How to Artificially Inseminate Cows and Heifers

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Watch your cows and/or heifers for signs of estrus.

   Females go into heat once every ~21 days, and the heat periods themselves last for 24 hours.
   
   Check out this article:
   How to Tell if a Cow or Heifer is in Estrus for physiological, behavioral and physical signs of heat.
   
   Most heat periods start or end around dusk or dawn.
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   Step 2: Twelve (12) hours after estrus is when females should be AI'd.

   This time period is when the female ovulates, sending an ovum out to the fallopian tube to await fertilization from sperm from a bull. , If there are others behind her, make sure they are back behind another gate to prevent them from squishing you when they try to move up further in the race.
   
   If you have a squeeze chute with a palpation cage attached to it, use this as a means to do your AI'ing.
   
   Some barns are set up so that each cow is in a stanchion or head-catch lined up beside one another.
   
   This is very convenient for the AI tech who has to AI over 50 cows in one day! If doing AI outside, it is best to do it on sunny warm days, not when the weather is rainy or windy or even stormy.
   
   If you have a facility that is set up inside a shed or barn, so much the better!
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   Step 3: Calmly

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   Step 4: with proper handling practices put the heifers or cows in to the working alley to the squeeze chute (or alleyway with just a head gate is good enough)

5. 5

   Step 5: and catch the first female in the head gate.

Detailed Guide

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