What is your timed AI protocall?

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Ruebush Shorthorns

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Jan 8, 2008
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I just had my December AI'd cows checked for pregnancy.  We did six and only one is even in consideration as AI or herd bull.  Was wondering if anyone would share there info on time breeding cattle one after the other in a set time frame.  Starting from vaccines and CIDR's, what do you do and how has it worked for you?  Getting ready to tey again in the spring and don't want it to be another flop.  Thanks in advace
 

kanshow

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Look in the back of most of the semen catalogs and you'll find some pretty good protocols. 

I'm no expert but a few things I think are most important with AI success.  1.    Heat Detection - even with timing & synchronization. This is probably the most important part.  You have to spend some time looking.  We also use the estrus alerts but still doesn't replace just good old looking.        2.  Semen handling procedure.  3.  technique... and if you don't have it down - practice practice practice. 
 

JSchroeder

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The only ones I've heard of or used that work even close to as well as heat checking are the ones that start ethical arguments.
 

Cowboy

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Now we have a REAL diplomat !! Good one !! hehehe

I kind of know the reason you didn't mention that method, as it is used with a drug not approved in the good old USA -- although it is still being used -- ARGH

Timed A-I -- ahhhhhhhhhhhh ?? I don't like it -- never have liked it -- probably never will like it. To go thru all the problems and work it takes to do an A-I program -- along wit hthe cost whether it works or not, I see very little reason to skimp when it comes to breeding on TIME. Time meaning the CORRECT time. I have said for years and years here in my ETbusiness that timing is almost EVERYTHING when it comes to geting good embryos. Even if everything we do is perfect, if the timing is wrong when we breed, it is all for nothing!

I admit that syncronizing your cows has merit -- but I do not see the real benefit to just going out at say 10AM and start smacking semen into what ever cow happens to come to the chute! It will not give you very good results most of the time. At least not good enough results consistently!

Sync your cows for a target day -- get out there with them many times before they are due and all the way thru till well after they were due -- breed the ones who show heat -- and the ones that do not --  re-shoot 11 days after the first ones were shot. That is about as good as it gets. The only thing better -- would be to not sync, and breed them on natural heats -- we do here -- and all my cows are serviced within 21 days --

Sure I may have a small herd, but it sounds like you may one too -- I hate repeats and always have so I make sure I wait till she is done, and then wait some more! Last year I had one open cow that I for sure thought was bred, that was the first one in many years -- but I also know we all can't live with the cows like I do. Do the best you can -- patience!!!!!!!!!

If I can be of any help -- just ask -- I don't know everything that works -- but after these many years, I have pretty much figured out what DON'T work!!! hehehe

Good luck -- Terry
 

Ruebush Shorthorns

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Well the reason I have to AI this way is that I don't know hot to AI.  My vet, and fellow shorthorn breeder locally, comes over to do the AI.  So it is really my only option.  I can't call him every other day saying that one of the copws is in heat can you come over.  Also, if I keep them at his house and he has to feed them it costs me by the day to have a cow at his place.  This is my situation, so I really did what I could this fall to just get a shot at some AI calves.  I have an AI sire as my clean up now so that can still produce good calves for me, but I would like to have a couple AI calves here and there from other bulls.  Thanks for the info Cowboy, hopefully in the future things will change for the program.
 

JSchroeder

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I was in a similar boat and it was what convinced me that it's time to learn AI.

The fee for an AI school is about $600-700

If you just had six lost breedings that costs...

-$10/head CIDR
-$2.50/head Lutalyse
-$25/head semen

...$225 plus the opportunity cost.
 

kanshow

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Absolutely - learn how to AI, it's the best money you'll ever spend if you want to stay in the purebred cattle business.   
 

Jill

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Jan 20, 2007
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Gardner, KS
We sync all of our recips together, last year we had 12 that came in in the 24 hour window and 2 that came in 2 days late, even if you are syncing them, they don't come in heat all at once, even for our recips we keep exact time when they are in for the techs.  For our AI work we do everything on natural heats 12 hours after standing, we don't time breed anything.
 
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