biopryn pregnancy test

[nmcattle]

Has anyone tried this? Is it easy to do and accurate enough to try this and replace the vet? Also I couldn't find prices on their website. I've heard it is a couple bucks a sample but is this total cost or do you have to pay extra for the equipment, vials, etc. Thanks.

 

[dfm]

Very simple, very cost effective and a good tool to provide the information in a manner for which it is intended.  Red top tubes from the vet cost next to nothing and I use a 6cc syringe with a small gauge needle attached to tail bleed. If you can tail bleed, you can collect the samples in just a little more time than it takes to run the cattle through the chute. If you have never tail - bled, have someone show you how or you may get frustrated the first time but it is a very simple procedure. I use SEK and have been very happy with the service however, there are other labs available.

 

[JFSC]

I agree with dfm. Very easy and cost effective. Have someone show you how to tail bleed and you are good to go. Simple and fast. Helps us decide on which recip cows we need to set up again that are open after 30 days from when we put in the embryos. We use Biotracking in Moscow Idaho. Hard not to use the ones that started it. Shipping can be expensive depending on how fast you want to find out the results.

 

[leanbeef]

I just tried this for the first time... Had a bull get hurt, and I needed to know if everything was pregnant or if I needed to be scrambling to find a bull for any stragglers. My vet was already there to take a look at this bull, so I had him palpate the cows I thought should be 40+ days. I knew there were 2 cows that had bred to the bull 29 days before, and I knew he wouldn't be able to pick those pregnancies up by palpating the cows. I had him draw blood on those two plus one more he called open, and I sent it to Southeast Animal Labs near Rome, Georgia (I'm in the Southeast).

Finding information about where to send the samples and how to package them was the biggest obstacle. I finally found the lab I wanted to use, printed off the instructions for packaging, and took the blood to the PO. Shipping & packaging cost $5.50 plus the $2.50 per sample for the tests, so it's cheaper than most anybody you can get to palpate cows. I figure it's safer on the embryo since it's possible to abort one palpating...I've had that happen a couple of times over the years, even with very reliable and experienced people doing the palpating. I've never been very handy at drawing blood, so that's something I'd have to get better at if I were gonna do a bunch of em. It's not as easy as it sounds, but it took my vet a few seconds. Pluses are it's very cost effective and it's safe, and I assume the results are at least as reliable as other methods of preg checking. The biggest drawback is waiting for the results which will be a few days by the time you mail samples, etc. I shipped my samples regular mail last Friday morning, confirmed yesterday that the samples had arrived at the lab on Monday, and she told me I should would have results by the afternoon (yesterday). I was disappointed when I didn't hear from anybody by the time I figured they would be gone for the day, but I had an email from the lab last night before bed time. Cows should be at least 28 days bred, and the test can't tell you how far along they are, just if she's pregnant or not. So I think it depends on your situation whether it's a better option than palpation to determine pregnancy. 

 

[leanbeef]

Hey, since I just did this, I remembered bookmarking the website I found to be most helpful:
http://www.biotracking.com/?q=labs

This link will take you to the labs locator page...there's a map with pin drops all over the US indicating where labs are located. On the left side of the page is a list of labs, and you you can click on those to get the complete mailing address and contact information. Click on the Lab Services tab at the top, and you'll see a link for the submission form you can print and mail with your order. There's also a link to an information form with fees, etc. and in the bulleted list on the left side, you'll see the link to Shipping Instructions.

Hope that helps!

 

[synaka]

All info and supplies are on BioTracking.com.  Fastest way is overnight mail and e-mail report back.  Had one cow that I don't think has any blood.  Tried her multiple times and nothing.  She'll have to be vet checked.  I don't think one single spot works on every cow. Some you get lucky with the first stick and others take  few more.  I think the vets are better at this than I am.  Other than that, this is the fastest, cheapest and safest way to preg check.

 

[mccannfarms]

SEK Genetics was the cheapest place to get the vials that we found and they do testing too. We love it! The thing that we really like is being able to AI cows wait a week or so and go ahead and turn them in with the bull,  then pull blood 28 days after the AI date and you know if the calf is AI or Clean-up sired without having to wait months (a positive test would be AI sired). But, we pull blood on everything when we pull the bull just to make sure everything got bred. They e-mail me a report as soon as they finish processing our samples. Also, something that they told me is if you for some reason need to pull blood on different groups of cows on different days, you can store the samples in the refrigerator for about a month to save on shipping cost.

 

[Freddy]

Have used SEK and had great results ,no mileage for the vet , if wean a pasture of calves can also preg check ,not the whole cow herd when we pregged with the Vet ,you make the calls and can have results in 4-5 working days ,that includes shipping time ...

 

[goodnight]

I love it. We use SEK genetics and we are very happy with their service. We pull blood at weaning time and we send it in. We only calve in the Spring. We turn the bull out and clean up any cows that didn't breed, and then on March 15 or so, we send all cows that haven't calved to a special cow sale at one of the local yards. After doing this for three years, we had one open first calf heifer last September. We will see how may calve to the AI date this year.

 

[J2F]

Hey, since I just did this, I remembered bookmarking the website I found to be most helpful:
http://www.biotracking.com/?q=labs

This link will take you to the labs locator page...there's a map with pin drops all over the US indicating where labs are located. On the left side of the page is a list of labs, and you you can click on those to get the complete mailing address and contact information. Click on the Lab Services tab at the top, and you'll see a link for the submission form you can print and mail with your order. There's also a link to an information form with fees, etc. and in the bulleted list on the left side, you'll see the link to Shipping Instructions.

Hope that helps!

Thanks, I have been sending my half way across the country and there is one right here in Ohio.