100% AI?

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southernultrablack

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I will have 13 cows to breed this fall. I intend to synchronize them and have them bred on timed AI. I will catch the stragglers on observed heats, how realistic is it to expect to get them all bred this way? Any pointers/tips for going 100% AI?
 
southernultrablack":230lai0b said:
I will have 13 cows to breed this fall. I intend to synchronize them and have them bred on timed AI. I will catch the stragglers on observed heats, how realistic is it to expect to get them all bred this way? Any pointers/tips for going 100% AI?

Good plan. Assuming healthy cows, piece of cake.
 
All I can say is I ai my own & I don't do 100%. I get anywhere from 50-75% conception when I observe a standing heat. Say you get 50% every time you'd get 7 bred the first go, 3 three weeks later, three weeks later you get 1 or 2 and maybe just maybe three weeks later you get the last. I personally do not observe all in a standing heat & will not breed one without knowing. Do that & expect much lower conception. That's a lot of time I don't have so mine get one ai then the clean up bulls do their thing. I say completely unrealistic to get them all settled your proposed way but there's one way to find out. Good luck.
 
Cdcollett":3tzzxfux said:
All I can say is I ai my own & I don't do 100%. I get anywhere from 50-75% conception when I observe a standing heat. Say you get 50% every time you'd get 7 bred the first go, 3 three weeks later, three weeks later you get 1 or 2 and maybe just maybe three weeks later you get the last. I personally do not observe all in a standing heat & will not breed one without knowing. Do that & expect much lower conception. That's a lot of time I don't have so mine get one ai then the clean up bulls do their thing. I say completely unrealistic to get them all settled your proposed way but there's one way to find out. Good luck.

I have bred a herd of about 20 two years in a row without any bull. I get 80 % conception on first service. I only breed on natural observed heats. You are correct. It takes a tremendous amount of time. I start logging estrus cycles in September. I begin breeding on Thanksgiving day. I finish by middle of January. For last 2 years, I have gotten every cow/heifer bred AI. That gives me a compact calving season of September and October. My cows are very healthy. Nutrition is vital. Plus good mineral and a good heat detection protocol.
 
I agree with above post. We do 100% AI on our 20 cow registered herd. Nutrition, mineral, vaccines, worming, heat deteticion are key.

Our commercial herd we do 1 round of timed AI and then turn bulls in. But hitting about 55% on that and cattle follow same stuff as registered herd.
 
Warrior2154":1gqoi9lo said:
I agree with above post. We do 100% AI on our 20 cow registered herd. Nutrition, mineral, vaccines, worming, heat deteticion are key.

Our commercial herd we do 1 round of timed AI and then turn bulls in. But hitting about 55% on that and cattle follow same stuff as registered herd.

It also helps that my forages are diversified away from pure fescue. I know in areas that have extremely high endophyte levels, conception can be a bigger challenge.
 
There are thousands of dairy farms that haven't had a breeding bull on the place for decades
 
ez14.":2c9rm9cn said:
There are thousands of dairy farms that haven't had a breeding bull on the place for decades

I don't doubt that, but they aren't counting on a tight calvung window either. It ain't a game changer if you sell her bull calf for 125.00 this month or next.
 
jehosofat":lw7wozpp said:
ez14.":lw7wozpp said:
There are thousands of dairy farms that haven't had a breeding bull on the place for decades

I don't doubt that, but they aren't counting on a tight calvung window either. It ain't a game changer if you sell her bull calf for 125.00 this month or next.
True

Though most dairy farms aim for a calf every 12 months. How lenient they will be depends on the farm and the cows production.
 
They also have a super high cull rates and calves are a secondary source of income to them. Ask them what their conception rates are.
 
Cdcollett":qcehcn9o said:
They also have a super high cull weight and calves are a secondary source of income to them. Ask them what their conception rates are.
First service conception? Or % cows getting pregnant before the breeding deadline is over?

