Temps effect on breeding
- Thread starter Diamond
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red
Well-known member
not sure- check w/ Cowboy. Maybe instead of an old wives tale it's an old cowboy's tale!
Red
Red
Jill
Well-known member
I'm not sure on the temp, I know the time you breed in the cycle has a huge effect on what you get.Diamond said:
AAOK
Well-known member
Nothing to do with sexing, but the old fellow who taught me how to AI (not a vet, but AId thousands of cows) never used a thawing device of any kind. Consequently, I don't either. He told me that the conception rates were highest if the semen temp was the same as the cow. So, I've always let the cow thaw the straw. He always put in the device, just let it set for about 5 minutes, then complete the procedure.
Cowboy
Well-known member
Although I have never analized the affects of sex on sperm temp - ie conception result -- I do know that semen needs to be kept protected so as the temp is always at least stable OR on the incline. Any time you have a drop in semen temp after thawing there will be a negative affect.
As Jill mentioned, TIMING will be your number one thing that COU
affect calf sex. Assuming ALL bulls produce 51-49 semen ratios, the affect of timng will - to some degree -- help you in achieving a better ratio of desired calf sex.
Female sperm cells live LONGER to some degree, but do not swim as fast. Basicly they do not burn out so quickly, but are usually the last to arrive at the fertilization point.
Male sperm cells are kind of like the over eager cow dog - it's fast and furious, and then all of a sudden, bang -- the dog is n the water tank cooling off becasue he over did it!! hehehe Same thing here -- they will swim like crazy to get there first, but normally, they will have less vigor and be less able to survive any delay in ovulation.
It is risky to breed your cow TOO soon, however, if you get the timing perfect, you WILL have a slightly better chance of getting a hfr -- most of the time with normal bulls any way.
AAOK -- back when I started as a Tachnician for Midwest Breeders in the mid 70's, they were still using the old Majic Wand for semen storage and breeding. This involved a plastic pippete nut unlike todays infusion rods. We would take the wand out of the tank, and using a dog toe nail clipper -- clip off the sealed end. We would then place a rubber bulb onthere with slight vaccum pressure -- and go straight to the cow. The semen was still frozen or was stareting to thaw by the time we got there, and when we placed it in the cow -- she would finish the thaw process. It worked very well -- but you need to know this one fact!
Bach then, the semen was frozen SPECIFICALLY for that process, it was designed to be thawed slowy and was mized with cryoprotectant to get that done. Today's semen is different -- although the basics are the same, today smen is designed to be thawed FAST --in order to reduce sperm damage frm ice crystalization cutting the tails off. The media used has a slightly different Molality than it used to have (Meaning a different level of concentration and fluidity). Confusing I know.
To maximize todays semen and it's ability to fertilize, rapid thaw is universally reccommended, a standard 96 degree 25 second thaw works the best! If you leave the semen in too long, it iwll get to that same temp as the water -- and then you must worry about a decrease in temp as you go to the cow. Keep it simple as they say and it works very well.
The fella that rrained you most likely learned the old way - as did I! Small world for sure -- in your case -- if it is working use it.
I might say that a 5 minute wait time in the cow would be kind of hard to achieve when breeding 250 head in one afternoon!!
Any way -- that's my take on temp. One other thing you MAY run into is this -- if you are breeding a cow and she is standnig there shaking like crazy due to the cold -- you MAY not get the normal conception rate due to hormone release IE Adrenelin. Adrenelin has been shown to be the precurser for the release of Prostoglandins from the uterus, and will have a negative affect on the heat hormones (Estrogen, Leutinizing Hormone, Gnrh etc) If a cow is really agitated or scared or very cold -- conception will suffer!
Good luck all -- calving soon!!!!!!!
Terry
As Jill mentioned, TIMING will be your number one thing that COU
affect calf sex. Assuming ALL bulls produce 51-49 semen ratios, the affect of timng will - to some degree -- help you in achieving a better ratio of desired calf sex. Female sperm cells live LONGER to some degree, but do not swim as fast. Basicly they do not burn out so quickly, but are usually the last to arrive at the fertilization point.
Male sperm cells are kind of like the over eager cow dog - it's fast and furious, and then all of a sudden, bang -- the dog is n the water tank cooling off becasue he over did it!! hehehe Same thing here -- they will swim like crazy to get there first, but normally, they will have less vigor and be less able to survive any delay in ovulation.
It is risky to breed your cow TOO soon, however, if you get the timing perfect, you WILL have a slightly better chance of getting a hfr -- most of the time with normal bulls any way.
