It’s not what we normally think of when we hear “AI,” but it’s just as revolutionary, especially for rural producers.
When artificially breeding cattle, artificial insemination involves taking semen from a bull and manually putting it into a cow to impregnate it, thus removing the need for a bull.
“We’re a rural area, there’s not a big cattle lot to choose from,” said Kate Rowan, a co-founder of Four Corners Women in Agriculture.
Artificial insemination makes it so a family with a single dairy cow with no finances to keep a bull around can still put forward good calves, said Rowan.
It’s beneficial to big ag operations, too, since it gives producers access to breeds that might not be available locally: Artificial insemination offers genetic variability in an otherwise rural area.
With grant money from the LOR Foundation, Four Corners Women in Agriculture sponsored five local female producers to undergo a two-day artificial insemination class at the Four States Ag Expo on March 14 and 15, valued at $497 per person.
“So many times women are overlooked when it comes to the ability to be successful in agriculture,” said Felicia Hermann, a producer who received her AI certification.
“The ability to have a hand with an animal from tube to grown is fascinating and I don’t want any little girl that wants to do it be told she can’t … the encouragement must come from seeing other women succeed,” said Hermann.
The class was from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days, and covered everything from cattle anatomy to semen handling to techniques that ultimately informed hands-on practice.
Heslep’s Coastal Cattle out of Delaware taught it at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds, and its teacher Stephanie has over 11 years of hands-on experience artificially inseminating both beef and dairy cattle.
“Heslep’s Coastal Cattle did an excellent job, I learned so much,” said Jennifer White, a student in the class. “I will be using this knowledge for many years to come.”
A core value of Four Corners Women in Ag, Rowan said, is “increasing and expanding educational offerings,” so they were excited when this opportunity came along.
The five participants – some had past experience artificially inseminating pigs, others were “new and nervous” – all had different reasons for pursuing the certification, though it boiled down to knowledge, which is “key to a successful breeding operation,” as Hermann put it.
“I’m seeking an AI certification to improve future breeding on my farm,” said Janna Neely, a participant, before the class. “AI would allow me to enhance herd genetics, increase breeding success, and reduce costs.”
Another producer, Latifa Rodriguez, said upon learning beef AI, she would “help other fellow families in Montezuma County learn how to do the same.”
Rowan said the students also learned how to insert CIDR device, or Controlled Internal Drug Release, which is hormone therapy so “every cow comes to cycle at the same time.”
With CIDR, “all cows should birth at the same time,” she said.
Rowan underscored how the certification “is fantastic for people in this area,” since it’s “streamline and increases genetic variability.”
What’s more, those at the clinic got to connect with other producers and make new friends, which is second only to education for Four Corners Women in Ag.
