A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
CHAPTER 4
FINDING THE
INSEMINATOR’S
TARGET
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
Preparation to Find Target
• Choose Arm for Manipulating the Cervix
• Develop a Positive Attitude and Relax
• Always Stand Sideways Behind the Cow
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
Choose Arm for Manipulation
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
Keep Fingernails Short
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
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
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
Lubricate the Glove
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
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 Cow’s Tail
– Continue to Push Hand Through Anus Into the
Rectum Till Wrist Deep
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
Entering the Cow
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
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 Floor’s Front Drop-off (Pelvic Brim)
• Press Fingertips Down to Pelvic Floor at the
Midline
– Cervix Should be Found Near There
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
Finding the Cervix
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
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
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
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
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
Manipulation
• Lift Cervix
– Holding it With Thumb and Fingers
• Be Gentle but Firm
– Control It
• Move Cervix With Slight but Steady Pressure
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
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
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
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
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
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
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
Vaginal Fold
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
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
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
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
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
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
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
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
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
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
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
Stop at Target
• Target is Where Front End of Cervix Joins the
Body of the Uterus
• To Stop on Target:
– Put Index Finger at Cervix’s 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
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
Stopping on Target
• Never Pass Syringe
Tip Into Cow’s
Uterus
– Scraping Uterine
Lining Can Cause
Damage or Infection
– Syringe Jammed
Into Uterine Wall
Can Cause an
Abscess or Fatal
Peritonitis
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
Dye Test
• ABS District
Sales
Managers
Can Arrange
for Test With
an ABS Dye
Insemination
Kit
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
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
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
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.
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
Suspect Pregnancy If . . . 2
• The cervix feels low, heavy far forward of the
pelvic brim and can’t easily be drawn backward
and upward.
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
Suspect Pregnancy If . . . 3
• There’s a sticky feeling and constant drag as the
syringe passes through the cervix. It may seem
like you’re trying to maneuver through bubble
gum.
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
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.
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
Suspect Pregnancy If . . . 5
• There is obvious thinning and enlargement of
the uterus.
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
Suspect Pregnancy If . . . 6
• You can feel any parts of the calf or movement
in the uterus.
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
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
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
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? Yes
• Why or why not?
Disease can be transferred with dirty sleeves.
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
Question 2
• You’re about to insert your hand into the
cow’s rectum.
• How far should you go before you begin
searching for the cervix?
Wrist deep.
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
Question 3
• Sometimes it’s 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.
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
Question 4
• After you’ve 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.
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
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.
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
Question 6
• How do you know if your syringe tip gets
caught in a vaginal fold?
You can feel it outside the cervix, or it is pushing
in soft elastic tissue.
• What should you do?
Back up and maneuver around the fold.
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
Question 7
• How can you eliminate the trap created by
the circular blind pouch?
By closing the pouch off with your thumb and
fingertips.
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
Question 8
• Halfway through the cervix the tip of your
syringe won’t 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”.
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
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
shouldn’t do this.
• Why not?
Because you can damage the fragile uterine
tissue by scraping it or puncturing it.
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
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.
A.I. Management Manual
Fifth Edition
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.