DIY AI - Has anyone here done a course?

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 11:01 am

I am seriously considering a course in DIY AI, as I want to AI my Dexters at some point and think I may get a better uptake if I can AI at the time that suits the cow. Has anyone here done one. Does anyone know if Lantra or any other body offers help with the costs of these courses?

Stephanie

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clacko · Post by **clacko** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 12:26 pm

serioulsy considerd putting vic through the course but when i spoke to some friends about it, it wasn't worth the hassle and expence from the handling and storage side of things for how many services we would do each year. i think you have to pay more handling charges if you are diy, we have had genus out to serve 10 doses over 2 visits on our shorthorns and it cost £100 + vat which i didn't think was to bad considering technician was 30 miles away, we just had 1 of which return so it will be interesting to get bill for that visit :O . the one thing i do know is that it is going to cost about £100 per head to get in calf by the time we add all bills together, but i do still have a few straws in storage in case more returned, that included the cost of estrumate, 2 visits by vet, semen, ai tech. good luck paul

redhill · Post by **redhill** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 2:13 pm

as Paul says the cost of diy is prohibitive, even after you have completed the course, I did my course some 20yrs ago, yes it is very handy if you can afford the running costs to start with you have to buy a storage flask, then you have the cost of toping up the nitrogen about twice a year.
however on the other hand you can ai your cow at the optimum time not just at the time when the technician can get to you which more often than not is either too early or to late usually too late, plus not many technician have much experience of Dexters and therefore sometimes find it difficult getting the semen into the right place, I know when I started to ai our Dexters after being used to Fresians it initially took me a while to adjust.
when I was doing my own ai I used to ai the cow one hour after she stopped standing to be ridden, at the time I was herd manager for 145 head dairy herd and had a conception rate of 97% to first service mind you this did mean me having to ai cows at various times day and night.
Bill, Castlemears Dexters

natmadaboutdexters · Post by **natmadaboutdexters** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 12:09 pm

At a slight tangent to this topic, how do we get started with AI? We are thinking of using AI on one of our heifers who has already had one calf. Is it a case of registering with Genus , then finding a bull on the list and contacting the member or the society office? Do we contact Genus when the cow is bulling or do we need the vet to assess when she is fertile? so many questions, has anyone any answers?

Natasha

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 7:45 pm

Hello Natasha,

I think I would first contact your nearest AI Centre, then choose a bull buy the semen and store it at a nearby AI Centre.

You can buy the semen from wherever and keep at the AI Centre, they charge so much per month to keep it.

You ring the AI Centre when the cow is bulling, which you decide yourself usually.

The cow that is bulling is mostly the one underneath, as long as she doesn't run off when mounted by another cow. If she runs away, it is probably the one trying to mount that is bulling.

It is ideal not to AI when the cow is crazy bulling but just as she settles down and stops standing for another cow to jump on her. Not easy when you ring the AI at 8 and he sometimes arrives at 3 but I had an exceptional success rate using AI with my herd of milkers!

Another way to do it is to contact the vet and use a prostaglandin injection. I think from distant memory that you need to inject twice about a week apart. Then you know exactly when to AI but you AI two days running, so it is more expensive but if you are new to AI it may be cheaper in the long run. I hope Duncan will put me right on this - as he usually does!!! :D

Stephanie

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Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 9:02 pm

The usual drill for synchronising with prostaglandin in two injections 11 days apart, insemination 76 hours after the second injection.

Farmers using it for large numbers often serve any seen on with the first jag and only get the second for those not seen on.

For those not confident of heat detection tail paint or blister devices which release red when another animal mounts the cow can be a big help for heat detection.

It certainly is an alternative if you are unsure of heat detection. It can even be used for only one cow, though I hesitate at the term "synchronised" if there is only one! The conception rates acheived are usually about the same as by normal competent heat detection on the same farm. When measuring things like percentage conception to first service in a very small herd of course the percentages are meaningless - you either have a great success or a dreadful failure. I have used AI several times when short of a bull but my average conception rate with AI is only 30%. I know others use it and do much better.

Duncan

GEE TEE · Post by **GEE TEE** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 9:39 am

Hello Stephanie,spotted in FG this week DIY AI TRAINING in verious regions of the country offered by embryonics, but a 4 day course costs £450 plus vat
more info from www.embryonics.co.uk

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 10:40 am

Hello GEE TEE,

Yes I am intending to do a course with them near me next year, I am told I may get some funding from Lantra - we will see and there are quite a few flasks around second hand, so I am going to see what the prices are like and if funding is available.

Stephanie