Freemartin?

[cjpup]

Hello,

We just purchased a holstein heifer calf who is 2 1/2 months old. The man we bought her from said he got her at auction when she was 2 days old and suspects she is a freemartin heifer who will therefore be sterile. How would he be able to tell if he did not birth her on his farm? Is there a way to tell if she is barron? What percentage of male/female twin pairs actually produce a sterile heifer? Is there a way to get a freemartin heifer to produce milk without breeding her if she is sterile?

Thanks
CJ

 

[rockridgecattle]

i can only answer a couple of your questions
1 the buyer might have been told by the producer and thus told you
2 a vet can palp or do a blood test (i think on the blood test)
3. only way to get milk is for her to freshen. Only way for her to freshen is to be in calf and get close to calving. Only way to get close to calving is to get bred by a bull. Only way to get bred by a bull is to make sure she is not a free martin...couldn't resist being cheeky. SORRY! Talk to your vet.

RR

 

[dun]

With some freemartins the vulva is mis-shapen or enlarged or may even look like a brizzle brush or a vesual penis.
90% plus of heifers born twin to a bull are freemartins. There is a blood test available through UC Davis that can tell 100% if she's a freemartin or not. Freemartins can vary from being so obvious from the appearance of the vulva/vagina to being very subtle and almost impossible to tell. They may cycle and appear to settle then turn up open. It's caused (in theory) by the lack of adequate hormones to maintain a pregnancy. There are only 2 ways to know 100% if she is not a freemartin, one is the blood test the other is that she calves.

 

[cjpup]

Thank You for those statistics and both or your guys's help. I will deffinantly check into the blood test. Her vulva lkooks outwardly normal. THANKS!
CJ

 

[mnmtranching]

A Holstein Heifer calf bought a auction, unless specified as breedable. Is most likely a free martin. Breedable Holsteins are worth considerable more $ then steers or free martins. I would expect that's why a person familiar with cattle auctions would call this heifer a free martin. The only thing she's good for is meat.

 

[*Cowgirl*]

A Holstein Heifer calf bought a auction, unless specified as breedable. Is most likely a free martin. Breedable Holsteins are worth considerable more $ then steers or free martins. I would expect that's why a person familiar with cattle auctions would call this heifer a free martin. The only thing she's good for is meat.

I agree. Holstein Heifer Calves = $$$

 

[Medic24]

Yup, Yup, and Yup...............99% chance she was at the sale barn cus she was in fact a twin.....or possibly some other defect?

But there is a way to tell that is 'almost' foolproof if she is a freemartin........and no I am not making this up even if it's so simple and FREE!

Take an ordinary NEW unsharpened pencil, lightly lube it, and push it GENTLY into the vulva, if it can be inserted fully, she has a good chance have having fully developed sexual organs. If it 'stops' short, she has undeveloped sexual organs and is most definately a freemartin. I would guess90% vs..10 % that is what you will find.

Did I make this up? Nope a very good vet explained this free and simple test, all the while he was checking newborn heifer calves being sold at a dairy sale barn in New Holland Pa. with a simuliar looking 'instrument'. Now aint that so easy?

I do understand tho, if raised right, holstein beef is as good, or better marbled then many other beef...........Good luck! :cboy:

 

[Mudge]

Ok sorry in advance for hi-jacking your thread. BUT.

A Bull/Heifer Twin Pair. The Heifer Will Be Not Breedable.

But In A Herifer/Heifer Twin Pair.. They are both Breedable? or am i just a retard?

 

[Sage]

Mudge you are correct.

 

[DavisBeefmasters]

Ok sorry in advance for hi-jacking your thread. BUT.

A Bull/Heifer Twin Pair. The Heifer Will Be Not Breedable.

But In A Herifer/Heifer Twin Pair.. They are both Breedable? or am i just a retard?

I've read that Bull/Heifer pair = 85% chance that heifer is not breedable... but that's just reading it...

...have also read that Medic24's test is accurate as well, a freemartin will have 1/3 of the full length of a normal tract in the vaginal opening...

...have yet to have any field experience on the issue yet

 

[dun]

...have also read that Medic24's test is accurate as well, a freemartin will have 1/3 of the full length of a normal tract in the vaginal opening...

...have yet to have any field experience on the issue yet

Some of the time. I've seen too many pass the visual and probe test and still end up as duds.

 

[mnmtranching]

I have a free martin calf that has the part thats normally under the tail on her belly. She's doing real well growth wise, and will become meat in the Spring.