Artificial Insemination; Is it Worth My Time? December 7 th , 2010 - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Artificial Insemination; Is it Worth My Time? December 7 th , 2010 Carl R. Dahlen

Artificial Insemination (AI) in the US Dairy Herd NAHMS, 2009

Potential Benefits of AI: Increase Uniformity of Calf Crop Increase Weaning Weight Enhance Carcass Value Improve Genetics of Herd

Potential Benefits of AI: Reduce Risk of Disease Reduce Birth Weight Shorten Calving Season Produce Calves of Known Sex?

Reproductive Technology Use in US Beef Herd Estrus Synchronization 7.9 Artificial Insemination 7.6 Palpation for Pregnancy 18.0 Ultrasound 2.2 Pelvic Measurement 3.9 Body Condition Scoring 14.3 Semen Evaluation 19.5 Embryo Transfer 1.6 Any Technology 35.0 0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0 Percent of operations NAHMS, 2010

Potential Drawbacks of AI: Time and Labor T oo Complicated Cost Facilities Do Not Work “Other” T op 2 concerns = 55% of Operations NAHMS, 2010

Estrous Synchronization Protocols Hybrid Synch T wo shot PGF MGA/PGF Hybrid Synch+CIDR Select Synch 7-11 Synch 14 d CIDR-PG & TAI CO-Synch + hCG MGA Select Ov-synch PG-7-d CO-synch +CIDR Presynch CO-synch MGA-PG & TAI Resynch CIDR/PGF Resynch One shot PGF 7-d CO-synch + CIDR 5-d CO-synch + CIDR Select Synch+CIDR & TAI Heat Synch

What Makes a Good Protocol? It HAS to work!!!

What Works? CO-Synch + CIDR protocol (Lamb et al., 2006; Larson et al., 2006) GnRH & PGF TAI GnRH CIDR Day -7 0 54-66 h What do we expect: ~56% pregnant (range of 43-74%) How many cows does your bull cover in the first cycle? ~50% pregnant (Similar Range)

What Does AI Cost? $4.40 GnRH = $9.00 CIDR = PGF = $2.00 Semen = $15.00 Labor = $4.10 T otal $34.50

What Does AI Cost? Still need to have cleanup bulls 50% pregnancy rate to AI = 50% the bulls don’t have to cover = 50% Fewer Bulls

Determining Bull Cost in a Natural Service Herd Purchase Price Stocking Rate Feed Useful Life Yardage Depreciation Health Death Loss Interest Salvage Value

Example of Cost Purchase Price Useful Life $6,000 3 Feed Cost over Life $365 $7,519 Yardage Salvage Value $91 $1,260 Health Adj T otal Cost $6,259 $50 First Year Adj Yearly Cost $6,506 $2,086 Recurring Cost Stocking Rate $506 25 Cost Per Cow $83.45

Evaluation of Systems Treatment (TAI): GnRH & n = 582 PGF TAI GnRH CIDR Day -7 0 54-66 h Control: Turn in Bull n = 615 Day 0

Cumulative Calving Distribution TAI Control 100 90 Percentage of cows calving 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 Day of calving season

Noncumulative Calving Distribution 30 ** * * 25 25 * 22 21 20 20 18 16 15 ** 15 % 10 10 9 7 7 7 6 4 5 4 3 3 2 1 1 0 1-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 80+ NC Days P<.01

Weaning Results Item TAI Control Weaning weight, lbs 514 508 84 x Cows weaning a calf, % 78 y Weaning weight per cow exposed, lbs 426 x 388 y x,y Means Differ (P < 0.01)

Items of Interest Calving Distribution/Ease Weaning Weight Physical Characteristics Frame, Muscling, Conformation Performance beyond weaning Backgrounding, finishing, metabolism Longevity in cow herd Genetic progress over time

Summary Using AI can reduce expenses in some situations Bull Price is the major influence on cost TAI influenced calving distribution TAI did not alter weaning weight Using TAI improved lbs weaned/exposed female