Twins, how do you know?

[Roan]

Never had twins, does cow keep contracting? No placenta or two? Can you easily feel second calf or is it behind first placenta?

 

[Anonymous]

Never had twins but when the second one hits the ground I'd say its twins.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Where I used to work, most of the time they knew by ultrasound. There were a few that they didn't know until the calves hit the ground, or they had to do some pulling.

In my own herd, I've not had any (now I have been jinxed) although there have been times I thought there would be by the size of the cow LOL.

Katherine

 

[Alan]

Never had twins, does cow keep contracting? No placenta or two? Can you easily feel second calf or is it behind first placenta?

Excellent questions, I would love to see some answers. Had my first set of twins last year, I didn't see any placenta, but is there two?

Alan

 

[randiliana]

Usually we find them because they are just there. When we've had to assist, the second one is usually right behind the first, and sometimes they are tangled up enough that you have to figure out which is which before pulling. We generally check out any cow we have to assist for twins, and sometimes if they have a small calf and don't clean quickly.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Does it not depend on the type of twins? Mine were not identical twins. I would think two in this case but was not there.

 

[randiliana]

I really don't think it would make much difference whether they were identical or not. Also, I have never seen a cow expell the placenta of the first calf before having the second. Not saying it doesn't happen, but I've never seen it.