Posted on June 1, 2010 - by Russell

Artificial Insemination Basics

What is Artificial Insemination?

            Artificial Insemination (A.I.) is defined as the collection of sperm from a male and placing it in the uterus of an in-estrus female.  This is commonly done in several species of animals and in man.  A.I. was first performed on cattle in the United States in 1937.  This procedure grew rapidly so that approximately two thirds of the 11 million dairy cattle in the U.S. are artificially inseminated presently.  In many countries, nearly 100 percent of dairy cattle are inseminated artificially.

Why use A.I.?

            The advantages of A.I. are: 1) If a bull is available that will sire offspring that are totally superior, then his semen can be divided into approximately 700 straws capable of causing about 60 percent pregnancies each week.  Some dairy sires have sired between 100,000 and 200,000 calves in a lifetime.  2) Bulls can be selected more carefully and tried to see if they sire high quality calves – then if they do, they can be used on a large number of females.  3) Semen can be frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen tanks and used years after the sire is dead.

What percent of cows bred by A.I. will conceive?

            A 60 percent conception rate is common for experienced inseminators.  This is about the same as if the cow was mated with a bull naturally.

Who can inseminate?

            The procedure for A.I. is relatively easy.  Many schools are held several times a year to teach the procedure.  The schools are usually three days in length.  The person going to the school then needs to use the knowledge gained as soon and as often as possible to fine tune his skills.  If you do not wish to A.I. cows yourself, you can usually hire a neighbor to do it for you or a local veterinarian.  Call your vet for details about local A.I. units or about schools.

What equipment is needed?

            Semen can be purchased at almost any artificial inseminating unit.  Usually you can rent a nitrogen tank until you find your need to buy one.  The equipment for insemination costs from $100 to $400.  It consists of a carrying case, a syringe or Kazoo gun, a container of sterile straws or sheaths that are sterile, an instrument to cut the top off the inseminating straw, forceps to grasp the frozen straw from the nitrogen tank and a hot water bath to thaw frozen semen.

Is A.I. practical for beef cattle?

            I had a purebred herd of cattle and purchased semen from a sire that had sold as a bull stud for $500,000.  The semen costs only $20.  The calf from that mating brought $2,000.  If you have good cows and can purchase semen from famous bulls that have all the qualities you want, then the results are usually profitable.  You must also have marketing expertise.
            If you are going to use artificial insemination for a genetic improvement program, it is necessary to have a well thought out plan in mind.

Is A.I. for you?

            Before answering this question, a producer needs to find out what is encompassed in the big picture of artificial breeding versus natural mating.  An A.I. program involves much more than just placing semen in the uterus of a cow in heat; it requires intensified management practices and knowledge of the ‘essentials’ that, when managed properly, contribute to the success of an artificial insemination program.
            Penciling out the costs and weighing them against the benefits can help you decide if A.I. can work in your operation.  The National Association of Animal Breeders (NAAB) points out the following advantages and requirements of artificial breeding programs.

Advantages of A.I.

·         The primary reward with A.I. is that it allows you to use outstanding bulls, likely some of the best the industry offers; access to the bulls is generally at moderate prices.

·         Goals will be achieved as quickly as is currently possible in beef cattle breeding.

·         Working hand in hand with A.I. are today’s advanced sire evaluations which give you reliable statistics that identify bulls superior in important economic traits.  Using the evaluations and A.I., your ability to produce seedstock for specific purposes is enhanced appreciably.

·         Experts have a vested interest in your success.  Your A.I. supplier is available to help you with your program.  A.I. organizations are going to stay in business only if they provide their clients with the best available genetics and help them use those genetics to their best advantage.

·         You can sample and use any number of bulls.

·         If you only have a few cows, you have as great a selection of genetics as someone with 1,000 cows.

·         You can match each cow to a different bull if you want.

·         If you refer to a sire summary in your selection, you can breed heifers to bulls known to reduce the risk of calving problems.

·         A.I. gives you access to well-promoted sires.  If one of them matches your specifications and you use him, you can take advantage of the sire’s name to help sell the offspring.

·         Using top bulls will result in top replacement heifers.  You won’t have to buy them, and many A.I. users have a good market for their extra heifers.

·         You don’t have to keep a bull around all year.

·         Even if you consider increased labor for heat detection and insemination, it’s often cheaper to buy semen than to keep a bull.

·         Your calving season will likely be shorter.  You’ll get a more uniform calf crop and save on labor.

·         When you buy semen from a reputable supplier, A.I. is one of the first lines of defense in disease prevention.  Reputable organizations follow exacting standards concerning bull health and semen collection, processing and storage.  The A.I. industry is self-governed and has a very impressive track record.

·         A.I. helps you identify fertility problems more quickly.

·         A.I. forces you to keep records.  Among other things, better records improve your replacement heifer selection and records can be effectively used in merchandising.

·         Heifer management is simplified.  Heifers of varying ages and sizes can be pastured together with no danger of them getting bred too early.

·         A.I. eliminates the need for several breeding pastures.

·         You have options.  You can use A.I. for one heat period, then use natural service; you can synchronize; or you can A.I. for two heat periods.

·         Advanced technology like embryo transfer is practical because of A.I.

·         A.I. encourages improved management.  There’s no sense committing the labor and resources if you’re not going to do it right.
           

Written by Dr. Keith Beeman, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University.

Source: Texas Longhorn Trails, July 2008 issue, page 142.