[Effect of cattle insemination carried out with and without assistance]

It has been studied whether help with the insemination work from a herdsman improves the result of the insemination. Totally 52,716 inseminations performed by 55 insemination technicians and veterinarians are included in the study, 18 per cent of these inseminations were performed without help. The data are analysed by a least squares procedure. The model used included lactation number of the cow (ai), insemination month (mj), the person who performed the insemination (ink), whether he had been helped with the insemination or not (hl) and interaction between ink and hl. As measure of the result of the insemination 60 days non-return percentage was used (total 60 days N.R.-% and 60 days N.R.-% corrected for short returns, zero to three days). There was found no significant effect of help at insemination on either of the 60 days N.R.-%'s studied. However, to encourage good contact between the farmers and the inseminating personnel, it is beneficial that herdsmen are present when cows are inseminated.