heat detection stickers

[bhcattle]

What are your thoughts on the heat detection stickers?  How do they work?  Are they worth the money?  where do you get them from?

We are planning on putting Cidrs in some cows and there was a group that we were going to AI and a group that we were going to put embryo's in.  We check cows in the AM and PM but can't check them during the day due to being at work.  Do you think the heat detection stickers would work for something like this?  That way we can get an idea of when they were in heat if we couldn't catch it in person.

 

[Show Heifer]

I use them and really recommend them. I use the estrus alert patches. If your cows are really hairy and shedding, or dirty, spray some tail adhesive on the spot then put the sticker on. Trust me, they will be there FOREVER!!
Check them in the morning, and when you get home. They are a good indication on what is coming in (some scratched off) or if they have been in standing heat (total bare).
Great tool, but remember, nothing beats the eyeballs!!

I get mine from Livestock Concepts in Iowa. Usually run about $1 each. Money well spent in my opinion!

 

[bluffcountrycattle]

Totally agree with what Show Heifer said!  Really gives you a good indication of the activity level versus a one jump misfire with a Kamar.  They are available through Genex as well if you have a rep close by.  Been very happy so far this year with them...

 

[BadgerFan]

I wouldn't do a synch group without them.  Best $1/head you can spend.

 

[herefordfootball]

We use the Estrotects. They work really well and you can see them if they are scratched off from a mile away. All you do, is make sure the hair area is clean and slap it on. If you are really worried about them sticking spray a little tail adhesive on the spot like SH said, and they will stick!!! Expect the hair to be bare after you pull em off, so I wouldnt put them on a cow calf pair you plan on showing.

 

[kanshow]

We use them and would never go back to anything else.    We get different colors and once we go thru a heat, we repatch those that we bred so we know at a glance if they are in again. 

Chris, try using EZ-Alls adhesive remover to take them off, it works great and you don't loose any hair. 

 

[herefordfootball]

The EZ ALL, thats in the squirt bottle? We used hocus pocus once, but it didnt work to well.

 

[sparty]

Great little investment. Some personal experience.......We have both beef and dairy. Used Kmars forever. Got tired of the glu and mess with Kmars so tried the estrus patches. Luted a group of dairy cows and next morning most were orange. We also have a oiler/brush in the crossover of the freestall barn for cows to use. Duh.... the lite came on and of course we do not use the patches on the dairy any more. Either helps to find the silent ones , especially when it starts to get hot and cattle don't show heat as well. Just my 2cents.

 

[Hilltop]

They are more than worth it whether you sync or not! Unless you can check at 4am during the day and at night put them on. We used k-mars in the past but won't again.
Earlier this spring someone on here mentioned cutting them in half so we will try that with cows that are going with the bull for a test run.

 

[kanshow]

It comes in a sprayer bottle..    Ez All "It's Gone"   

http://www.sullivansupply.com/Iowa/detail.aspx?ID=14025

 

[hokiefan99]

These stickers have worked well for me the last couple of years. Here are some of the things I have figured out. Warm them up- in the winter stick them on the dash and warm them up good or in the summer leave them in the sun on a hot dash. They have improved the adhesive alot over the years but this step helps. The other posters are right you will have to pry them off. They work well for after a shot of Lute. (coming into heat in a couple of days) We put them on a group of heifers to try to catch repeats and after a week they will start to rub them off w/o being in heat. (Under trees, barns etc.) Last dont use the neon green ones, in the am and evening sun you cant see the differnece from the silver to green as well as the orange and pink. Hope this helps someone.

 

[Bone2011]

We used them on cows in the pasture and they really work. we tried them on heifers in a lot and they licked them off.

 

[ZNT]

We love the patches.  It really helps first thing in the morning when you don't know if one is just starting to stand vs. one that has been getting ridden quite a bit through the night.

Just tried cutting a patch in half to double the number of cattle for the same cost, and it worked great.  Thank you SteerPlanet for the money saving tip!

Do not use the patches on your show heifers if you are planning on showing them any time soon.  The patch will take off quite a bit of hair when removed.

 

[ai er]

These stickers have worked well for me the last couple of years. Here are some of the things I have figured out. Warm them up- in the winter stick them on the dash and warm them up good or in the summer leave them in the sun on a hot dash. They have improved the adhesive alot over the years but this step helps. The other posters are right you will have to pry them off. They work well for after a shot of Lute. (coming into heat in a couple of days) We put them on a group of heifers to try to catch repeats and after a week they will start to rub them off w/o being in heat. (Under trees, barns etc.) Last dont use the neon green ones, in the am and evening sun you cant see the differnece from the silver to green as well as the orange and pink. Hope this helps someone.

I've noticed the same thing with the green ones.  They're hard to tell if rubbed unless you get up close to them.

 

[jamesgang892]

We use the hot pink ones. On black cattle they are easy to spot. We use a curry comb and a the adhesive rag that comes with them to clean they tailhead. But before the patch goes on I warm it up in my pocket for a bit. I think the heated adhesive makes is stick a bit better, and when it sticks it stays!

 

[jbw]

Love 'em, I really think it helps when we do a large group for ease of sorting.  We can keep sorting hot ones off and then seem to get the more 'bashful' ones.

 

[Bulldaddy]

I like those hot orange patches and I mentioned on another post that I have been cutting them in half to save money.  I used to try and keep them warm and brush all the dead hair off before applying.  Now all I do spray a little 3M Super 77 adhesive where I want them and apply the patch.  It will stay there no matter what and comes off with a few hard pulls when you bred the cow.  I got the adhesive from my wife who uses it in scrapbooking hobby.  Try it, I promise you will like it.

 

[bhcattle]

What brand do you recommend?

 

[Bulldaddy]

As far as I know, there is only one brand of esturus alert patches.  I get mine from my Genex rep but I have seen them in several catalogs.  Just make sure you don't get Kamars.

 

[herefordfootball]

As far as I know, there is only one brand of esturus alert patches.  I get mine from my Genex rep but I have seen them in several catalogs.  Just make sure you don't get Kamars.

We use estrotects. www.estrotect.com PLUS if its your FIRST time ordering from them, just click TRY ESTROTECT, and they send you a package of FREE ESTROTECTS!!!!!. It was awesome, they sent us like ten for free, so we were set for the first breeding season, and they worked GREAT!!!!!

DO NOT USE KAMARS. Its a little hard to tell when they've been ridden, BUT when you pull them OFF, you pull EVERYTHING!!!!! IF YOU CAN EVEN GET THEM OFF. We just had a really bad experiecence with them we tried them.