AAOK -- back when I started as a Tachnician for Midwest Breeders in the mid 70's, they were still using the old Majic Wand for semen storage and breeding. This involved a plastic pippete nut unlike todays infusion rods. We would take the wand out of the tank, and using a dog toe nail clipper -- clip off the sealed end. We would then place a rubber bulb onthere with slight vaccum pressure -- and go straight to the cow. The semen was still frozen or was stareting to thaw by the time we got there, and when we placed it in the cow -- she would finish the thaw process. It worked very well -- but you need to know this one fact!
Bach then, the semen was frozen SPECIFICALLY for that process, it was designed to be thawed slowy and was mized with cryoprotectant to get that done. Today's semen is different -- although the basics are the same, today smen is designed to be thawed FAST --in order to reduce sperm damage frm ice crystalization cutting the tails off. The media used has a slightly different Molality than it used to have (Meaning a different level of concentration and fluidity). Confusing I know.
To maximize todays semen and it's ability to fertilize, rapid thaw is universally reccommended, a standard 96 degree 25 second thaw works the best! If you leave the semen in too long, it iwll get to that same temp as the water -- and then you must worry about a decrease in temp as you go to the cow. Keep it simple as they say and it works very well.
The fella that rrained you most likely learned the old way - as did I! Small world for sure -- in your case -- if it is working use it.
I might say that a 5 minute wait time in the cow would be kind of hard to achieve when breeding 250 head in one afternoon!!
Any way -- that's my take on temp. One other thing you MAY run into is this -- if you are breeding a cow and she is standnig there shaking like crazy due to the cold -- you MAY not get the normal conception rate due to hormone release IE Adrenelin. Adrenelin has been shown to be the precurser for the release of Prostoglandins from the uterus, and will have a negative affect on the heat hormones (Estrogen, Leutinizing Hormone, Gnrh etc) If a cow is really agitated or scared or very cold -- conception will suffer!
Good luck all -- calving soon!!!!!!!
Terry
shortyisqueen
Well-known member
Does this mean I can blame the AI Tech (my dad) for every time I don't get a heifer?!! ;D He'll just love that!!!
;D He'll just love that!!!
BCCC
Well-known member
so if you breed later in heat you will most likely get a heifer?? or vise versa
Cowboy
Well-known member
Go ahead and blame good old dad -- we are tuff usually -- he can take it!!!! hehehehe
BCCC -- The later you breed in theory -- the slightly better chance of bulls. The earlier you breed and still concieve, a slightly higher chance of a hfr!
Not always scientific -- but the numbers work out for lots of years!! Go figure!
Terry
BCCC -- The later you breed in theory -- the slightly better chance of bulls. The earlier you breed and still concieve, a slightly higher chance of a hfr!
Not always scientific -- but the numbers work out for lots of years!! Go figure!
Terry
Rocky Hill Simmental
Well-known member
Interesting. We've been using the same commercial herd sire for 3 years and he has only thrown 1 bull and everything else from him were heifers. Do some bulls just produce more heifers or is mybull just breeding the cows earlier in their estrus?
Cowboy
Well-known member
There was a rather small test done many years ago with slaughter house bulls to see if one testicle would produce predominantly male cells or female cells. I donot know how accurate thier findings were -- but the exact results were the "SOME" of the bulls did indeed produce female cells from one testicle -- while the other side would produce more males cells.
Assuming this to be true -- YOUR bull may very well have a comprimized testicle -- in other words -- one of them may be abnormal or smaller or has freeze damage??? and MAY only be putting out a very small amount of sperm from that side. If that is the case, and the above finding have any merit -- that could be why your bull only produces hfrs.
OR -- he may be just a very eager guy --and can't wait till she says "YES" , :.. and does it HIS way !! hehehe
Oh well -- Cowboy humor
Terry
PS --you could have him colected, and have the semen sexed -- that would tell you if he is prouducig equal or abnormal ratios!
Assuming this to be true -- YOUR bull may very well have a comprimized testicle -- in other words -- one of them may be abnormal or smaller or has freeze damage??? and MAY only be putting out a very small amount of sperm from that side. If that is the case, and the above finding have any merit -- that could be why your bull only produces hfrs.
OR -- he may be just a very eager guy --and can't wait till she says "YES" , :
.. and does it HIS way !! heheheOh well -- Cowboy humor
Terry
PS --you could have him colected, and have the semen sexed -- that would tell you if he is prouducig equal or abnormal ratios!
Rocky Hill Simmental
Well-known member
Thanks. That makes sense. I'll have to take a look at him.
He's a good bull but he sure has a lot of heifers. The cow that had the bull calf was our oldest cow, which was kind of odd.
He's a good bull but he sure has a lot of heifers. The cow that had the bull calf was our oldest cow, which was kind of odd.
