A.I. setup questions!

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Simmgal

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Well, I have searched around on the site (as well as various others) and was still confused as to what is a good plan for synchronizing cattle for A.I.. I would like to know of a program or so that has a high conception rate. Would like to keep cost and labor low if possible, but conception is a top priority.

Just incase it matters: All PB Simmental. Group is a mix of Cows, Cows with their first calves on the ground and Heifers. <<<---- I'm sure this will make it interesting...

I currently have CIDRS, Lutalyse, GNRH and some other fertility drugs. We have had pretty good luck with Luta and have tried CIDRS before with fairly good success. Just curious as to what works for you.

Thanks in advance!  O0
 

savaged

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Mar 9, 2008
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Greenfield OH
These protocols are proven, and IMO there are no better options than these out there.  I personally prefer the heat detect & TAI, with CIDR use.  It fits my work schedule and I can reliably get my cows into standing heat withing a weekend period, and my TAI can take place Sunday night / Monday morning.   I also tend to give GnRH with every straw - maybe just a bad habit but I don't see much of a downside.

http://www.selectsiresbeef.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=62&Itemid=87


Remember that the protocol you use is not the most important part of conception.  Yes, some cost more, and some take more time, but in the end it will come down to these factors, so I would focus on them:

1.  Cow fertility, health, and condition
2.  Accurate heat checks and detection
2.  Properly timed insemination
3.  Properly stored, handled, and thawed semen
4.  Properly deposited semen
5.  Good records and observation to confirm pregnancy (variety of options)

Screw-up any one of these, especially the first four,  and the protocol you used is irrelevant.  





 

LN

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Oct 15, 2008
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South Texas
There's so many options available now that it's hard to recommend a protocol to use without knowing more details about your circumstances.

On heifers I like to use 7 day CIDR + PG. We consistently get over 90% of the heifers to respond to the synch and 70% conception first service AI. I give a PG shot to non-responders 10-14 days later and they typically come in.

With cows I like using a fixed time AI protocol because we have a large number to do and heat detection is a pain in the rear on that many. Depending on how many head you are planning to do heat detection may not be an issue.

Another thing I do is administer all vaccinations/deworming a month before AI and I give a trace mineral and vitamin ADE injections as well. This goes along with a good mineral program.
 

Simmgal

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Mar 4, 2011
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Virginia
LN said:
There's so many options available now that it's hard to recommend a protocol to use without knowing more details about your circumstances.

On heifers I like to use 7 day CIDR + PG. We consistently get over 90% of the heifers to respond to the synch and 70% conception first service AI. I give a PG shot to non-responders 10-14 days later and they typically come in.

With cows I like using a fixed time AI protocol because we have a large number to do and heat detection is a pain in the rear on that many. Depending on how many head you are planning to do heat detection may not be an issue.

Another thing I do is administer all vaccinations/deworming a month before AI and I give a trace mineral and vitamin ADE injections as well. This goes along with a good mineral program.

I would like to use a fixed-time AI protocol for both. Does the heifer program you use require heat detection? I would assume yes..
 

kfacres

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Industry, IL Ph #: 618-322-2582
Simmgal said:
LN said:
There's so many options available now that it's hard to recommend a protocol to use without knowing more details about your circumstances.

On heifers I like to use 7 day CIDR + PG. We consistently get over 90% of the heifers to respond to the synch and 70% conception first service AI. I give a PG shot to non-responders 10-14 days later and they typically come in.

With cows I like using a fixed time AI protocol because we have a large number to do and heat detection is a pain in the rear on that many. Depending on how many head you are planning to do heat detection may not be an issue.

Another thing I do is administer all vaccinations/deworming a month before AI and I give a trace mineral and vitamin ADE injections as well. This goes along with a good mineral program.

I would like to use a fixed-time AI protocol for both. Does the heifer program you use require heat detection? I would assume yes..

For 4 of the past 5 years- we have tried sych'ing all of our cows/ heifers, with just Lut.  We did have one real late calving cow- that we wanted to bump up back with the rest- and she had twins on her-- that we used a CIDR on. 

We have had real good luck- scheduling them to start cycling on a Fri a.m. when I was going home to visit from school-- that way when I got home- I could breed anything that had come in heat that day.  I would then heat watch all weekend- and breed accordingly.  Then when I'd get ready to leave Sun p.m. to head back to school-- I would timed AI breed those who were not caught standing. 

It didn't seem to matter whether they were standing, or timed AI bred-- we ran about 80% getting them preg over the whole course of time.  Matter of fact last year- the only 2 cows who didn't calve from the synch-- one wasn't ever bred-- but was in standing heat-- and we couldn't get her rounded up-=- so we just turned the bull out to breed her instead of my arm...  She didn't stick that go around- but calved next cycle.... 
 

Simmgal

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Cut the BS said:
For 4 of the past 5 years- we have tried sych'ing all of our cows/ heifers, with just Lut.  We did have one real late calving cow- that we wanted to bump up back with the rest- and she had twins on her-- that we used a CIDR on. 

We have had real good luck- scheduling them to start cycling on a Fri a.m. when I was going home to visit from school-- that way when I got home- I could breed anything that had come in heat that day.  I would then heat watch all weekend- and breed accordingly.  Then when I'd get ready to leave Sun p.m. to head back to school-- I would timed AI breed those who were not caught standing. 

