freemartins

[KNERSIE]

What is the youngest age that the bloodtest for freemartinism can be done with accuracy?

As always one of my better cows had AI sired twins and it had to be a bull and and a heifer.

 

[dun]

I don;t recall off hand but it seems like it was over 30 days of age. These folks can tell you
http://www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/services/freemartin.php

 

[bigbull338]

with 98% accercy id say you have a freemartin heifer.esp since you have a set of twins thats a bull an heifer.

 

[KNERSIE]

Spoke with the vet this morning. Apparently the test can be done at any age but preferably the younger the better. You draw blood from both calves and the blood is then analysed to see how much mixing of the blood there was and how much male hormones is present in the blood of the heifer calf.

Cost here is quite reasonable compared to the USA price in the link dun provided.

 

[hillsdown]

I was just going to say good luck Knersie. With the three cases that we bothered to have tested all females came back sterile.

We never bothered to keep the boys in tact either not too many would buy a bull with a twin sister, even for our own use.
But maybe it is more optimistic with beef than dairy.

 

[vquinn2]

I had a set of jersey twins (bull and a heifer) born in September. I sent her blood work in and she is not a freemartin I was prepared for the worse..of course she's not old enough to bred yet..guess that will be the 'true' test.
Here's the website and info to send in the blood--good luck
http://www.genmarkag.com/home_livestock.php
Valerie