Cow Project (updated for 2021)

Learning Goals

1. Understand estrus behavior
2. Identify and administer drugs used in timed AI
3. Understand how drugs used in item 2 effect physiological events
4. Make connections between molecular mechanisms of hormone action and physiological events; predict outcomes based on known drug actions at cellular and whole animal levels
5. AI and detection of potential pregnancy in the group’s cow
6. Teach students to handle, interact and develop the skills needed to work with a large domestic animal.
7. Have students reflect on project and understand how all aspects of the project were desinged to achieve these learning goals.

Project Events

You will be assinged to a group for this project that is composed of students from your lab section. The composition of the group may change as adds and drops occur in the course. You will have a number of things to complete that will involve work outside of class, possibly on weekends, and during the lab periods. All assignments relating to the project are to be submitted in the "Cow Project" assginments within Canvas. The following is a list of the items to be completed in this project:

1. Lab 1

• We start with cattle in Lab 1. Your first job is to place a estrus mount detector on a cow by the end of lab 1.
• Learn how cows can be identified.
• From the time of lab 1 until lab 2, your group needs to observe estrus behavior in at least 1 cow and determine how long it lasts. Your group must organize their specific schedule of cow observation times. All records involving which cows are expressing some type of estrus behavior, what the behavior is, which group member came at each observation time and the length of each observation time must be submitted in the cow "Estrus Observations" assignment within Canvas. This does not need to be the cow your group is being assigned.
  
• Your group will also have to video record estrus behavior on a smart phone and submit to the cow project "Estrus Observations" assignment. Only 1 video per group is required.
• Here are the assigments for treatments. All groups within a specific lab section will complete the same treatment. Day 0 is the day you will perform a timed artificial insemination (TAI) in lab. We have had to modify some things to get an acceptable times for injections. Some original schedules for example had 4 AM injections. You can see how these impact specific times you will need to be present at the cows in Due Dates unter Cow Treatments. Plan now!!!!
  • AS of 2016, all GnRH injections are 100 µg Cystorelin or equivalent and PGF injections are 25 mg of Lutalyse or equivalent.
  • section 301 - GGPG - TAI using the Ovsych 56 (GnRH 7 days before next GnRH, GnRH 7 days before next PGF, PGF 53 hours before next GnRH, GnRH given 18 - 20 hrs before TAI (TAI in lab, 12 - 2 PM Tues.)
  • section 302 - Ovsynch 56 (Ovsynch standard, GnRH 7 days before next PGF, PGF 53 hours before next GnRH, GnRH given 18 - 20 hrs before TAI, TAI is in lab at 12 - 2 PM Wed.
  • section 303 - 7 day Co-Synch + CIDR +TAI for beef cows (7 days before CIDR removal give GnRH and insert CIDR, 60-66 hours before TAI pull CIDR give PGF, in lab give GnRH and do TAI) (Lab 3:0 - 5:00 PM wed)
  • Old protocols - presynch, 5-day ovsynch 72 TAI (day -26 GnRH, day -19 PGF, day -8 GnRH, day -3 25 mg PGF, day -2 25 mg PGF,day 0 GnRH +TAI)
  • Old protocols - presynch, 6-day ovsynch 48 TAI (day -26 GnRH, day -19 PGF, day -8 GnRH, day -2 50 mg PGF, day 0 GnRH +TAI)
  • Old protocol - 5 Day Co-Synch + CIDR +TAI for beef cows (5 days before CIDR removal give GnRH and insert CIDR, 72 hours before TAI pull CIDR give PGF and then 6 - 10 hours later give another 25 mg PGF, 100 µg GnRH and TAI in lab, Lab is 3:30 - 5:30 PM wed).
• On-line material related to treatments
  • Carvahlo et al., 2014, Carvahlo et al., 2015.
  • 5 AND 7 Day C0-Synch+CIDR+TAI in Beef Cows
  • Ovsynch standard
  • presynch, 5 or 6 day ovsynch with 72 or 48 hr TAI also Abstract 221
  • additional material some of which is referenced above
    • TAI in beef cows, what are the options from Purdue Extension
    • Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle - Website
    • Beef Synchronization protocols from 2016
• Where to give injections
• How to insert a CIDR

2. Weeks during and after labs 2 - 4

• You have been assigned a treatment. Review the material and be sure you have the days and times this need to be completed. Notify Dr. Parrish if the dates on the calendar for your lab section are wrong.
• Implement the treatment.
• You must keep records of who gives what, times and dates of anything you do to your group's cow.
• We will put new estrotech patches on your cows at the time the first GnRH shot is given for the GGPG protocol.
• Place a new estrus detection patch when giving your last prostaglandin shot as you will need to determine when or if your cow comes into estrus. This should also give you an idea based on previous history of your cow if she is cycling.

3. Lab 5

• You are doing artificial insemination on your cow during week 5 of class.
• Determine when or if your cow comes into estrus. Continue your observations until the next monday following lab 5 to determine if your cow has not come into estrus.
• Your records of "Treatment, First Breeding and Estrus Detection Records" are due the monday following Lab 5 in Canvas.

4. Week during and after labs 7 - 9

• You could first check if your cow is pregnant by seeing if she returns to estrus approximately 21 days after breeding. To ensure this occurs and give everyone the chance to use a CIDR, you will treat your cow with a CIDR 14 days after breeding or following lab during week 7. You will also put on a new estrotect patch.
  
  
• Prior to 2016 we removed that CIDR following lab on week 8 and checked for estrus for up to 10 days. In 2016 , we will removed the CIDR for everyone on monday of week 8 (5-6 days after insertion). In 2017 and for all subsequent years, we will return to removal of the CIDR during lab on Week 8. You will now need to start checking for estrus after removal of the CIDR. If you check only 1 time per day, then you will need to breed a cow that comes into estrus on that day. If you check for estrus 2 times/day then you need to breed on the AM/PM schedule or approx. 12 hours after coming into estrus. We will post a schedule of when a TA/Instructor will be present to help you breed your cow. Please note someone from the group must breed the cow if she comes into heat. You will be able to breed a cow through Thursday of week 9.
  
  
• Submit details of your estrus checks, rebreeding if need and potential status of pregnancy in your cow as the week 8 assignment (see canvas for submission date). You will need to provide documentation on when you checked heat, which members of your group participated in the heat checking, any behavioral observations, who participated in AI if needed, and finally is your cow potentially pregnant at this time and what is this based on.

6. Week 15

• You will be determining the pregnancy status of your cow via ultrasound and PAG assay from day 28 after the first breeding. Is your cow pregnant and why or why not? This part is due by Monday of week 15.

7. Week 15

• Revist the entire cow project. What did you learn? This is vague as I want you to think about what you might have learned without me specifying what you are to address. Each student must write their own reflection and submit it individually. Due before your lab in week 15.

Each of the items above must be submitted under the cow project in the canvas. Note that files can be kept until submission under the your cow group so that everyone in the group can see and approve them. The cow project will be worth 50 points and will be listed in Grades under Lab Extras.

To complete this project you can use what ever resources you think you need. They may invovle the world wide web, the class web site (Lecture, Lab, Video items) and your text book. It is in essence a case study. The teaching objective is to make you come up with the solution without the instructors giving you the answers. Also note that this is a hands-on project working with cattle. The Department of Animal Sciences spends between $15,000 and around $20,000 each year on providing animals and giving you access to those animals for the semester. This is the single largest expenditure in CALS for teaching supplies. Be sure you get the most out of the chance and fully engage in the project.