Well I was just wondering if anyone else is having problems getting cows to stick this year!!!!! My cows are in great condition and have been cycling regular, but almost every cow I bred is returning???? I am so stressed out, I have been breeding for 10 years with so much success, so the only conclusion I can come to is semen quality??? I just don't get it, we have about 100 head and breed on their natural heats, no cidrs, no drugs nothing, and this has always worked great???? Any advice????
Problems with cows sticking???
- Thread starter CM
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Show Heifer
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- Jan 28, 2007
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Where are you located? Has the temp more higher than normal? How is your feed/mineral? Did you change nutritional plane before or right after breeding?
How do you determine water temp to thaw semen? Did you check the thermometer against another?
Have you had a straw of semen checked straight from the tank? (Was tank ever low on N?)
When someone around here has a disaster, I usually tell them to go to a vet clinic, and go through the total motions of thawing a straw of semen, and then checking it under the microscope. If it is dead on the slide, then go step by step until you find the point at which it dies and then you know what to fix!
Did you use more than one bull? Did they ALL fail?
I have heard the "shock theory" but haven't heard of anyone unplugging the thaw unit, nor do I.
I will know in about 2 weeks how I did AI'ing. Many around here have been running about 80%. I am happy with 70%.
How do you determine water temp to thaw semen? Did you check the thermometer against another?
Have you had a straw of semen checked straight from the tank? (Was tank ever low on N?)
When someone around here has a disaster, I usually tell them to go to a vet clinic, and go through the total motions of thawing a straw of semen, and then checking it under the microscope. If it is dead on the slide, then go step by step until you find the point at which it dies and then you know what to fix!
Did you use more than one bull? Did they ALL fail?
I have heard the "shock theory" but haven't heard of anyone unplugging the thaw unit, nor do I.
I will know in about 2 weeks how I did AI'ing. Many around here have been running about 80%. I am happy with 70%.
Vajgrt Angus
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- Sep 23, 2009
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- 49
are u breeding club calf semen sometime the semen is not up to standards cause they are clubbed out so much
shorthorngirl2010
Well-known member
I don't know about REI or Hawkeye, but I know for a fact that ANY semen collected @ the bull stud I work at, will not be frozen unless 'flush quality', no matter the breed. We look at the semen at least 3 times from collection until it is stored to be picked up or shipped, and have high standards for every stage in which we look at.I realize that we are not as big as REI, Hawkeye & other studs, and not saying that the semen COULDN'T be bad, and definitely not saying that every stud follows the same routine, however, it could be something as simple as poor handling from distributor to customer? Handling from customer to customer (if not bought from a distributor)? Or other points that show heifer pointed out that have to deal with the environment/ management.
Just my $0.02
Just my $0.02
