FINDING THE INSEMINATOR

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CHAPTER 4

• FINDING THE INSEMINATORS TARGET

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Preparation to Find Target

• Choose Arm for Manipulating the Cervix
• Develop a Positive Attitude and Relax
• Always Stand Sideways Behind the Cow

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Choose Arm for Manipulation
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Keep Fingernails Short
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Preparation to Find Target

• Put on Shoulder-Length Disposable Glove
• Keep Fingernails Short
• Use a New Glove Every Time to Reduce Disease
  Transfer
• Keep Inseminating Syringe Warm, Clean and Dry
• Wear Coveralls for Better Syringe Protection

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Lubricate the Glove
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Entering the Cow

• Place Small Amount of Lubricant on Hand
• Do NOT Use Soaps or Detergents
• Do NOT Use Manure
• Gently Rub the Anal Area
• Insert One Then Multiple Fingers Held Together
• With Fingers Forming a Cone Shape, Place an Equal
  and Opposite Force on the Cows Tail
• Continue to Push Hand Through Anus Into the
  Rectum Till Wrist Deep

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Entering the Cow
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Finding the Cervix

• Insert Hand to Wrist
• Open Hand From Coned Position
• Push Down and Begin Sweeping From Side to Side
• Helps You Recognize Extent of Pelvic Cavity
• Note Pelvic Floors Front Drop-off (Pelvic Brim)
• Press Fingertips Down to Pelvic Floor at the
  Midline
• Cervix Should be Found Near There

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Finding the Cervix
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Possible Obstructions

• Soft Feces Can Usually be Ignored
• If Some Must Be Removed
• Remove Only as Much as Necessary to Perform
  Manipulations
• Avoid Excessive In and Out Motions
• Allows Air to Enter Rectum
• Causes Ballooning
• Remove Ballooning By
• Gently Slapping or Patting the Rectal Wall or
• Reach to Forward Part of Ballooned Area and
  Gently Tug a Fold in the Rectal Wall Backward

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Picking Up Cervix

• After Location
• Determine Width, Length and Consistency
• Approach Cervix From Side
• Sweep Edge of Hand Under It
• Turn Hand So Fingers Extend Under Cervix

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Manipulation

• Lift Cervix
• Holding it With Thumb and Fingers
• Be Gentle but Firm
• Control It
• Move Cervix With Slight but Steady Pressure

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The Syringe

• Before Insertion
• Thoroughly Wipe Area Around the Vulva
• Take Syringe From Coveralls or Shirt
• Hold Between Thumb and First Two Fingers
• Handle as a Feather, Not as a Sword

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Inserting the Syringe

• Insert the Syringe at a 35 to 45 Degree Angle
• Level Out After Several Inches Are Inserted
• This Technique Minimizes Syringe Tip Entering the
  Urethral Opening

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Navigating the Vagina

• Gently Push the Syringe Through the Vagina
• Occasionally You Will Need to Guide the Syringe
  Around Vaginal Folds
• To Remove a Fold You Can Also Gently Push the
  Cervix Forward
• Keep Gently Inserting Until You Encounter the
  Cervix
• Tissue Will Be Hard Rather Than Soft and Elastic

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Vaginal Fold
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Entering the Cervix

• Position Thumb and First Two Fingers on End of
  Cervix Protruding Into Vagina
• Allow For Simultaneous Recognition of Cervical
  Opening and Syringe Tip
• Put Last Two Fingers Behind Cervix
• Use Them to Help Guide Syringe Into the Cervix
• Think of Pulling Cervix Onto Syringe, NOT Pushing
  Syringe Tip Into Cervix
• Never Force, Gouge or Drill an Opening With the
  Syringe

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Blind Pouch

• Start of Cervix (External OS)
• Projects Back Into Vagina
• Creates a Circular Blind Pouch
• Syringe Will Usually End Up in Pouch When Not
  Guided

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Eliminating the Blind Pouch

• Close Pouch By Gently Pressing Vaginal Walls
  Around the Projecting Cervix
• Use Thumb on Top
• Use Forefinger on the Side
• Use Middle Finger on the Bottom
• Hold Rear of Cervix Against the Pelvic Wall
• Remaining Two Fingers Help Guide Syringe Into
  Cervix
• Do Not Press To Hard or You May Close Off the
  Cervical Opening

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Bypass Dead Ends

• Inside Cervix are
• Cervical Rings and Projections
• Keep Syringe Tip Moving
• Lift, Tilt, Rock and Roll Cervix
• Do Not Hold Cervix in Palm of Hand
• May Close off Passage Way and Prevent Fingertip
  Action at Syringe Tip

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Cervix

• Shapes
• Sometimes Cervix Bends
• Cervical Kinks Will Need to be Straightened to
  Allow Syringe Advancement
• Locations
• Virgin Heifers and Beef Cows
• Generally Intra-Pelvic, Easy to Locate
• Dairy Cows After Second Calving
• Extra-Pelvic
• Locate Cervix and Bring into Pelvic Cavity

