Big Stick Energy: My experience at AI School

On October 22-23, 2025 I attended a Artificial Insemination (AI) program called “BreedHER Bootcamp” in Chatham, Virginia. This was a uniquely designed AI school, through ABS, Women In Agriculture, Virginia Cooperative Extension; Virginia Tech & Virginia State University.

This first offering, (of hopefully many) was hosted at Hammock Dairy Inc. We were welcomed by this family owned dairy and it was evident from the start that each of the cows there were not just business assets but, part of their family. The calming atmosphere was witnessed throughout the day, the cows all incredibly patient with us.

While there are many more factors that play into getting a cow pregnant, there are four key factors that make up the equation of reproduction:

1. Herd Members correctly detected in Heat

2. Inseminator Efficiency

3. Fertility Level of the Herd

4. Semen Fertility Level

Through the course of the intense two day school, we broke down these four key factors. We learned in depth about the female reproductive tract, focusing on what each structure would feel like inside of a cow., and navigating through them to deposit the semen. The cervix is the most important part and feels very much like a "chicken neck!" The reproductive tract is incredibly variable. When attempting to pass the "AI gun" through the vagina (which can be anywhere from 8 inches to >12 inches long) and through the cervix to where semen is deposited in the uterine body just before it splits into the two horns, there a lot of wrong turns you could make! We learned that inserting at a 35-45 degree angle will help avoid falling into the bladder, and flattening out shortly after keeps you from missing the cervix.

Practice definitely makes perfect and in the process we got very, very dirty. Luckily having such a great group of women helps with the jokes and we all laughed as we got covered in cow manure!

I got sooooo dirty that I had inches of manure and water down into my shoes that I had to wear the next day. Luckily the hotel I stayed in had these lovely “boot driers”

Having your own equipment is essential, from having a he rep come out to deliver semen to your tank, the thawing process, and inseminating. At this time, with my operation only having two heifers, who stay pregnant for approximately 9 months, it just does not make since to make that investment yet.

After semen is collected it is put into straws. Semen straws are stored in a tank like this one, filled with liquid nitrogen to maintain the fertility of the semen until it is ready to be placed into the cow.

While I enjoyed this experience, it is really isn’t part of my business plan to inseminate regularly for others either. I would really need a lot more practice and a lot more access to open cows with someone to monitor what I am doing. However I absolutely plan to work with my vet to perform the AI on my own cattle and as my experience and operation grows, maybe it will make sense one day to make that investment! Until then, the memories, pictures and knowledge of bull selection will continue to be pulled on to remember another unique agriculture encounter!

Oh and what better time then to announce that Marley, our jersey is expecting a little heifer, following her second round of AI! We confirmed first with a chute side test and then the vet came out to do the ultrasound! 4 more hooves on the ground late spring 2026!