Monday and Tuesday, July 9-10, 2007

We had a 2-day artificial insemination (AI) training class. AI is how all of the cows at our farm are bred. It's safer, cheaper, and allows the farm to use better quality bulls without paying for the cost of their care. However, learning the technique is not easy. It’s very frustrating. You have to palpate the cervix through the rectum and then manipulate the cervix to place it over the tip of the insemination gun. The diagrams make it look easy, but most cows haven’t read any literature on bovine reproductive anatomy. These are all the supplies. (From left to right, liquid nitrogen cooler holds deep frozen semen, heated thermos holds warm water for thawing semen, small bottles of lube for outside your glove, baby powder for inside your glove, paper towels for cleaning the vulva, blue shoulder-length gloves.)This is the shape you make your hand when you first enter the rectum. It reminded us of sock puppets.
Hands-"in" learning!