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Stop at Target

• Target is Where Front End of Cervix Joins the
  Body of the Uterus
• To Stop on Target
• Put Index Finger at Cervixs Front Limit
• Area Where Gristly Cervical Tissue Changes Into
  Spongy Uterine Tissue
• Press Down Slightly With Fingertip
• Will Be Able to Feel Syringe Tip Pass Through
  Last Cervical Ring
• Deposit Semen Slowly
• Inject Half of Semen, Re-check Position, Deposit
  Rest

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Stopping on Target

• Never Pass Syringe Tip Into Cows Uterus
• Scraping Uterine Lining Can Cause Damage or
  Infection
• Syringe Jammed Into Uterine Wall Can Cause an
  Abscess or Fatal Peritonitis

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Dye Test

• ABS District Sales Managers Can Arrange for Test
  With an ABS Dye Insemination Kit

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Is Cow Already Pregnant?

• Normal Cows May Show Heat During Pregnancy
• Between 5 and 15 of Cows Will Show At Least One
  Heat While Pregnant
• You May Begin to Inseminate a Pregnant Cow
• Learn To Recognize Signs of Possible Pregnancy
• If Pregnancy is Suspected, Pass Syringe Only 2/3
  to 3/4 of Way Through Cervix
• Can Help Avoid Causing an Abortion
• Mark Suspected Pregnancy on Barn Chart

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Suspect Pregnancy If . . . 1

• The time since calving is unusually long, or if
  the cow seems to be returning to heat after a
  delay. Determine date of last calving or
  insemination from the barn chart or individual
  cow record card.

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Suspect Pregnancy If . . . 2

• The cervix feels low, heavy far forward of the
  pelvic brim and cant easily be drawn backward
  and upward.

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Suspect Pregnancy If . . . 3

• Theres a sticky feeling and constant drag as the
  syringe passes through the cervix. It may seem
  like youre trying to maneuver through bubble
  gum.

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Suspect Pregnancy If . . . 4

• Thick yellow and sometimes blood-streaked mucus
  is passing from the vulva. The cow has been
  inseminated and has probably missed heats for
  several months. This animal is probably in the
  early stages of aborting its calf.

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Suspect Pregnancy If . . . 5

• There is obvious thinning and enlargement of the
  uterus.

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Suspect Pregnancy If . . . 6

• You can feel any parts of the calf or movement in
  the uterus.

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Summary

• Think in Terms of Putting the Cow Onto the
  Syringe
• Do Fingertip Manipulation Where the Tip is
  Located
• Always Hold Tip With Gentle Forward Pressure
• Develop and Fine-tune Technique for Recognizing
  Syringe Tip As it Enters Target

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Question 1

• You should always wear shoulder-length gloves as
  protection for both you and the cow.
• Do Gloves need to be changed after each cow or
  heifer?
• Why or why not?

Yes
Disease can be transferred with dirty sleeves.
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Question 2

• Youre about to insert your hand into the cows
  rectum.
• How far should you go before you begin searching
  for the cervix?

Wrist deep.
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Question 3

• Sometimes its difficult to work around feces in
  the rectum.
• What should you do to make it easier?

If necessary remove enough feces to perform the
required manipulations. Avoid excessive in and
out movement, as this causes the rectum to
balloon and must be removed.
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Question 4

• After youve located the cervix, how should it be
  held if you want to manipulate it onto the tip of
  the syringe?

Between the thumb and fingertips from the side.
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Question 5

• Why should you thoroughly wipe the area around
  the vulva before you insert the syringe?

Helps keep the inside of the vagina free from
contamination.
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Question 6

• How do you know if your syringe tip gets caught
  in a vaginal fold?
• What should you do?

You can feel it outside the cervix, or it is
pushing in soft elastic tissue.
Back up and maneuver around the fold.
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Question 7

• How can you eliminate the trap created by the
  circular blind pouch?

By closing the pouch off with your thumb and
fingertips.
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Question 8

• Halfway through the cervix the tip of your
  syringe wont easily move forward anymore. You
  think the cervix bends sharply downward.
• What action should you take to keep the syringe
  moving forward?

Carefully manipulate the cervix to pass through
the folds to reach the target.
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Question 9

• After several failed attempts to find the target
  you decide that it would be easier to pass the
  tip of the syringe all the way through the
  cervix, into the uterus and then back up to the
  target.Your instructor tells you that you
  shouldnt do this.
• Why not?

Because you can damage the fragile uterine tissue
by scraping it or puncturing it.
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Question 10

• How do you know exactly when the tip of the
  syringe has reached the target?

With your index finger on top of the cervix you
can feel the tip of the syringe at the end of the
hard tissue of the cervix.
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Question 11

• If you suspect a cow is pregnant, what should you
  do?

Do not go all the way through the cervix with the
syringe.