7&7 SYNCH

AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE A.I. SUCCESS RATES IN BEEF COWS

Rising operating costs, global competition, and societal concerns about energy and the environment have created many economic challenges for the beef industry. In order for beef producers to meet increasing demand for high quality beef products, they must heighten their focus on increasing the efficiency of beef production. This can be achieved through implementation of specific best management practices, and with the adoption of technologies to improve the efficiency in their herds. Many beef producers across the U.S. continue to look for opportunities to reduce time and labor associated with A.I. while maintaining or improving the resulting A.I. pregnancy rates. That vision has become a reality with the development of fixed-time A.I. (FTAI) protocols for beef heifers and cows. These protocols were developed through intensive research programs, and they were proven to be effective in the field prior to being recommended to beef producers across the U.S. One of the newer additions to the list of protocols recommended for use in beef cows is the 7 & 7 Synch program (Figure 1 above), originally developed and field tested by Dr. Jordan Thomas and his colleagues at the University of Missouri.

The 7&7 Synch program has been evaluated in a data-intensive pilot project, an extensive field trial for synchronization among embryo recipients, and an extensive field trial evaluating 7 & 7 Synch with fixed-timed A.I. using both conventional and sex-sorted semen. Results indicate a significant increase in the proportion of cows expressing estrus following synchronization and the A.I. pregnancy rates achieved (Table 1 and 2 below). Select Sires representatives are currently using the 7 & 7 Synch program in herds where the producers want to optimize the success of estrus synchronization programs and A.I. pregnancies. Numerous reports from herds utilizing this program with heat detection and A.I. and FTAI have indicated an increase in A.I. success, thus allowing more cows to be bred A.I. in the first few days of the breeding season, and resulting in more calves on the ground in a shorter time frame during calving season. We all know more calves born early in the calving season means more pounds at weaning and potential for more profit in your pockets. Not only are you getting more pounds weaned; the older, heavier A.I. sired heifer calves have a higher potential to conceive early as a heifer and remain in the herd longer than later born calves. Visit with your Select Sires representative today to discuss how we can better serve you to achieve your maximum A.I. and reproductive success!

Table 1. Estrus Expression Prior to Fixed-Time A.I. Treatment Proportion %

7 & 7 Synch 630/769 82a 7-day CO-Synch + CIDR 492/769 64b abA greater proportion (P < 0.01) of cows expressed estrus prior to fixed-time A.I. following 7 & 7 Synch Source: Andersen et al., 2020.

Table 2. Pregnancy Rates to Fixed-Time A.I. Conventional Semen Sex-Sorted Semen Treatment Proportion % Proportion %

7 & 7 Synch 280/389 72a 199/380 52c 7-day CO-Synch 233/383 61b 170/386 44d + CIDR ab,cdPregnancy rates were greater (P < 0.01) among cows following 7 & 7 Synch with conventional or sex-sorted semen Source: Andersen et al., 2020.