{"id":4456,"date":"2020-09-30T11:39:56","date_gmt":"2020-09-30T16:39:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/genus-develop.go-vip.co\/absglobal\/?p=4456"},"modified":"2022-08-29T08:46:06","modified_gmt":"2022-08-29T13:46:06","slug":"sexed-semen-and-estrus-detection-a-win-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/genus-develop.go-vip.co\/absglobal\/sexed-semen-and-estrus-detection-a-win-win\/","title":{"rendered":"Sexed Semen & Estrus Detection a Win-Win"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Research shows that conception results with sexed semen can be drastically improved using estrus detection. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Provided by Estrotect<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Focusing cattle breeding to produce animals with maternal or terminal traits is advantageous to beef producers depending on their situation. More heifers with maternal traits create an opportunity to grow your cowherd rapidly and improve the quality of your females. More terminally focused calves results in higher weaning weights, increased feed efficiency and additional overall profit.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Either of these breeding goals can be achieved when using ABS Global\u2019s Sexcel\u2122 sexed semen through the Sexcel 60\/40 Synch<\/a> <\/a>program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
George Perry, Texas A&M AgriLife Research<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The innovative breeding system uses a combination of fixed timed artificial insemination (AI) and estrus detection with Estrotect\u2122 Breeding Indicators. The system was first successfully implemented in a South Dakota State University (SDSU) research study led by George Perry, now a beef cattle reproductive specialist at Texas A&M AgriLife Research.[1]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA common misconception is that fertility decreases when breeding with sexed semen,\u201d says Perry. \u201cIn reality, the drop in fertility is because of the cows and heifers that have no estrus activity.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Improving the Outcomes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2017, while Perry was at SDSU, he led a USDA-funded study with the objective of seeing how far producers could skew a calf crop in terms of sex and its economic impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time of the initial study, sexed semen wasn\u2019t implemented in many beef herds. Most researchers\u2019 experience with sexed semen came from working with dairy herds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur goal from the study was to see if we could successfully use the practice in commercial cow-calf herds,\u201d says Perry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Six different commercial herds in South Dakota with 500 head or fewer were identified to participate in the research study. Throughout three breeding seasons, the herds were transitioned from natural service with synchronization to timed AI before using sexed semen in the last breeding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study used Sexcel semen provided by ABS (available in dairy, and still in the research phases for beef at the time).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was a joint collaboration between SDSU and ABS to get more data for everyone, helping prove sexed semen works in beef herds,\u201d says Perry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Proof in the Results<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study found that pairing the Sexcel 60\/40 Synch program with Estrotect Breeding Indicators could achieve conception rates near conventional semen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cows and heifers were synchronized using a 7-day CO-Synch plus CIDR protocol. Following CIDR removal, an Estrotect Breeding Indicator was applied to cattle for chute-side estrus detection at the time of AI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A patch scoring protocol on a 1-4 scale based on the amount of the surface patch color rubbed off was used in the study and is now the recommended practice for Estrotect Breeding Indicators:<\/p>\n\n\n\n