Artificial insemination (AI) is the second most common practice by farmers – it is the only alternative to breeding livestock without natural mating methods. The AI method is much more commonly used for dairy cows, not beef cattle. However, AI is now also quite in demand for breeding beef cattle due to increased access to selling bull breeds. Knowing how to artificially inseminate your cows is very important to increase your breeding success rate, especially if you don't have a bull or the conditions are less favorable for the cow.
The steps in this article will explain in detail what is needed in the AI process. To understand the artificial insemination method and be certified to do it, visit the nearest bull sperm company (such as Semex, Genex, and Select Sires in the United States). Check if the company has an artificial insemination certification program or teaches how to do it. This will be very useful if you do not have a bull to fertilize a female cow.
You can also use the services of an artificial insemination expert to breed cows. The expert is more adept at doing it than you who are self-taught.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Watch the Cow before Starting the Insemination Process
Step 1. Watch your cow for signs of estrus
Female cows are ready to mate once every 21 days. The period of heat usually lasts for 24 hours.
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Read the article on how to identify a cow in estrus to recognize the psychological, behavioral, and physical signs of a cow in heat.
Most heat periods begin or end at dusk or at sunrise
Step 2. Perform artificial insemination 12 hours after the start of the cow's estrus period
This is the cow's ovulation time. The egg in the female cow will be channeled into the fallopian tube so that it can be fertilized by the male cow's sperm.
Step 3. Slowly lead the cow in the correct procedure to insert her into the pen (or a small hallway with a door), then position her head so that it pokes out the door
If there are other cows behind them, be sure to push them away so they don't try to push the cow that is about to be fertilized. If you put a cow in a palpation pen, inseminate it in it. Some cowsheds are designed so that the animals can line up neatly with their heads sticking out of the fence. This position is very advantageous for AI experts who have to artificially inseminate 50 cows in one day!
If the insemination process is carried out outdoors, you should do it when the weather is sunny. Do not do this process in rainy and windy weather, or during a storm. If possible, artificial insemination should be done in a cage
Method 2 of 3: Preparation Before Performing Artificial Insemination
Step 1. Prepare water for bathing with a temperature of 34 to 35 degrees Celsius in a thermos
Use a thermometer for better accuracy.
Step 2. Identify the sperm storage tank you need
Storing sperm in tanks arranged according to the location of the bulls will make it easier for you to search.
Step 3. Remove the sperm reservoir from the center of the storage tank
Pull the reservoir until you can select the desired sperm container. Make sure the top of the reservoir is not higher than the boundary line, or about 5-7 cm from the top of the tank.
Step 4. Take the tube containing the sperm, then lower the reservoir back into the tank
Make sure the tube stays in the tank when you pick up the straw containing the sperm with the tweezers.
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You only have 10 seconds to grab a straw filled with sperm!!!
Step 5. Flick the straw filled with frozen sperm to remove any residual liquid nitrogen (nitrogen will turn into a gas quickly if exposed to air or warm temperatures)
Step 6. Place the frozen sperm in a thermos of water, then let it rest for 40-45 seconds
The water must have a temperature of around 35ºC so that the straw containing the sperm can be completely thawed
Step 7. After the sperm is put in warm water, put the tube back into the tank by lifting the reservoir and rotating the tube, then returning it to its original position
Tubes that have been pulled out for more than 10 seconds should be immediately lowered back into the tank to cool. Never put a straw containing sperm into the tank after it has been removed from the tube
Step 8. Prepare the insemination device by assembling it first (this can be done before/after you fill the thermos with warm water)
If the weather is cold, warm the tip of the tool that will be inserted into the cow by smothering it with your shirt. Rubbing a paper towel on the handle of the utensil can also keep it warm. If the weather is hot, store the insemination device in a cool place. The appliance should not be too hot or too cold to the touch.
Step 9. Remove the straw containing the sperm from the thermos, then wipe it dry with a tissue
The item must be dry before you can proceed with the process. Flick your wrist slightly while holding the wrinkled end of the straw to adjust the air bubbles in the straw. This flick should move the bubble to the end you're holding.