And yes with gender select semon the cull rate is going up all the time. All the more reason for a cow to conceive early because there might be 3 promising young heifers looking to take her place
 
On the tips & pointers, observed standing heats + 12 hours will get you your best success by far. I do timed ai but those that I actually see standing during that protocol are much less likely to need rebred to the point that I might not breed the non responders that show no signs. I really prefer the natural heats but like I said I just don't have the time to watch them that close. I also think the bull can make a difference. More of the bull studs have data like select sire's superior settler designation &I do think it makes a difference. At the end of the day though if you want a small calving window I still think a clean up bull is a must even if you partner with a neighbor.
 
ez14.":2cevxltv said:
First service conception? Or % cows getting pregnant before the breeding deadline is over?

And yes with gender select semon the cull rate is going up all the time. All the more reason for a cow to conceive early because there might be 3 promising young heifers looking to take her place
I don't think either number would be what southernultrablack is after but the first service would be what I'm referring too.
 
jehosofat":35v42o9j said:
ez14.":35v42o9j said:
There are thousands of dairy farms that haven't had a breeding bull on the place for decades

I don't doubt that, but they aren't counting on a tight calving window either.
It ain't a game changer if you sell her bull calf for 125.00 this month or next.
ez is right.
And dairy cows are under a heck of a lot more stress than beef cows.
Big difference between handling facilities give dairy an advantage in A.I. over beef producers.
Dairymen handle their cows 2+ times a day, day in and day out.
 
I synchronise my herd of 28 cows in staggered batches of 5-7 cows at a time because physically I am not capable of breeding any more than that at one time though with my programme I breed those showing oestrus 48hrs after cidr removed and remainder at 72 hrs which splits the workload. I get about 60% conception rate, I put the estrotect scratch patches on them about 2.5 weeks after the synchronised breeding and will pick up most of the rebreeds, I would estimate 80%, I keep an eye on them for another 3 wks a will pick up another one or two before putting a bull in. I always seem to get 2-3 to the cleenup bull though.

Ken
 
Cdcollett":30y156d1 said:
On the tips & pointers, observed standing heats + 12 hours will get you your best success by far.

I breed 5 to 8 hours from the ONSET of standing estrus - important to remember onset. That takes a lot of heat detection to be able to put your best estimate on when she transitions from jumping to standing. Even in a closely observed herd, there is always some extrapolation as to when the cow first stood. I breed 5 to 8 hours after I reach a decision on the approximate time of ONSET of standing estrus.

The SS book says the highest conception is at 5 to 8 hours from onset.
 
Cdcollett":2b8q4t7b said:
ez14.":2b8q4t7b said:
First service conception? Or % cows getting pregnant before the breeding deadline is over?

And yes with gender select semon the cull rate is going up all the time. All the more reason for a cow to conceive early because there might be 3 promising young heifers looking to take her place
I don't think either number would be what southernultrablack is after but the first service would be what I'm referring too.
I will be honest I can look through the records and there are a lot of cows with 2 and a few with 3 breedings before they conceived. There are some with more breedings then that but they need to have a good reason to stick around
 
ez14.":x4akxpnn said:
Cdcollett":x4akxpnn said:
ez14.":x4akxpnn said:
First service conception? Or % cows getting pregnant before the breeding deadline is over?

And yes with gender select semon the cull rate is going up all the time. All the more reason for a cow to conceive early because there might be 3 promising young heifers looking to take her place
I don't think either number would be what southernultrablack is after but the first service would be what I'm referring too.
I will be honest I can look through the records and there are a lot of cows with 2 and a few with 3 breedings before they conceived. There are some with more breedings then that but they need to have a good reason to stick around
Have you figured out your percentage for the first AI service?
 
And they don't want their dairy bulls around while they do it. None of that seems to be a pro or con for a small non dairy producer that should want a set of calves that are the same age. It's an apples and oranges comparison.

Pros of 100% ai
1. Breeding to a bull that has the desired traits
2. Not handling or feeding your own bull
3. If you were perfect at catching them at the right time and settling them in one round the cost would be lower.
4. It can be rewarding when your decision is a good one. The bad ones are educational as well.

Cons
1. You won't get 100%
2. Much more time on your part
3. Added stress to cattle when you do protocols & send them to the chute. Minor bur most wrecks seem to happen in the chute

There's others both ways. I prefer to mix between ai and cleanup but I have the luxury of both registered and commercial cattle so selling by the pound with the commercial group isn't that bad.
 

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