Use of a cattle artificial insemination school as extension programming in the Southeast United States

• Published in: Journal of animal science 2019-07, Vol.97, p.5-5
• Main Authors: Marks, Landon, Karisch, Brandi, Rutherford, Cobie, Parish, Jane A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural extension work; Artificial insemination; Beef cattle; Biosecurity; Bovidae; Cattle; Classrooms; Colleges & universities; Estrus cycle; Hand (anatomy); Handling; Morning; Nutrition; Reproduction (biology); Semen; Synchronism; Synchronization; Teachers; Training
• ISSN: 0021-8812; 1525-3163

The objectives of this cattle AI school were to provide producer education in cattle reproductive management, semen handling, and insemination technique. The school is unique from other AI training programs in that it consisted of 7 hours of classroom training in economics, reproductive anatomy, estrous cycle, estrus synchronization, estrus detection, AI equipment, nutrition, sire selection, herd health, and biosecurity in relation to AI. Instructors were Mississippi State University (MSU) and Auburn University (AU) faculty and Extension agents with expertise in each subject area. Hands-on laboratory handling of bovine female reproductive tracts was provided as part of this initial classroom instruction. The program included a minimum of 8 hours of hands-on experience with semen handling and cattle insemination technique. The entire course spans a Thursday evening, Friday morning and afternoon, and Saturday morning and was scheduled twice per year. Overall participant ratings of AI school sessions averaged 4.7 on a 1 to 5 scale, where 1 = poor and 5 = excellent. Changes to the AI school were made over time based on producer feedback from previous course evaluations. The MSU Beef Unit was added as a second location in 2012. The evaluation was updated in 2015 to include a pre-test/ post-test, 173 participants have completed a test with a pre-test average of 68.32 ± 13.34 and post-test average of 82.49 ± 10.09 (P < 0.001). A presentation for reproductive equipment was added in 2017. The MSU-ES cattle AI school consistently fills to participant capacity at each offering with waiting lists formed each time for future offerings, indicating a strong demand for this program. School participation has expanded from primarily Mississippi-based attendees to attendee representation from 13 additional states in the program. In excess of 1,052 persons have completed the MSU-ES cattle AI school since its inception.