Step 10. Place the straw on the tool handle
Pinch the part that is 1 cm from the crease at the end of the straw. Prepare sharp scissors, or a cutting tool specifically designed for cutting straws, then cut off the bubbly part of the straw.
Step 11. Wrap the insemination device in a clean dry tissue or protective sheath, then tuck it into your shirt to take it to the cow so the temperature doesn't change
Method 3 of 3: Performing Artificial Insemination on Female Cattle
Step 1. Lift the tail with the upper left arm or tie it so as not to interfere with the insemination process
Lift the tail with one hand (preferably the right hand), then use the left hand (which has been gloved and lubricated) to clean the dirt on the cow's buttocks that can hinder the process of installing the insemination device in the animal's vagina.
Step 2. Wipe the vulvar area with a clean tissue or cloth to remove any remaining dirt and dust
Step 3. Remove the insemination device from your jacket or wear, unwrap it, then insert it into the cow's vulva from a 30 degree angle
This will prevent the device from entering the urethra, which is connected to the urinary tract.
Step 4. Use your right hand (hand position should be on the rectum) to feel the walls of the rectum and vagina until you find the tip of the insemination device before it reaches the cervical area
Step 5. Grab the cervix with your hand on the cow's rectum (imagine you're holding a peg under your hand) and hold it while pointing the tip of the tool into the cow's cervix
Step 6. When the tip of the tool has entered the cervix, check its location using the middle finger
The tip of the insemination device should enter about 1.5-3.5 cm into the uterus.
Step 7. Release the pressure on the insemination device right at the end of your right hand that was inserted until the sperm is released by half
Step 8. Recheck the location of the sperm to make sure it is in the cow's uterus, not the “blind spot” (see tip below), then remove any remaining sperm from the straw
Step 9. Gently remove the insemination apparatus, as well as your hands from the cow's body
Check for blood, infection, or residual sperm.
Step 10. Double-check the straw containing the sperm to make sure you are using the right sperm for the female cow
Step 11. Dispose of straws containing sperm, gloves and towels in place
Step 12. Clean the insemination tool, if necessary
Step 13. Record the breeding information in your livestock breeding data collection system
Step 14. Release the cows (if necessary, depending on the land you have), then capture the other cows to be inseminated
Step 15. Check the temperature of the water in the thermos again before repeating the above steps to the other cows
Step 16. Repeat the above steps on the next cow
Tips
- Keep insemination equipment clean, warm, and dry.
- Insemination equipment should not be exposed to continuous lubricants because most lubricants can kill sperm.
- Liquid nitrogen is the best solution to keep sperm cooler and last longer.
- Never insert the insemination device beyond the cervix because it can cause infection or bleeding in the urinary tract.
- Make sure the tip of the insemination device is tilted 30 degrees, not tilted down, so that the device does not enter the urinary tract.
- Do not be in a hurry when doing the process of insemination in cows. Rushing and wanting to get things right will often lead you to make more mistakes. Do all the process calmly and slowly.
- Take the straws containing the sperm one by one. You can only inseminate one cow at a time. So, it is better if the liquid of each straw contains sperm separately.
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Use your fingers to move and locate the insemination device in the cow's vagina. Avoid the two "blind spots" near the cervix.
- There is an invisible circular pouch that fuses with the back-facing portion of the cervix, about 1.5-2.5 cm deep. This pouch surrounds the back of the cervix which is shaped like a dome.
- The cervix is not a straight and narrow channel. The channel has a segment like a finger so that its shape is curved. This canal also feels like a dead end or has pockets that can cause the artificial insemination process to fail.
- Insert the gloved hand into the cervix according to rectal palpation in cattle.
Warning
- Low success rates are very common with inseminations performed by lay people.
- Beware of the blind spots mentioned above.
- Artificial insemination is much more difficult than one might think. Many errors occur in the process of installing a pipette (or insemination device) in the bovine urethral canal. This problem arises because the tip of the insemination tool slides very easily, but it is not possible to check its position.
- Never artificially inseminate a cow unless you are very experienced or have received the necessary training.
