Several years ago, 7 & 7 synch protocol burst onto the scene as a new tool in beef cattle reproductive management. The program is touted for its remarkable ability to bring cows into estrus for Fixed-Time AI (FTAI) and conception rates are reported to be on par with, or better than, the “gold standard 7-Day Co-synch + CIDR” protocol. That said, the additional chute trip for 7 & 7 has been a deterrent for some producers. However, savvy embryo transfer programs understand that exceptional estrus response provides an opportunity to maximize the proportion of recipients receiving embryos—in turn resulting in more high-value pregnancies.
In a similar fashion, 7 & 7 synch can maximize the number of cows eligible to receive sexed semen. We know conception rates in cows receiving sexed semen improve when the female has displayed estrus by the time of insemination. Ultimately, using sexed semen is about controlling the gender of the resulting pregnancy and calf to create the most valuable product for your operation. The more pregnancies you can influence the better. Estrus response rates with 7 & 7 regularly exceed 80% (sometimes approaching 90%) as compared to a typical Estrus response of 60-65% for other protocols. That additional 15-20% of cows that are primed for sexed semen with 7 & 7 can make a big difference in the resulting calf crop.
It’s Not About Conception Rate, It’s About the Calves
The most common dispute against implementing sexed semen is a reduced conception rate. While it is true that sexed semen tends to be lower fertility relative to conventional semen from the same bull, the fertility is more than acceptable. Conception rate isn’t the most important metric anyway. The outcome we all care most about is our calf crop, and exceptionally high estrus response with 7 & 7 synch gives us the best opportunity to control the gender skew of that calf crop. A little napkin math and it becomes clear that 7 & 7 gives you the opportunity to generate a calf crop with 75% or more of the desired sex. Imagine the value of converting 25% of your annual calf-crop from heifers to steers or generating 25% more heifers to fuel your herd’s expansion.
An Unexpected Opportunity
Since 2020, ABS has partnered with the Bair Ranch in central Montana to demonstrate the value of pairing sexed semen with the right reproductive management tools. In 2024, our aim was to use 7 & 7 to synch all the cows to maximize our opportunity to inseminate cows with Sexcel. Mother nature derailed those plans with heavy rains on our second group of cows, and we quickly pivoted to enrolling those cows in a 7-Day CIDR program. The reproductive outcomes of those 2 groups of cows are shown in Table 1. While it is not a perfect scientific comparison, these real-world results from more than 550 cows demonstrate the power of 7 & 7 to help producers control the gender of their calf crop.
Table 1. Reproductive Outcomes of 2024 Bair Ranch Breeding Project
| 7 & 7 Synch | 7 day Co-synch + CIDR | |
| Estrus Response | 88.2% | 56.9% |
| Pregnancy Rate – Sexcel Female Semen (Estrus Cows only) | 54.4% | 55.9% |
| Total Calf Crop Heifer Proportion | 77.2% | 63.2% |
In 2025, we synchronized and bred more than 600 females in two groups at the Bair Ranch. The estrus response rates were tremendous, with nearly 90% of both groups displaying estrus by FTAI.
If you’re on the fence about using sexed semen, it’s worth reconsidering the opportunity that pairing Sexcel with 7 & 7 synch presents.
Leverage the power of Sexcel and 7 & 7 to maximize the value in your calf crop. For more information, contact your ABS Representative or fill out the form below.
