Regulating breeding..........

[Mutti]

Would appreciate ideas/opinions on what to do about our four cows and two heifers....last year we had three of them in with a neighbors' bull and the one AI'ed...very pleased with the AI calf and the other are ok for commercial use. We aren't big enough or have stout enough facilities to keep a bull yet. Has anyone had experience with the shots to bring them into heat so we could sycronize them for AI??? Pricey for us to have the AI guy out seperately for each cow and hard to detect heat cycles Our cows are Hereford,heifers Black angus cross which is popular here in MO. The four cows have always settled first time bred so don't think there are any fertility issues here. Thanks DEE

[landlord]

Mutti

I had 3 AI'ed in March and with a bit of work on 2 calves the cost was a bit over $200.

What we did was use a CIDR implant for a week and that is pulled out and a shot given and with in a day or so they all came in heat. Do some search on the CIDR implants or ask your vet.
My vet did bring his catch chute for working the cattle and did have a couple of gates. We had to partition off part of our shed with a tractor and some other gates just to narrow things down a bit so we were not running the cattle in circles. I did pull the CIDR implants and did give the shots. But, we did have one heifer rub her 'hiney' on a gate and pull one out. :no: I was told to trim the pull-out line next time.

It sure is cheaper than a bull and I was blessed :worship: to have the 3 head take the first round.

[willow_girl]

Here is an AI schedule I found online (sorry, I didn't save the link!):

Basic OvSynch Schedule:

Day 0 2ml Cystorelin/GnRH given IM [intramuscular shot]

Day 7 5ml Lutalyse given IM after 4pm

Day 9 2ml Cystorelin given IM after 4pm

Day 10 Inseminate by 8am

Example used often: Start 1st GnRH on a Monday and end up breeding following Thursday.

I am planning to do this with my cows very soon, will let you know how it works out!

We've used both CIDR's and Ovsynch. They'll bring cows into heat, but they aren't a perfect solution. I find generally about 75% of the cows I do one or the other on will come into heat, but not all at the same time. Usually over a 2-4 day period
I am planning to do this with my cows very soon, will let you know how it works out![/QUOTE]

With either of these two systems how do you know when the cow is actually ready for insemination? Can you tell by looking at her vulva for instance?
Cal

Same as other signs of heat - mounting or being mounted for primary signs, clear discharge, raised tailhead, scuffed rump from being mounted, behaviour changes as secondary signs. I tend to breed a bit more easily on secondary signs with OVSynch or CIDR than with natural heats.