Sexed Semen in Flushes

[chappy]

I need some advice when using sexed semen to flush how many straws do you typically use verse the regular unsexed semen. I am Going to be flushing a cow next month want to make sure i get enough to cover it.

 

[firesweepranch]

This is an old thread, but just wondering how many of you have used sexed semen and with what success? We are breeding for our first flush this weekend (her last shots are tomorrow, so heat by Sunday AM) and I would like to better my odds for heifers. I have read a bunch on here, just wondering if anything new or improved has been learned? We are planning on using three straws of sexed in the first breeding, and then two straws of conventional in the second breeding. What kind of odds are people getting with these?
Thanks for any advice!

 

[Doc]

I'm not impressed with the sexed semen. I know a lot of people have had good success but I've not. Last flush we did , we got 21 eggs with 4 fertilized with sexed semen.

 

[firesweepranch]

I'm not impressed with the sexed semen. I know a lot of people have had good success but I've not. Last flush we did , we got 21 eggs with 4 fertilized with sexed semen.

Did you just use sexed? My embryologist was not too happy when I told him I wanted to use sexed semen, but was very interested when I told him I had heard about following up with conventional semen. He feels like I can catch any that did not get fertilized with the conventional, but has never tried. I am hoping to hear some stories of people who have tried it.

Thanks for your input. We want fertilized eggs, but would prefer heifers!  (clapping)

 

[Doc]

I'm not impressed with the sexed semen. I know a lot of people have had good success but I've not. Last flush we did , we got 21 eggs with 4 fertilized with sexed semen.

Did you just use sexed? My embryologist was not too happy when I told him I wanted to use sexed semen, but was very interested when I told him I had heard about following up with conventional semen. He feels like I can catch any that did not get fertilized with the conventional, but has never tried. I am hoping to hear some stories of people who have tried it.

Thanks for your input. We want fertilized eggs, but would prefer heifers!  (clapping)

Yes, everytime we have flushed with sexed semen . That has been all we've used.

 

[Bi-Lane Livestock]

Expect 1/2 or less the embryos using only sexed.  Personally if u want only heifers I would only use sexed, must have at least 15 million count total to have ur best chance.  In the past we've  bred 3 straws, 5 million a piece and bred 1 early and 2 10hrs later.  Depends on goals and receipts but personally either shoot for heifers or just flush.  If limited on receipts and want heifers than go sexed, if u want numbers go conventional, don't mess with both.

 

[Doc]

Expect 1/2 or less the embryos using only sexed.  Personally if u want only heifers I would only use sexed, must have at least 15 million count total to have ur best chance.  In the past we've  bred 3 straws, 5 million a piece and bred 1 early and 2 10hrs later.  Depends on goals and receipts but personally either shoot for heifers or just flush.  If limited on receipts and want heifers than go sexed, if u want numbers go conventional, don't mess with both.

Gotta agree with you. Watch the sale of flushes. Most will state a guarantee of 6 unless using sexed , then only 3 or 4.
That's why we've always just used straight sexed. We would like to make sure whatever we get is heifers.

 

[jd720]

I tried the same thing you`re thinking about . I used 2 sexed on the first breeding and 2 conventional on the second breeding and got 4 fertilized and 7 unfertilized. I really think you`re better off just using the conventional semen for flushing and I probably won`t use it again on a flush. I think sexed semen will work best for breeding virgin heifers and that is how I plan to use it in the future.

 

[sizzler14]

I don't know if it is going to work and how effective it is going to be, but I am going to do some undergraduate research on a new product that Cattle Visions has out now called HeiferPlus. You are supposed to put the straw in the solution then incubate it for 20 minutes and it speeds up the X chromosome and slows down the Y chromosome, causing more heifers to be born. From some of the reports I have seen, they usually got 65-70% heifers and the HeiferPlus thing was $12.00. Like I said, I don't know how effective it is because I havent figured out how it specifically only slows down the X chromosome, but Like I said, I plan to do some undergraduate research on it this spring to find out. Granted if it does work, it still may only be a 70% chance compare to some 90% sexed semen, but at $12.00, you would be paying $37.00 for most bulls compare to $150.00 or $250.00 for sexed semen. It might be something for you to look into, after I do my research, if it works, I will make sure I put up a thread next summer. If it does work, maybe we can get more heifer eggs.

 

[Cowboy]

I had resolved myself to not write into allot of these contraversal topics, as it seems very few have actually absorbed the info I have given from some 30 years of doing ET, but in this case, I am going to say it again. Here goes ----------

1 ) I have been asked , then MADE to use sexed semen many times, and most of them were much less than I have grown used to getting here. To reiterate -- sexed semen is stressed an additional 8 or more hours after collection to seperate the cells. This  takes it's toll believe me. I look at every collection from every bull sent here. Even the same bull with different lots, I look at it just before going out to the cow. It either passes or we go to plan B. Most of the time, sexed semen fails my motility exam, and if given the chance I would toss it out. I usually have to use it any way. The ONLY way I get GOOD results with sexed semen is - first -- WAIT and WAIT some more, do NOT breed early or you will be sorry -- and second -- I HORN breed them as deep as I can safely do so - and this takes experience. DO NOT attempt to do that is you are not very experienced. I breed them ONE time, so it has to be ON TIME.

