Need AI advice

PKBoo · #1 06/21/11, 06:46 PM

We have a 16 mos Jersey heiffer who has been through 2 heat cycles (bawling and walking the fence - although the first one was more exuberant than the 2nd!). The vet gave us a shot to induce heat, and said that once it is given, she will go into heat 80 hours later. There is no label on the shot (which is in the fridge) so I don't know the name of it.

Because of this great site (THANK YOU), we thought we would use the shot in conjunction with her natural heat (which could be Thursday).

I called the AI tech, and when I asked him about the shot, he said to give it to her the day that he's there (when he's doing the AI). So now I'm confused...

Should we give the shot now, or wait until she goes into natural heat and give it to her the day the AI tech comes? He told me to call as soon as she goes into heat - if it's in the morning, he'll come out in the afternoon. If it's in the afternoon, he'll come out the next morning. He also said it depends on their nutrition, and sometimes they go into heat but they might not ovulate for a few days

G. Seddon · #2 06/21/11, 07:10 PM

I think your vet and your AI tech might need to get on the same page. If you don't know what's in the syringe, then how can your AI tech recommend when to give the shot? (Vets should label what they are dispensing!)

I don't think the shot will help at all if given the day the animal is naturally due to come in heat. Is the heifer all by herself or is there another female or steer around to indicate when she is in standing heat (not moving away from the animal mounting her)? That is what you are looking for -- standing heat!

My advice: call the vet, find out what was dispensed, call the AI tech and inform him, then go from there.

Callieslamb · #3 06/21/11, 07:15 PM

GNRH?? or GHRN? I was supposed to give it for 3 consecutive days then Lutalyse (SP) so many days after that series of 3 shots - and the AI guy would arrive a day or 2 later...it's a specific schedule. I'd call them to clarify what they need you to do.

PKBoo · #4 06/21/11, 11:09 PM

I'll call the vet right away tomorrow. I had to leave for a meeting when the vet was with her, so DH got all the details. He definitely didn't get enough!

The heifer is in with a steer who's a little smaller than she is (he's about 5 months younger). I have seen the two of them try to mount each other, but it seems like it's a dominance thing, and it doesn't happen very often at all.

On May 16th, she was bawling all morning and pacing the fence line. Her vulva looked red and swollen as well. The steer didn't try to mount her from what I could see that day. Is that "standing heat"?

I counted 21 days, but the next time she was mooing was 17 days later (June 2nd). She did not "MOO" as long or as incessantly as the first time.

PKBoo · #5 06/22/11, 05:01 PM

What we've got is Prostaglandin. Vet said if she goes into heat tomorrow, just call and get her AI'd using her natural cycle. If she doesn't, wait for a few weeks, then give her the injection. She should go into heat 2-5 days later, with 3 days being the most common.

Good lesson - ask questions, then ask even more!

PKBoo · #6 06/23/11, 11:17 PM

Update - our heifer started bawling this afternoon (and trying to mount the steer), so the AI Tech is coming out tomorrow morning. Hopefully it will take, and we'll have a calf in the spring