By Tony Hawkins, AI gives producers access to high-powered genetics for their operation’s goals. Let’s look at the supplies you’ll need and best practices for the most success.  

Getting Started 

If you’re interested in beginning an AI program in your herd, I suggest to first speak with your veterinarian to help identify a Bovine Artificial Insemination Training Course that would be right for you, or to connect with a trained specialist. When considering sire selection, I recommend that producers speak with their herd health veterinarian about:     

Proper insemination technique and the selection of synchronization protocols are really important. Another important factor is nutrition. Make sure to keep the heifers in a good state of nutrition – a poor plane of nutrition can affect her fertility. The heifers and cows need to be in a positive energy balance and gaining weight – or at a very minimum, maintaining weight. Receiving high protein levels and an excellent trace mineral program will also increase chances for success. 

Supplies Needed to Build a Basic Insemination Kit 

Be sure to clean and disinfect the items in the AI kit both before and after using. Clean the items with warm water and soap to make sure all residue is rinsed off. Then, disinfect using Chlorohexidine. Beware that disinfectants can be spermicidal, so producers should rinse well so they don’t affect the fertility of the semen sample.  

Producers may also want to consider their options for timed-AI or heat detection, of which there are many options on the market today.  

Best Practices for handling the storage tank, Thawing straws and proper AI technique 

Handling the storage tank  

Thawing the straws  

Improperly thawing the semen will decrease the fertility in the sperm. Warm water thawing is industry standard, and cattlemen can do that by using either a commercial thawing unit, like a water bath, or an insulated thermos.  

Pointers on proper AI technique  

Sanitation is significantly important during insemination to avoid carrying any bacteria into the uterus, which could cause infection. Using paper towels, wipe off any feces near the lips of the vulva and inside the visible vaginal wall before inseminating. Avoid using any disinfectants; those can be spermicidal. 

During insemination, the easiest way to minimize contamination and advance the straw is with some help from the producer’s arm that is in rectally. Put some downward pressure on that arm to spread apart the lips of the vulva. When inserting the straw, go at an upward angle of about 30 degrees. 

When advancing the straw and there is any resistance, using the hand that's in rectally, take the cervix and push it in forward to straighten out the vagina. 

Getting the straw through the cervix can take some practice, but there are some ways to make it easier. It’s common to experience some difficulty here because there is a pouch all the way around the cervix called the fornix; it’s easy to get stuck in this blind pouch. When advancing the straw, make sure to be in the middle of the cervix. And rather than pushing the straw through the cervix, hold the straw firmly and then with the hand that is rectal, grasp the cervix and pull the cervix over the straw.  

The last point is to avoid going too deep into the uterus. If the straw gets into one of the horns of the uterus, instead of staying in the body, there is risk of unsuccessfully inseminating that cow because they ovulate from only one side. So, if she is inseminated from the wrong side on accident, the sperm simply will not get to the right side in which she is ovulating.  

Source: Valley Vet Supply