boxes on 21 day intervals I write down when they were in and if we bred them I will write down the name of the bull and circle it,  and then it's easy from there you just have to look at the next box (within a couple of days) to see when she should be in again.

Well since we don't AI, it's really easy because the bull sure likes the job of heat detection   We still try to watch so we know calving dates, but at least if we miss they don't miss being bred.  Those calendars with the dates on are great.  I think the ones we got came from ABS.  Might be dairy dates, but they are close.

My reproduction prof, talking about the problems in dairy heat detection called one "Maple Leaf syndrome" where during the playoffs the farmers are spending too much time in front of the TV and not going out to heat detect (of course, since the Leafs aren't in the playoffs this year, i guess heat detection should be great).  Then there is seeding syndrome, and ....well basically heat detection takes time and some people are short on it.  What do you guys find are your big challenges?  I know so many beef producers work off farm that's a big one.  What helps you get around it?

Rubbed off tail hair is a big signal to us that something got missed.
I guess for us the biggest challenge is the time of year. It seems that breeding falls in the busiest time for the guys & makes it difficult to schedule time to AI.

Red

We use the estrus alert patches in hot pink (the official name may be red, but they look pink to me).  When we AI we have our cows out in about 5 acre traps.  I use sale barn tag glue on the patches and they will stay on in 50 mph wind.  Of course you can't hardly get them off when done either. 

We usually synchronize and AI around 60-70 hd.  We check them in the morning and afternoon, but the last two yeas we've only bred once a day in the evenings.  Logistically we just haven't made time to do twice a day.  I'm still in the beginner mode when it comes to doing it myself so we still bring in help to expedite things. 

I did manage to successfully stick the first cow I tried to AI myself last year, although there was lots of grumbling from the spectactors when it took me about 30 minutes of struggling to get it done.  I got a little quicker after the first one, but couldn't quite match the 2-3 minutes per head our vet can do.  Hopefully I'll be a little better at it this year.

Chambero, I'm convinced that AIing is one of those things that either you can do it or you can't. I'm in the latter class. Just never could feel what I was supposed to! Nephew picked it up right away. Hubby not any good either. I'd know though I didn't like doing it front of an audience!

Red

We "cut up" pretty good when we work cattle and our "help" just loved having an excuse to give me he** about something.  There isn't hollering and yelling when we work cattle, we pretty much look for any excuse we can to have a good time.

Of course trying to AI is almost impossible when you get nervous, embarrassed, and try to hurry for other reasons.  They had so much fun making jokes at my expense.  Of course I gave them enough time for them to get pretty "blue" with them.  My wife was really loving having to listen to that.

I use my eyeballs and estrus alert patches.
And a funny story....ya'll probably know I am a bit "tight" and excitable!  But when I was learning to AI, I was having a hard time and was getting a wee bit (OK a lot) upset. DAMN IT...I JUST DON"T GET IT. IT ISN"T WORKING. Amoung other statements not type-able. Another fella came over and gave me the best advice EVER. "Find your happy place and get there. Then AI the cow."
It works everytime! I don't get them all stuck, but do get them AI'd!!!
So, when I get the cow in the chute, I run to the tank, get the semen thawed, get gun loaded and trot back to the cow. BEFORE I get behind the cow, I take at least one big breath (sometimes 3-4 depending on the day), shake my shoulders out,  get to my happy place (usually middle of nice green pasture with cows grazing and calving running around) and THEN I AI the cow.  Everyone laughs and says it is the most relaxed and peaceful my face looks all year!!!! And they have photos to prove it!!!!  (clapping)
In fact, they have bets on where my "happy place" is for that cow!  Sad I know!

(clapping) I'm just glad you went on to explain what you did to find your happy place! Really had me worried there for a moment!
My trouble was that I just don't have the feelings in my finger tips or something. Everything felt the same.
We had the discussion previously on another board but what hand do you use for the gun? Especially if you're left handed?

Red

Well I've never AIed for real, but they did let us practice on those ever so patient dairy culls last year.  And I'm backwards even though I'm right handed, because I palpate right and gun left.  I know  the reason is dexterity, but I'm fairy ambidexterous (or equally uncoordinated with both hands), and I just can't stand comfortable with my left hand above my right for any length of time.  I thought I was doing great because I found the cervix and could pick it up before most of the people in my class, but then he gave me a rod and my progress slowed considerably.  It's hard!

Dad almost had me try a couple of cows last spring as a neighbour said we could have his old semen, but the laziness won out.  (Plus I couldn't find the bull's pictures or info...didn't want to accidentally end up with a skyscraper calf)

Well, I'm a total left handed klutz! Plus my left arm has suffered nerve damage so I'm not supposed to have it in tight places.. Doctor really screamed over that one! Don't believe he had ever been asked that question! So of course I had to explain the whole process to him. Everytime he'd see me, even if it was in the hospital halls, he'd yell out "Have your arm up any cow's butts lately?" Really got the stares!

Red