Twin heifer calf

[Clodkicker]

I am getting back into the cattle business and heard something I never heard before and wanted to get some feedback. I have a little heifer that is a twin and was told that she could never be breeding stock. Is this true?

 

[MikeC]

I am getting back into the cattle business and heard something I never heard before and wanted to get some feedback. I have a little heifer that is a twin and was told that she could never be breeding stock. Is this true?

Google the term: "Freemartin"

Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.

 

[tracy]

just recently sold twin but was told it was only if they were bull/heifer twins thatone would be infertile not heifer/heifer or bull/bull

 

[dun]

just recently sold twin but was told it was only if they were bull/heifer twins thatone would be infertile not heifer/heifer or bull/bull

Correct, the heifer half of a mixed gender set of twins is sterile (freemartin) in the 90% plus range.

dun

 

[Limomike]

dun is right, I know from experience. But on the other hand, if its twin hefers, go for it.

 

[afarmgirl]

I also heard that heifer/bull twins that the heifer won't be fertile. From experienc heifer/heifer twins will produce calves, I currently have four cows that were heifer/heifer twins and all have had no trouble conceiving. Two of those are twin sisters.

 

[dun]

I also heard that heifer/bull twins that the heifer won't be fertile. From experienc heifer/heifer twins will produce calves, I currently have four cows that were heifer/heifer twins and all have had no trouble conceiving. Two of those are twin sisters.

Do a search at the top of the forums for freemartin. It's been cussed and sicussed at least a dozen times it seems

dun

 

[lakading]

Take em to the sale barn. I got $310 a piece for 2 day old twins last week. Also got $310 for another one from a pair of twins just yesterday. I need more twins!!! :lol:

 

[bchilders]

Take em to the sale barn. I got $310 a piece for 2 day old twins last week. Also got $310 for another one from a pair of twins just yesterday. I need more twins!!! :lol:

I am amazed at what these newborns are selling for at the sale barn.

I heard we have bottle calves going at the sale barn for 225-450

 

[Anonymous]

Here's a good one and I can fax the sale reports to show you the proof. two day old bulls $400-500 dollars/heifer up to $800 and that's a few days old. Ask the guy that owns a local sale barn what in the world was going on with them. He pointed out a buyer in the back row. Evidentally this guy buys these calves gets em over the bottle and they load them on a plane to go over seas for meat. Knowing the sale barn owner all of my life, I believe him but, how in the world is it possible for someone to make money doing that??

 

[jaydill]

just recently sold twin but was told it was only if they were bull/heifer twins thatone would be infertile not heifer/heifer or bull/bull

Correct, the heifer half of a mixed gender set of twins is sterile (freemartin) in the 90% plus range.

dun

This is correct. The heifer from a heifer/bull twin pair has a 90%+ chance of being infertile.

 

[holly heifer]

:lol: I payed $125.00 for the bull calf I bought to replace
the aborted one. I got a bargain!!!! ;-)

 

[backhoeboogie]

I see a free martin each day that is now about 6 months. She doesn't have an udder at all. She barely even has teats. There is no need to have her tubed, we've seen all we need to see. She's going to be hamburger. She's not mine but is running with my cows.

I have two cows that were twin sisters. Both have done fine. Mom rejected one in confusion and she was bottle raised. Some of you may refer to them as first calf heifers. I call them cows now that they have calved. They have done well. One of them produced my second best steer this year.

 

[jaydill]

I have two cows that were twin sisters. Both have done fine. Mom rejected one in confusion and she was bottle raised. Some of you may refer to them as first calf heifers. I call them cows now that they have calved. They have done well. One of them produced my second best steer this year.

That calf won't be infertile because they were a same sex pair. It's only when you have an opposite sex pair (heifer and bull calf) that you have a high chance of the heifer calf being infertile.