Heifer Twin Free Martin?

[Hereford2]

That makes sense that they would grow different. So far this one looks like a heifer.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

@darcelina4 said "Show heifers are usually bad breeding cows anyway. " Off subject - but I do not agree with this statement and don't want to leave it as said for someone new reading.
I will grant you that some PEOPLE ruin show heifers and turn them into non-breeding cows - and also some Clubby bulls produce females that make awful cows. But, breeding stock being shown should be just as good as any other heifer. I pride myself with raising great show cattle, but their number 1 job is to make a great COW.
As mentioned, Freemartin heifers make great feedlot cattle because they generally do not cycle.

 

[farmerjan]

In the dairy world, there are a fair number of "free-martin" heifers born. One farm I have tested for has about 30% of them actually be good and go on to milk in the herd but that is VERY UNUSUAL. The normal average is less than 10% will be good. However, many will cycle but have incomplete reproductive tracts... Or only one ovary that is small and not much function... no uterus but have ovaries, things like that. Mostly the reproductive tract does not go from the vagina in very far.... They usually have a greater amount of testosterone which prevents cycling, or normal cycling, and sometimes they will exhibit signs of being cystic.... They make VERY GOOD heat detectors and a couple of farms use them in with the heifers to be able to catch heifers in heat. They do usually have more masculine features, and gain weight easier....
I agree with @Jeanne - Simme Valley , a show heifer can be ruined by over graining and such so that her udder and all gets too fatty, and probably causes problems with heats and things.... BUT a person that is showing registered heifers is going to try to grow them and show them in order to have good functional cattle. Often a farms' reputation is made on the quality of the show animals, and to be able to show and sell breeding stock... Different story with the ones that are shown in some of the FFA and 4-H classes that are more geared to market animals and such.

 

[ksmit454]

Are freemartins only when the twins are a heifer and bull calf? Not if they are both heifers, correct?

 

[Silver]

Are freemartins only when the twins are a heifer and bull calf? Not if they are both heifers, correct?

Correct

 

[pdubdo]

Just to mix things up a bit, I bought a freemartin at sale barn price when I bought my first heifers. She had a calf last year and twins this year #rollthedice

 

[Hereford2]

My neighbors said that when they had (Free Martin Heifers) that half were breedable, half were not.

 

[Gators Rule]

I think the statistics I heard was 7% chance of being fertile... I did keep one last year, she looks normal from the outside at least, I may bring her to the vet when I pass by and he can do a diagnosis on her.. otherwise she's good freezer beef.. Some of the reasons I kept her was both her sisters are really productive cows, and it seemed like the bull got the short end of the development stick.. I never was able to band him and he still looked like a steer at weaning time... After 6 weeks old they were raised on different cows, the heifer stayed with her real momma. I did see the hair on her tailhead rubbed off in January... Time will tell.. She's in good shape, so she'll be good eats anyhow

I heard the same figures when I researched it a couple of years ago. I never bothered with a test, as I sent her to the sale barn right beside the boys.

 

[Nesikep]

I heard the same figures when I researched it a couple of years ago. I never bothered with a test, as I sent her to the sale barn right beside the boys.

If she doesn't breed she might replace my PITA steer that keeps going for milk and seems to be unweanable