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FlyingLSimmentals

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Found an extra baby bull calf on the 15th. Couldn't tell any Dam was claiming it. #81 had calved that day thought it possible that she had twins and didn't claim one. Baby bull looked skinny gutted and bawling therefore was afraid he hadn't had any colostrum. He went from cow to cow as if looking for momma, again none gave him much mind. Did get to a 2nd calving cow #64 whom had calved on the 9th and looked to nurse a bit. She didn't pay him much mind but didn't try to run him off neither. She wasn't near her heifer calf whom was further away in the pasture, figure the bull was just trying to snitch. Had thought he might have received a little milk before #81 had moved to have 2nd calf. Got him up and bought some colostrum to give it. Nursed the bottle of colostrum a little bit and then wouldn't take any more. Messed with it all day and he just wouldn't nurse anymore from that bottle. Would bawl like he was hungry, had thought about tubing it. I was racking my brain about it, where did he come from and who did he belong too? Had found #64 the day she calved with just a heifer calf. We had always never seen her with nothing but that heifer calf between the 9th and 15th. #81 had a small little bull on the 15th, thought he was small maybe because he was a twin. Got thinking extra bull calf doesn't look much like 81's little bull and looks similar in phenotype to 64's heifer just a little smaller and skinnier. Finally decided to take it back to 64 and let him be with her since he was trying to nurse her earlier. Had her and her heifer calf put up in a lot away from herd. Got there with him and carried him about 10 yards to her and set him down. He went running to her and her to him with her mooing to it now and he started nursing like 500. Dang it why didn't she let me know earlier and where had this little guy been laying on the 9th when we found #64 with the heifer. And how have we not seen him sometimes between the 9th and 15th. She had always been with the heifer when I checked them. Anyway they're up together now with two replacement heifers and momma is getting grain now to go with the pasture. Again I hate twins just extra work. Well, sure I guess some extra money too. Had literally thought we would make a year finally without twins but nope jinxed myself. Every year since we went to using Simmental Bulls and that has been several now we've had at least 1 set of twins if not two or three. Remember growing up we never hardly ever had twins and our herd size really isn't any larger now than then.
 
We usually have around 4 sets a year, but this year 0, which is ok with me because I don't like the extra work twins make....its our sims that twin....
 
I see all the posts here about twins. Ours are all born in the pasture and many times it is 2-3 days between checks. The lady I go with and I were talking recently and if we have ever had any we don't know it. Hard to tell with Angus calves. 3 of the heifers calves were sucking one heifer the other morning. We know were they belong as they were tagged when born.
 
FlyingL - you do realize that you now have a freemartin heifer with a bull calf (if I read all that correctly!)

Twins are only extra work if you want to go that extra step to insure the both calves live.
First, many times twins are tangled up and need assistance (extra work). then when you get both live calves (IF you are lucky that is), we generally keep them penned up together just to make sure mom knows how to count to two (extra labor). Other than that, momma pretty much takes care of the rest.
 
Jeanne, yes I know. It was likely to be a feeder heifer anyway being from the commercial herd. Don't like to see any die or not meet their potential twin or not. Plus I want to be sure cow holds her weight and breeds back normally.
 
Cows like messing with us :roll: just when ya think you have em figured out they throw a curveball. How's life treating you Mike?
 
Another set of twins born this morning. #2's 2nd set and two years in the row. Almost a perfect year apart, 2 heifers 7/12 last year and a heifer and bull today 7/13. I'm amazed the number of twins we've had say about the last 15 - 20 years. As a kid and teen we didn't have no more than 1 or possibly 2 sets. Now it's that many each year or more.
 

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