twin calves...a week apart ????

[longhornlover3498]

my pet cow sarah calved out a beautiful bull calf on the 6th. then on the 12th there was a brand new heifer in the pasture and we couldnt figure out who her mama was. then she got up and ran over to sarah and stared nursing off her! sarah just let her and when sarah and the calves walked away sarah had fresh blood on her tail and rear! PLEASE HELP I AM VERY VERY CONFUSED!!!

 

[Anonymous]

Your title says it all. It happens from time to time. Just watch moms bcs and suppliment her as needed.

 

[MO_cows]

I have heard of that but never seen it firsthand. If you weren't in such close observation of your cattle and saw the fresh blood it would really be a headscratcher! What a good momma cow for taking the second baby after she had already bonded with the first one for a week. Too bad they are opposite sex, heifer is probably a freemartin but otherwise all's well that ends well.

 

[greatgerts]

I have heard of that but never seen it firsthand. If you weren't in such close observation of your cattle and saw the fresh blood it would really be a headscratcher! What a good momma cow for taking the second baby after she had already bonded with the first one for a week. Too bad they are opposite sex, heifer is probably a freemartin but otherwise all's well that ends well.

Would it still be a freemartin if it was a week apart? I haven't had any issues with this, but since it isn't the norm, maybe something changes with the freemartin issue.

Guess it is time to ask MW for his expertise!

 

[ANAZAZI]

I have heard of that but never seen it firsthand. If you weren't in such close observation of your cattle and saw the fresh blood it would really be a headscratcher! What a good momma cow for taking the second baby after she had already bonded with the first one for a week. Too bad they are opposite sex, heifer is probably a freemartin but otherwise all's well that ends well.

Would it still be a freemartin if it was a week apart?

:nod:

 

[ANAZAZI]

Also getting a freemartin is no loss, it is a decent feeder calf, a bonus, an extra given for free (not that twinning is something I particularly favour). Many fertile heifer calves are sold as feeders.
Also, raising a freemartin for beef is really simple, just leave it with the cows when the rest of the calves are weaned, no need to manage them at all, and just kill it two years later at two and a half year all grassfed.
Or put it with the other heifer calves, when the others are ready to calve out, she will be ready for the freezer.

 

[Taurus]

Do you have other cows in same pasture with Sarah? I have three cows that will let other calves sucking even they have their own calves. Just throw a possibility there.

 

[xbred]

i'd bet she had the calves at nearly the same time... cow will hide calves, especially twins and go to them as needed for the first few days...

 

[longhornlover3498]

i'd bet she had the calves at nearly the same time... cow will hide calves, especially twins and go to them as needed for the first few days...

thats not possible,sorry. sarah was the last mature cow to calve out her bull calf and she had him in the corral away from other cows. we just barely let her out last wednesday. as for the heifers, they had their own pasture seprate from the other cows.

 

[xbred]

http://www.extension.org/pages/39328/we ... d-calf-wou

 

[longhornlover3498]

so even if they are frateral she will be a freemartin? if so thats too bad her dam and sire were some real great animals. her mothers hips are ENORMOUS and her sires throws early maturity calves...

 

[Katie]

so even if they are frateral she will be a freemartin? if so thats too bad her dam and sire were some real great animals. her mothers hips are ENORMOUS and her sires throws early maturity calves...

Opposite sex twins are always fraternal. Any heifer born twin to a bull is most likely going to be a freemartin, but you can always have her tested to be sure.

 

[longhornlover3498]

so even if they are frateral she will be a freemartin? if so thats too bad her dam and sire were some real great animals. her mothers hips are ENORMOUS and her sires throws early maturity calves...

Opposite sex twins are always fraternal. Any heifer born twin to a bull is most likely going to be a freemartin, but you can always have her tested to be sure.

where would we be able to test her?

 

[ANAZAZI]

Why bother to test her? If she is OK she will be bred, othjerwise she will be food. Just like any other heifer that does not breed. Most cattlemen sell heifers as feeders, why not sell her as a feeder? Easiest way out. Or raise her for beef as I suggested before. The test is money spent for close to nothing. Nine out of ten heifers with a bull twin are sterile anyways.

 

[longhornlover3498]

Why bother to test her? If she is OK she will be bred, othjerwise she will be food. Just like any other heifer that does not breed. Most cattlemen sell heifers as feeders, why not sell her as a feeder? Easiest way out. Or raise her for beef as I suggested before. The test is money spent for close to nothing. Nine out of ten heifers with a bull twin are sterile anyways.

you know you don't have to be so cruel! we only eat our bull calves and heifers go to sale if they are not ideal females at a year. we will just keep her and at 15 months put her with the bull and if she doesn't calve to sale she goes.

 

[heath]

Cruel? Thought he was being realistic.

 

[ANAZAZI]

Most if not all cattle are destined to become food. And cruel is my middle name; as most members on this board can testify to!

 

[slick4591]

Cruel? Thought he was being realistic.

:nod:

 

[Taurus]

Freemartin heifers are sterile and worthless to be kept around the farm. Also it is too expensive to keep her around the farm as you are feeding her but she won't give anything back to you...unless you are planning to butcher her for beef.

 

[longhornlover3498]

NONE of you get what i'm trying to say! just for get it then!