AI success rate

I have a question pertaining a friend of mine that I do AI for. This last breeding season (2011) marked the third year I have done AI for him. This year was also the first year we AI'd his deer on his farm in his new handling facility. The two previous years his animals were at my good friends place in north Alabama. In 2009 and 2010 we hit pretty close to 65-70% success with AI. In both 2009 and 2010 his deer were breed while sedated, then reversed and transported back down to south Alabama. So all things considered I feel pretty good about those success rates with all that stress on his deer. This last breeding season(2011) we bred 25 deer total, 9 of them being yearlings. He had a new handling facility built on his farm so when it came time to doing the AI it was only the third time the does had been in the drop chute. Last year we also did the AI 2 weeks earlier than previous years, we bred the 10th or 11th of November. This last year we did the AI during the day also, where previous years we had done it at night. With all the other deer I bred in Alabama during the 2011 breeding season I hit right around 75%, give or take. I am completely open to anyone's response. I am wondering how much the time of day, the time of month, and the stress of it being the third time in the cute would effect the overall success of our AI? I am confident that I do a good job when I AI as I have good success at other farms and ranches. I do not do the AI for a job, its a hobby of mine and I really enjoy the people I get to be around and meet. For this reason I do not over book myself, I only have 5-7 people that I AI for depending on the year, so I know when it comes time to do the AI I can offer 100% every time. So the variables that I mentioned are in my opinion the three major things that could be changed for next season to increase our AI success rates. Thanks for your thoughts and opinions in advance.



-Johnny B

If you are AI'ing at 75% you can AI for me anytime. That's a very good number to hit on from what I have had done and been told.

John ,just wondering what tools you have .

dearjohn, I purchased the majority of my AI supplies from Kelly and Hillary Powell. Kelly was also the person that taught me how to AI, I think it has been 5 years since he taught me how to AI. I have 2 different size speculums, a continental AI gun for both 1/4 and 1/2 cc straws. I purchased a cito straw thawing device from Elgin Breeding Service in Elgin, TX. I have a thermometer for temperature verification while thawing the straws, and a stopwatch.



Mr. Gleason, the majority of success while doing AI is up to the farmer or rancher leading up to the AI date. The most important thing when doing AI is having your does in a stress free environment, and having them in as good of condition as you possibly can prior to AI. You are welcome to PM me, I am more than happy to talk to you. I might be able to help you out. I do not claim to be an expert in any way shape or form, I am always open to new suggestions, and more importantly I am always looking for ways to improve on what I did in years past.



-Johnny B

I have thought that a microscope would be very important ,so as to check how good the straws are to begin with. also good for stool samples. also the speculums I seen at Br2 whitetail field day last summer were improved. A different lighting system .said to work better because of less glare . I believe it was a small led wired toward the tip . Ma-by someone has more info on this. Be as good as the best and better then the rest.

Johnny b I think YOIR doing a fine job with those AI percentages....way better than I ever got from anyone I ever hired and I used some top name guys......anyhow we have done our own AI the last two years and have experienced about the same as you as far a percentages....this year a little better even......I have a delclana Papa deer chute and don't even use it anymore as I feel sedating them is less stressful than running them through the chute system.......just my thoughts......what are yours on chute verse sedation?

My apologies dearjohn, I do also use a microscope to examine the semen. It does give an indication as to the quality of the semen. I have some ideas of a different design for a speculum, I would be very interested to see what the speculums look like that Br2 whitetails have. Thank you for the heads up on that.



ddwhitetails, I think the AI success when sedating your animals is dependent on how quickly your does go under. If they are out too long they will start to pee even if water was pulled 12hrs prior to breeding. If the doe starts to pee I start worrying, semen and pee do not equal fawns come spring. I have been in the range of 60-65% on sedated does and 70-75% on deer going through the chute. I am more of a believer that AI success has to do with the care given to the animals prior to breeding. Most anyone can put the semen in the right place at the right time. Having your does in the best condition possible is ultimately what will allow for AI success rates 75% and higher.



Does anyone here AI during the day by choice? Or is anyone breeding 2 weeks prior to your animals normal first heat cycle.



