Getting better results from artificial insemination

Artificial insemination (AI) lets any farmer use the genetics of an outstanding bull without buying or feeding one. But many farmers are disappointed when cows do not conceive. Usually the cause is not the semen: it is the condition of the female, missed heats or poor timing. These six habits make the biggest difference.

1. Breed healthy, well-fed females

Thin or sick animals rarely conceive. Aim for cows in moderate condition, neither thin nor fat (a body condition score of about 2.5 to 3.5 out of 5). Make sure they have minerals, clean water and have been dewormed. After calving, give a cow about 50 to 60 days to recover before inseminating her.

2. Spot heat accurately

The surest sign of heat is a cow that stands still when another animal mounts her. Other signs include mounting other cows, clear stringy mucus, restlessness, bellowing, a swollen vulva and a drop in milk.

• Watch your animals for 20 to 30 minutes at least twice a day, early in the morning and in the evening.
• Write down every heat. The next one should come about 21 days later.
• Tail paint or chalk on the tailhead helps: rubbed-off paint shows she has been mounted.

3. Inseminate at the right time

Most technicians follow the AM/PM rule: a cow first seen in standing heat in the morning is inseminated that afternoon or evening, and a cow first seen in the evening is inseminated the next morning. Use the Heat-to-AI Timer in FarmKit to work out the best time.

4. Handle semen correctly

• Keep the liquid nitrogen tank topped up and check the level every week.
• Lift straws out of the tank quickly and only as high as needed.
• Thaw straws in clean water at 35 to 37 °C for about 40 seconds.
• Protect the thawed straw from sun and cold, and inseminate within 15 minutes.

5. Reduce stress

Handle animals calmly, restrain them in a proper crush or chute, provide shade and avoid long walks just before insemination. Stress at the time of breeding lowers conception rates.

6. Confirm pregnancy and keep records

Watch for a return to heat 18 to 24 days after insemination. Ask your vet to confirm pregnancy from about 35 days after service. Record the date, the bull or semen used, the technician and the result for every insemination, so you can spot problems early.

This guide is general information. It is not a substitute for advice from a vet who has examined your animals.