It didn't seem to matter whether they were standing, or timed AI bred-- we ran about 80% getting them preg over the whole course of time.  Matter of fact last year- the only 2 cows who didn't calve from the synch-- one wasn't ever bred-- but was in standing heat-- and we couldn't get her rounded up-=- so we just turned the bull out to breed her instead of my arm...  She didn't stick that go around- but calved next cycle.... 
I had just used Lutalyse on the last group of animals that I had A.I.ed around November. We bred them all at the same time regardless of heat status, and gave them a shot of GNRH ar breeding. 100% caught that time. I was debating doing this again, but I had heard that luta only works in a certain stage of their cycle. Any feedback on this?
 

kfacres

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Simmgal said:
Cut the BS said:
For 4 of the past 5 years- we have tried sych'ing all of our cows/ heifers, with just Lut.  We did have one real late calving cow- that we wanted to bump up back with the rest- and she had twins on her-- that we used a CIDR on. 

We have had real good luck- scheduling them to start cycling on a Fri a.m. when I was going home to visit from school-- that way when I got home- I could breed anything that had come in heat that day.  I would then heat watch all weekend- and breed accordingly.  Then when I'd get ready to leave Sun p.m. to head back to school-- I would timed AI breed those who were not caught standing. 

It didn't seem to matter whether they were standing, or timed AI bred-- we ran about 80% getting them preg over the whole course of time.  Matter of fact last year- the only 2 cows who didn't calve from the synch-- one wasn't ever bred-- but was in standing heat-- and we couldn't get her rounded up-=- so we just turned the bull out to breed her instead of my arm...  She didn't stick that go around- but calved next cycle.... 
I had just used Lutalyse on the last group of animals that I had A.I.ed around November. We bred them all at the same time regardless of heat status, and gave them a shot of GNRH ar breeding. 100% caught that time. I was debating doing this again, but I had heard that luta only works in a certain stage of their cycle. Any feedback on this?

yes correct.. that is why it takes 2 rounds of lut to get them all on the same page.  Which takes a couple of weeks planning and prep= in order to get everything right for a once a month visit home.  or in the case of JuCo judging.. a once a semester trip home.
 

Simmgal

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Joined
Mar 4, 2011
Messages
931
Location
Virginia
Cut the BS said:
Simmgal said:
Cut the BS said:
For 4 of the past 5 years- we have tried sych'ing all of our cows/ heifers, with just Lut.  We did have one real late calving cow- that we wanted to bump up back with the rest- and she had twins on her-- that we used a CIDR on. 

We have had real good luck- scheduling them to start cycling on a Fri a.m. when I was going home to visit from school-- that way when I got home- I could breed anything that had come in heat that day.  I would then heat watch all weekend- and breed accordingly.  Then when I'd get ready to leave Sun p.m. to head back to school-- I would timed AI breed those who were not caught standing. 

It didn't seem to matter whether they were standing, or timed AI bred-- we ran about 80% getting them preg over the whole course of time.  Matter of fact last year- the only 2 cows who didn't calve from the synch-- one wasn't ever bred-- but was in standing heat-- and we couldn't get her rounded up-=- so we just turned the bull out to breed her instead of my arm...  She didn't stick that go around- but calved next cycle.... 
I had just used Lutalyse on the last group of animals that I had A.I.ed around November. We bred them all at the same time regardless of heat status, and gave them a shot of GNRH ar breeding. 100% caught that time. I was debating doing this again, but I had heard that luta only works in a certain stage of their cycle. Any feedback on this?

yes correct.. that is why it takes 2 rounds of lut to get them all on the same page.  Which takes a couple of weeks planning and prep= in order to get everything right for a once a month visit home.  or in the case of JuCo judging.. a once a semester trip home.
So, in my case, if I were to give them a shot, I could figure on a high percentage of them being on the same page after the second round? I might be missing something..
 

kfacres

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right, going off memory... the cows that are cycling and within a week of already cycling, will not be effected by the lut show first round... but the cows that are more than a week off will be. 

but by the second round, all will be close enough together to cycle- that they will cycle after the 2nd round together. 

look up the numbers to know for sure, my brain is getting worn down today.
 

Simmgal

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Messages
931
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Virginia
Cut the BS said:
right, going off memory... the cows that are cycling and within a week of already cycling, will not be effected by the lut show first round... but the cows that are more than a week off will be. 

but by the second round, all will be close enough together to cycle- that they will cycle after the 2nd round together. 

look up the numbers to know for sure, my brain is getting worn down today.
Thanks, Jody. I appreciate it!
 

ai er

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Eastern Ohio
I like the five day Cidr program. Cidr and GnRH on day 0, pull CIDR on day five, give 10 ml of Lutalyse, watch for heats, time breed everyone left at 72 hours. Very effective.
 

LN

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Messages
767
Location
South Texas
ai er said:
I like the five day Cidr program. Cidr and GnRH on day 0, pull CIDR on day five, give 10 ml of Lutalyse, watch for heats, time breed everyone left at 72 hours. Very effective.

I tried that for the first time in December. Results look ridiculously good on my mature cows and my young cows look like they will get the same results as the 7 day. But I've been in an exceptional drought for the past year so I'm not ready to make a judgement based on this year. If my results turn out like I think they are I will certainly be using the 5 day again next year.
 
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