Once your semen is in the syringe and the syringe is properly protected in the shirt or coverall, place a paper towel or two in the pocket on the side away from the gloved hand.
Using the tail as leverage, insert your cupped gloved hand into the cow.
Once your hand is in, take the paper towel and remove manure or debris from the vulva.
As we learned in Chapter 4, insert the syringe at a 45 degree angle, level off, move forward through the vagina and cervix, stopping the syringe with your index finger at the target.
Once on target slowly deposit the semen, by pushing the plunger forward. I like to use my two middle fingers to hold the syringe while pushing the plunger with my thumb, that way I don’t have a tendency to pull the syringe back off target. Five seconds is enough time to say “Another fine calf from an ABS progeny tested sire”! Rushing the semen out of the straw too fast can harm them. The objective is to get them all in there while capable of fertilizing the egg.
With your gloved hand pull the straw and sheath from the syringe, put the syringe back in your shirt or coverall, spread the fingers on your ungloved hand, place them inside the sleeve and peel it down over the sheath. This makes for a neat, not messy, package that is easily disposed of.
Do it while it’s fresh in your mind.
Used gloves and sheaths don’t look very nice hanging on the fence or laying around the yard.