Thanks for the responses, much appreciated!



-Johnny B

We ai during the day and have for 5 years. Also, we "jumped" 3 weeks ahead of the natural rut cycle with GREAT success. 92,91 and 73% over the past three years. To me, the key is having a CALM herd and WORKABLE handling setup.

The 73% includes a doe that died and had 4 first timers in the mix.

I also went to kellys and stayed awhile with him. I also bought their kit. I have hit 100% for the last 2 years. 2 last year and 6 this year. Small numbers yes and plan to stay that way. I breed at night, I always put them out and i always breed on the 14th of nov. I think i have done so well because i let the buck breed them their first year and i also have always used a whole straw. I plan on splitting a couple this year because of the straws i have will be hard to replace. Kelly says look at breeding a deer like a yard stick. The last inch is putting the semen in. There is alot of important steps in those inches before pushing the semen in and i believe it starts the minute she has her fawns in getting her ready to breed again in the fall.

I absolutely agree on the condition of your does being a big factor on AI Success ....however, on the years I had bad conception rates my deer where in excellent shape...the guy doing the Aiing even commented on their good condition........I still believe running the animals through a chute is more stressful than sedation.....but I guess their are issues with each.....

We did not AI this past year but have for over 10 years. Of course the quality of the semen is important - there is some low quality stuff out there you need to watch for - but beyond that the handling of the deer is next important. It is important that a group of does are together for a substantial period of time before the AI and then put back together after. It helps if they are in the same pen they are familiar with - all this keeps the stress level down. If they have been through the chute numerous times they should be more comfortable with it. Then get them in and out and back to their home pen as quickly as possible.



We typically averaged 75% splitting straws and doing the AI in the chute. We were doing about 50-100 does each time.

I agree with you ddwhitetails, each method of AI has its advantages and disadvantages. I think it is very situational in that sense. It is also dependent on each animal, some does just do not take to AI at all, they are obviously removed from breeding programs.



Wild Rivers, I strongly agree with you that having the deer in the same pen together prior to and after the AI is crucial to good success. If the does need to re-establish a pecking order than that is added stress that in my opinion can decrease the chance of conception. I have run into some bad semen in my experience! Two years ago my friend was willing to step out on a limb for some one and breed almost 30 of his mature does to one buck, another friend only 20 minutes from him had the same experience with the same farm. None of the does took to the semen that I put in them. It was unfortunate, but what do you do aside from not use that farm again? Thank you all for your responses.



-Johnny B

We finished up going 13 for 14. We had a few singles and a few deads but everything went very good! We also had 7 Arty fawns ( 6 bucks and one doe)!

Great success, I would take that! Arty came thru good for you. Did you do your own?

Mr. Simonson, you cannot complain about a success rate like that. Alex, do you perform your own AI?

No I did not do my own, Justin Luther did it. This is the first time I used him but it will notbe the last! Alex, I am very happy to get 7 arty fawns out of 2 straws, only problem was I have some of the bucks on the bottle, too much rain and very cold when they were born. o'well I will take it! Did you use Arty? Talk later, SIMONSON

Yes I did use Arty. One group of 3 we were 2-3, third doe I sold and they have not responded to whether she hit or not, I used full straws, LAI. Second group 2-4, one doe died this winter so ended 2-3 again, using 1/2 straws each LAI. I'm in same boat having to feed buck fawns. Alex

My average for the last 3 years is 83%. Which I agree with those that said the big part of it is the health of the does leading up to the AIing is probably the biggest key. Any questions feel free to give me a call, I do not profess to be an expert, however I am willing to help wherever I can.



Woodside Premier Whitetails

Bremen, IN.

574-209-2226; 574-546-4702

I switched to a french gun this year and split straw's on some and used full straw's on other's. I did better with half straw's than I did with full straw's only one doe that had a half straw used on her missed and I do think that was my fault. I had two miss with full straw's both from the same buck, I have used 3 straw's now from the same buck that I picked up from the same farm and no fawn's. I have one left and no plan's to use it. This year was 5 of 6 on split straw's and 2 of 4 on full straw's.