Serving protocols

[lazy farmer]

Watched a AHDB webinar on fertility yesterday.
No startling revelations contained within it. But a useful refresher none the less. Plus interesting comparisons between AYR and block calving.
Anyway a question was asked around how many guns to load in any one go.
Without saying what was suggested by he vet lets say I was surprised. So I thought I would ask what goes on i the real world. Both for normal and sexed semen.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

We load 2 at a time but I always have someone loading guns for me so it would be rare for a straw to be in a gun for more than 2 mins.

 

[HasthorpeGrange]

Ideally 1 at a time especially with sexed or whatever can be used in 5 minutes of it been out of the water bath. Generally cows are quicker for me so I’d be more willing to load two guns. Cows would be side by side waiting for me though

 

[Kiss]

We load in 3/4 all cows ready turn around and they are there, had a couple sexed straws to use up just made sure they were first in

 

[dairyrow]

1 at a time. Don't know the cow is going to behave. More worried I paid for the apprentice to do the AI course and they can't find the cervix. They only had to put it into the right place 1 out of 3 attempts. Have changed the thawing device to a dairymac this time hoping it's better at thawing straws.

 

[axehandle]

we load 3or 4 and use a warmer , dont have to stress then

 

[jimmer]

Well I've heard of a dozen straws being chucked in a bucket of cold water and conception not being compromised

 

[sidjon]

We load up to 15 for normal straws and 4 with sexed and all straws here de-thawed with cold water and no warming of gun, for both sexed and normal stuff.

 

[jimmer]

We load up to 15 for normal straws and 4 with sexed and all straws here de-thawed with cold water and no warming of gun, for both sexed and normal stuff.

Effect on fertility obviously not negative?

 

[sidjon]

Effect on fertility obviously not negative?

4% MT for last 2 year and never had it above 7% for last 10 all over 11 weeks of breeding of which 6 week of AI.

 

[dinderleat]

Load 1 at a time it’s all about the 1% gains just got to do 100 of them.

 

[frederick]

2 simply because any more and I forget who's having what.

Great advocate on cold water in the past but think dairymac thawer has helped with sexed

 

[organicguy]

2 guns for 4 cows!

 

[Rossymons]

Most I've done was 6 but they were on a CIDR synch in a herringbone race having the same bull. Loading up was easy, didnt need to remember which cow needed which gun and just go.

Most I would normally do though would be 3 or 4 depending on the farm and the selection of bulls.

 

[Green Grass]

Wheres the best place to put all these guns once loaded. In your Welly, down the back or in a warmer?
One at a time here, I get confused easily.

 

[sidjon]

Put them in a clean AI glove, bacteria and perfume from your body kills sperm, had to stop AI tech this year from doing it.

 

[Rossymons]

Wheres the best place to put all these guns once loaded. In your Welly, down the back or in a warmer?
One at a time here, I get confused easily.

Down your front. I've got different polos which tell me different things- blue for beef, red is sexed etc.

 

[buffalo_soldier]

One at anytime here.
I will have several service periods in a day though so there's never too many to do at any one time.
Never worked out how folk get their cows to ovulate all at the same time every day?.

 

[thewalrus]

One at a time. Later in season may load two of beef straws

 

[Dead Rabbits]

Usually do things in fives. Have a dozen guns so the person doing the AI ing works his way through 5 while the person thawing straws and loading guns has at least 5 to refill. Then a third person is replacing stickers.