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AI school

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sdsu rancher

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I am planning on AI-ing my heifers next year but figured I better learn how to do it first. Any advice where to go to AI school at?

Here's some background on my situation. I want to use AI to improve my female breeding stock. I have a commercial black angus herd, some mine and some on share. 90% black, 10% baldy or red. I think some of the share cows are old enough to drive. Some are big horsey looking cows, others are nice 1200 lb moderate framed cows (the kind I would like). I'd like a moderate frame, decent milk, and no udder problems. What are some good black Angus sires that cover these traits?

Just a note of thanks to those of you who respond to questions like this. I like to hear the experiences of producers outside of my own county as I'm sure many others like myself do.
 
Most AI reps can and will do it for you. Some even offer schools for such occasions. When I learned he gave me a book to read and learn the basics and then he just went to a packing plant and got an intact reproductive tract and once I got the feel for what to look for, I practiced on some killer cows we had around. The rest I learned as I went.

If you want I could get you a name or two.

Brian
 
I've done that too-just had a 1 on 1 school the day before the synch job-then I stay around and help with the breeding.seems to work fairly well most times.
 
I went through a school put on by ABS while I was in college. They had the repro tracts from slaughtered animals to get a visual idea of what you are feeling, and then we went into live cows.

I have to tell you though, you have picked the hardest animal to learn on. If you have the opportunity to find a neighbor or a semen rep that has a lot of experience I would urge you to get someone there to help you the day you start.

Here is what to expect. You will read through the literature, maybe you will even get your hands on some actual slaughter repro tracts. After working the gun through those a few times you will think you have the hang of it. Then it is off to find a replacement heifer to AI. Get your glove on and inside the cow, make one sweep to find the cervix. Uh-oh, it isn't where it is supposed to be, so you push your arm in further, still can't find it. A little further, then you realize you are palpating the heifer's tonsils. So you pull your arm out a little ways, then the heifer inflates her bowel to the size of a large balloon. You pull your arm out to try to deflate her, that doesn't work so then you have to reach in and find the ring that is causing the inflation and get a finger through it and pull until the bowel collapses again. Then the heifer gets tired of you messing around back there and starts to clamp down on your arm. After about five minutes in this vice you can't hardly move your hand and you still haven't found the cervix. This is the time that you want to be able to turn to the experienced guy and ask them to do her. If you don't have anyone else around you have to keep fighting her because you can't afford to waste that expensive semen that you bought. The longer it takes, the worse shape your arm will be in and the more she will fight you.

A piece of advice, if you do get someone to help you and you turn the heifer you couldn't get done over to them, walk away. There is nothing more demoralizing to a beginning AI tech than to watch an old pro stick their arm in and slide right into the cervix when you just spent the last ten minutes trying to find the cervix. It took a long time for me to get halfway proficient on the heifers. Their cervix is so small it is hard to thread the gun for a newbie. Cows on the other hand have such big cervix that you can about drive a car through them.
 
I went to a 3 day school put on by 21st Century Genetics in Sioux Falls. The cost of the school was $250 or $300 but you got that much credit on semen from the company. We practiced on old Holsteins down at the stock yards. Like RancherFred said, getting your arm squashed by some cow for the first time makes finding the cervix kinda tough.

The only cattle I have ever AIed is heifers and they are easy for me because that is what I'm used to. I tried doing a few cows once and even though the cervix was huge, you couldn't grab it like I was used to so it seemed much more difficult.

As far as sires are concerned, find a breeder that has the type and style you like and then ask to look at his oldest cows, the ones that have done the job and are still around. Those are the genetics that are proven and predictable. I would caution you not to be lured by the color photos of the latest and greatest in the catalogues. Popularity is not necessarily the first criteria you should use when selecting genetics. Could be a bunch of guys are screwing their females trying to raise the right bulls. My cousin raises purebred Angus and his motto has always been, produce a good female and the bulls will take care of themselves.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone. My dad AI-ed his cows and heifers for quite a few years by himself so if I get in a jam he will probably be able to help. I was just old enough to do a handful by myself with his supervision and remember struggling for 10 minutes just to watch him take over and have her done almost before I got my sleeve off.
 

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