Manuals:Insemination

Artificial Insemination and Breeding

Training materials

Powerpoint for Artificial Insemination and Breeding

SmartCards for IB and Animal Identification

Message formats

Advice for identifying animals

• Every animal must have a unique number or name within the herd - no herd may have animals with the same name or ID number.
  • This means that you may have to change the ID of certain animals coming into the herd - through purchase or inheritance - if their ID is the same as one already in the herd.
• Keep a good record of the particular physical features which identify each animal in the herd. Keep their individual ID with this record.
• Every animal should be tagged for easy and accurate visual identification.
• There are many benefits to having your animals tagged.
• Tags can be purchased blank or pre-numbered.

• Numbers are preferable to use as ID. If possible,
  • Use an ear tag with the ID number on each animal.
  • Use the system the farmer is already using - minimum change.
  • Use one or two digits if not using any formal system (Farmer cooperative, Dinas ID system etc) .
  • Use a number that is already tattooed or branded on the animal.

• If a farmer wishes to use a name as identifier, remember that names
  • cannot contain punctuation or spaces.
  • must be unique within the herd
  • can only be one word.
  • should be reliable - simple, short, easily remembered and easy to record correctly every time.
  • Should use common spelling.
  • should not be confusing, difficult to remember or difficult to spell correctly.

Farmer notification that an animal is on heat (in oestrus)

BH {Farmer ID} [Animal ID]

• The message always starts with BH.
• The animal ID number or name (no spaces or punctuation).
• This message is sent by a farmer and an alert is sent to their local inseminator who will telephone and visit.
• Not all farmers will want to use this function and will prefer to contact their usual inseminator/para-vet directly. It is NOT obligatory for farmers to use this message however it might be in the interests of some inseminators to recommend its use to their client farmers to avoid being called at inconvenient times or for other practical reasons.

Report insemination of an animal

IB [Farmer ID] [animal ID] [Bull ID] [Batch number]

• The message always starts with IB.
• Owner ID
• Animal ID
• Bull ID
• Batch number
• This message has a repeatable sequence which allows more than one insemination to be reported in the one message.

Report an abortion

KGG [Owner ID] [Animal ID] [Trimester 1,2,3]

• This message always starts with KGG.
• Owner ID
• Animal ID
• Trimester stage of dead foetus
  • 1 = First trimester (0 - 3 months)
  • 2 = Second trimester (4 - 6 months)
  • 3 = Third trimester (7 - 9 months)

Pregnancy test results

PKB [Owner ID] [animal ID] [Month]

• Owner ID
• Animal ID
• Age of foetus in months
  • Part months may be reported using a decimal place. Example: 10 weeks pregnant you would report as if it were 2 and a half months ie 2.5
• This message has a repeatable sequence which allows more than one pregnancy test to be reported in the one message.

Report a live birth

LH [Farmer ID] [Animal ID] [Sex] [Calf Identification] [birth_date] {Birth weight}

• Owner ID
• Animal ID
• Sex of calf - B (female) or J (male)
• Calf ID
  • Use the same naming principles as you would use for any animal ID in iSIKHNAS. (see above)

Report calf weight

BB [Owner ID] [Animal ID] [Weight]

• Owner ID
• Animal ID
• Weight
• This message has a repeatable sequence which allows more than one calf weight to be reported in the one message.
• It may be possible to instigate locally standardised ways to measure the weight including the use of a girth/chest measuring tape or similar tool.

System Query

Individual owner herd listing

DHP {Farmer ID}

• Message always starts with DHP.
• Owner ID

Individual animal information

IH [Owner ID] [Animal ID]

• Message always starts with IH.
• Owner ID
• Animal ID