2 ) Hfr Plus was a huge JOKE when I received a batch several years ago to try for a customer in Iowa. First, it is a mess to use, they said it was easy, well it is not. You have to have your ducks in a row or you will be very frustrated when you try and transfer the semen back into that straw! Secondly, it did NOT work - not from a conception basis nor from a sex basis. I remember one flush in particular. The cow had normally flushed about 11-12 good eggs per flush -- with 3 flushes total yielding 35 good eggs with ONE, that is ONE unfertile. Using the hfr plus, she again made 13 eggs -- and we froze 2 -- 11 were unfertile! That is total BS -- 4 more flushes on different cows yielded the same results, most of them were UFO. So why do it???


Folks, I have said for many years that when you are breeding donor cows -- there really is NO need to breed any different than you normally would a regular cow --- IF -- you use excellent semen and you hit the timing correctly. By timing I mean LATE. Not 2 or 3 breedings, but ONE breeding with GOOD semen, one unit per side of the uterus and walk away. The average cow here produces 95-97% fertile eggs consistently. It is then up to her to take care of them and produce the quality we all need. Done deal.

I am done preaching, if any one needs more info, I will gladly return your PM's any time. I only get frustrated when no one seems to at least try and listen, so please forgive my somewhat snooty writting style. My goal after 31 years is to try and pass on some good info that I have found to work well -- and my style of breeding does just that. I guess it is up to all who reads it to believe me or not. You don't get this stuff from reading books, you get it from a huge pile of dirty gloves over many years! But yes I still have some enemies as we all do -- my take on that is simple, if you don't have any enemies yet, you still have not done enough in this business! Ha -- how true is that???

Good luck to every one, please take my sincerity with several grains of salt -- but it does work!

Terry

 

[sizzler14]

Thank You Gregor Mendel  (clapping)

 

[Bi-Lane Livestock]

We recovered 12 eggs on our last sexed flush and froze all of them this is to be considered very good success.  Flushing with sexed semen is a little dicey but can work if all the stars align.

 

[YoungGunCattle]

What are some distributors that carry sexed semen

 

[justintime]

I usually get several requests every year for sexed embryos and sexed semen. My experience with these is similar to what Doc said in a previous post. I have only done 3 flushes using sexed semen and they all have not been very good. The best I had was 4 grade 1 embryos, but there was 17 unfertilized embryos. I implanted all of these and never got any pregnancies. The other two flushes resulted in 1 grade one embryo, and the other in 2 grade 1 embryos. I have not implanted them yet.  I do almost all my flushing at one of the largest beef ET centers in Canada, and they really discourage flushing with sexed semen. They say that it is still too much of a gamble and they don't feel it is at a worthwhile stage yet. I tend to agree with them.

I also have many requests for sexed heifer semen and again, I don't have any from any of our sires. I decided to try collecting some when we received numerous requests but the AI center who was collecting the semen strongly urged me, to not do it. They told me that they could and would sex the semen if I was certain I wanted it done, but they felt that I would regret this, once I started receiving emails and phone calls from dissatisfied customers who had poor conception and poor flush results. I decided to NOT collect any sexed semen from this bull.

I understand why people want to try to get more heifers from their calf crops, but when I stop and think about this, I begin to really wonder what affect this may have on any breed down the road into the future. Personally, I feel a true cattle breeder has to not only breed the best cattle they can for present markets, however, they also must consider the future of the breed as well. I have debated this in my mind for a long time, and I wonder if anyone is doing any breed a good service when they are putting such heavy selection pressure on a particular sex of calf, over the other sex. I believe any breed who wants to continue to have a role to play in the beef industry needs to have good genetic selection and propogation in both sexes.

I understand that sexed embryos and sexed semen are certainly going to gain momentum into the future especially as the technology gets better.... and it will, however, I think we all need to stop and reflect a little on where this technology is going to take us into the future.

 

[Bi-Lane Livestock]

The dairy industry has embraced this technology and is using it quite extensively.  Again, we've had succes but it may be luck as well, it is a gamble but we are expecting  pregnancies this spring and have plenty in the tank.  Dr. Dixon of Renselear IN did our flushing.

 

[kanshow]

My experience with sexed semen flush is like Doc & others have said.. not good.     That said, I'd be interested in hearing what anyone has to say about doing invitrio using sexed semen.

 

[justintime]

I know of several very successful flushes using sexed semen but I am just one of the unfortunates who has not experienced it yet. I'm quite sure the technology will improve greatly with more time, and this will become more successful. I would think sexed semen could be a more viable option if doing invito flushes.