Here is the complete guide.

Why AI instead of a bull

Keeping a breeding bull costs KES 3,000 to 5,000 per month in feed alone. A bull serves your herd and maybe a few neighbours' cows — limited genetic improvement from one animal.

One AI straw costs KES 300 to 2,000 depending on the bull. You choose different bulls for different cows. You can select for milk yield, fat content, calving ease, or disease resistance — traits you control, not whatever the local bull happens to carry.

For smallholder farmers with 5-15 cows, AI is cheaper and genetically superior to natural service in almost every case.

Choosing a bull

Semen is available from multiple providers in Kenya: KAGRIC (Kenya Animal Genetic Resource Information Centre), ABS, World Wide Sires, and others. Agrovet shops in major towns stock popular straws.

For Friesian herds targeting high yield:

• Look for bulls with a high Predicted Transmitting Ability (PTA) for milk
• In Kenya, popular proven bulls include local KAGRIC bulls and imported semen from the US, Canada, and Israel
• Cost: KES 800-2,000 per straw

For Jersey herds targeting components:

• Jersey bulls are selected for fat and protein percentages
• Good for farmers selling to processors that pay premiums for butterfat
• Cost: KES 500-1,500 per straw

For crossbreeding:

• Friesian × Jersey crosses combine high yield with good components and heat tolerance
• Friesian × Ayrshire crosses are popular in highland areas for durability
• Match the bull breed to your improvement goal

What the numbers mean:

• PTA Milk: How many extra litres the bull's daughters are expected to produce above the average. A PTA of +500 means daughters should give 500 litres more per lactation.
• Calving Ease: Important for heifers. A high calving ease score means fewer difficult births.
• Productive Life: How long daughters stay in the herd before culling.

If you are unsure, ask your AI technician. They handle hundreds of services and know which bulls perform well in your area.

Timing: the AM-PM rule

AI success depends almost entirely on timing. The cow ovulates (releases an egg) about 12 hours after the end of standing heat. Sperm needs 6-8 hours in the reproductive tract to become capable of fertilising the egg.

The rule:

• Cow seen in heat in the morning → inseminate that afternoon/evening
• Cow seen in heat in the afternoon/evening → inseminate the next morning

This puts viable sperm in the right place at the right time.

Too early: Sperm die before the egg arrives. Wasted straw. Too late: Egg has aged and died. Wasted straw. Just right: Sperm meets egg within 6 hours of ovulation. Maximum conception chance.

The insemination process

You should not do AI yourself unless you have been trained and certified. In Kenya, AI technicians are available through:

• County government livestock offices
• KAGRIC-trained technicians
• Private AI service providers
• Some agrovet shops offer call-out service

What the technician needs from you:

1. The cow restrained and calm
2. The straw selection (or let them bring appropriate semen)
3. Clean, dry conditions for the procedure
4. Your breeding records — when was she last inseminated? How many services so far?

What to watch for:

• The technician should thaw the straw properly (35°C water bath for 30-60 seconds, not body heat)
• The insemination gun should be clean and properly loaded
• The procedure should take less than 5 minutes per cow
• The cow should not be stressed or running — calm handling improves conception rates

After insemination

Day 1-7: Nothing to do. The fertilised egg is travelling to the uterus. Day 18-24: Watch carefully for return to heat. If she shows heat signs, the AI did not work. Record it and schedule a repeat. Day 28-35: If no return to heat, schedule a pregnancy check with your vet. Day 45: Confirm pregnancy. If positive, calculate expected calving date (insemination date + 283 days).

What to record

For every AI service:

When AI fails

Not every insemination results in pregnancy. First-service conception rates in Kenya average 40-55%, meaning roughly half of first attempts fail. This is normal.

Possible reasons for failure:

• Timing was off — inseminated too early or too late relative to ovulation
• Semen quality — storage or thawing problem. Was the straw stored in liquid nitrogen? Was it thawed at the correct temperature?
• Cow health — uterine infection, poor body condition, or nutritional deficiency
• Technician error — incorrect placement of semen, rough handling
• Stress — the cow was chased, kicked, or handled aggressively

If a cow fails three consecutive services, consult your vet. There may be a reproductive issue that AI alone cannot solve.

Cost comparison: AI vs bull

The economics are clear. AI costs less and delivers better genetics.

Getting started with AI

1. Identify an AI technician in your area — ask at the county livestock office or local agrovet
2. Start recording heat dates for all your milking cows
3. When you detect heat, call the technician immediately
4. Follow the AM-PM rule for timing
5. Record every detail of the service
6. Watch for return to heat at day 21
7. Pregnancy-check at day 30-45

The combination of good heat detection, timely AI, and consistent records is the foundation of profitable dairy farming in Kenya.

Track your breeding programme at shira.farm.