CCCowman
Well-known member
Very off the wall question...... has anyone ever had a cow pregnant with twins and have her slip one the them early (2-3 weeks) but have the other on time and healthy???
Twins... maybe
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SBMF 2015
Well-known member
No, but I have had a cow give birth to a live healthy calf and ten days later give birth to another live healthy calf. She claimed and raised them both.
I know there's someone on this forum that does because there was a discussion about it a few years ago. Danged if I can remember who.
SBMF 2015
Well-known member
I thought it was Murray Mutts. But I could be wrong.
MurraysMutts
Well-known member
I have seen them a couple few days apart.
My bottle calf, Seven, was several hours apart from her twin. Both live births.
My bottle calf, Seven, was several hours apart from her twin. Both live births.
Redgully
Well-known member
Very very rare a cow can cycle and concieve over two cycles. Normally the second cycle calf is delivered when first reaches full gestation but even rarer the second calf can go full term too. We've had twins a couple of days apart, a lot of head scratching to work out what wss going on there.
simme
Old Dumb Guy
I posted this a few months ago in another thread. I don't have any explanation on how it was possible.
More than 40 years ago, had a polled hereford cow calve and then had another one between 2 and 3 weeks later. Both healthy. Would never have believed that was possible. Research back then was the encyclopedia and ask a friend. No internet for serious research. Assume that each would have had to have their own placenta and attachment point. Don't know if they were from the same breeding cycle or if the cow was in heat with the next cycle and bred a second time if that is possible. Twins were very rare with the polled herefords we had at that time. More common with the simme influenced cows today. But all the rest have been at the same time.
More than 40 years ago, had a polled hereford cow calve and then had another one between 2 and 3 weeks later. Both healthy. Would never have believed that was possible. Research back then was the encyclopedia and ask a friend. No internet for serious research. Assume that each would have had to have their own placenta and attachment point. Don't know if they were from the same breeding cycle or if the cow was in heat with the next cycle and bred a second time if that is possible. Twins were very rare with the polled herefords we had at that time. More common with the simme influenced cows today. But all the rest have been at the same time.
OP
OP
CCCowman
Well-known member
All my commercial cows were due in December. All had their calves but 1. A few days after when I thought she was due, found a still born in the field. Fully developed just a little small. 40ish pounds. This would make 2 of here last 3 calf's stillborn so I didn't think much of it and marked her down for the sale barn.
2 weeks later I go out to check on them all and there she is with a nice healthy bull calf. So I thought one of my registered girls must have slipped a calf. None are due till February so that made sense with it being a little small.
Called the vet and he came out to preg check the girls so I'd know which one wasn't pregnant. All of them are!! And right on time with when I AI'd them.
The stillborn calf was solid black (like my commercial girls). My registered girls are all black Herefords AI'd to a black hereford bull so it should have a little white on it if it was from them.
Told the vet the whole story and he scratched his head and said "dang, new one on me". I cannot figure this one out.
2 weeks later I go out to check on them all and there she is with a nice healthy bull calf. So I thought one of my registered girls must have slipped a calf. None are due till February so that made sense with it being a little small.
Called the vet and he came out to preg check the girls so I'd know which one wasn't pregnant. All of them are!! And right on time with when I AI'd them.
The stillborn calf was solid black (like my commercial girls). My registered girls are all black Herefords AI'd to a black hereford bull so it should have a little white on it if it was from them.
Told the vet the whole story and he scratched his head and said "dang, new one on me". I cannot figure this one out.
Katpau
Well-known member
That is really interesting. Could it have been a twin out of one of the commercial cows that calved earlier? It would be interesting to run DNA on that calf and the cow to see if they are a match. That would be more than most want to spend just for curiosity, but it would be interesting. It would cost about $18 each. I would get rid of her when she weans this calf. You don't need the grief. A cow that lost 2 out of the last three has already lost two too many. In my opinion she has three strikes against her. Two calves dead and one born later than all the others.
farmerjan
Well-known member
I had a heifer in the lot, to calve on a Friday with a dead heifer calf. I got a calf to graft on her since she was trying so hard to get that dead calf to get up to suck....... Took the grafted calf and let it nurse with no problem Sat. Sunday morning was fidgety and by Sunday eve NOTHING would convince her to let it nurse. So I bottle fed it and put it in the pen next to her. Monday came out to the barn and she had a brand new LIVE HEIFER calf she had just delivered and the afterbirth still hanging. The live calf and the dead calf had identical little white spots in the forehead....about 10 hairs..... If she hadn't been in the pen and no one else in there with her, I would not have believed it. Vet said he had seen 3 or 4 cases of that over the years, but usually the first was live and the 2nd was dead.... and he said that he had had one dairy farmer that had a cow give birth to 2 calves about 12-13 days apart.... both were live calves.... it was a farm he went to regularly and they called him when it happened as they were dumb founded.... and the calves were totally different colored one mostly white, one mostly black, and one a bull and one a heifer, so not identical......
@farmerjan, so did you end up with a permanent bottle calf? Great story and glad the heifer's 2nd calf is okay!
farmerjan
Well-known member
By the way, I still have the live twin, and she is working on her 3rd or 4th calf.....have to look up to be sure. I still have the cow too, but this will be her last year. She is part holstein, and wouldn't take any graft calves and her udder is getting bad and tired of her BS.... took grafted calves up until last 2 years and refuses to come near the pen with her new calf until it is 2+ weeks old.... so she's done. But the "heifer" (now cow) (named Lucky because she is lucky to have come along and been born live) is good about coming in even with a new calf. She is 3/4 (or maybe 7/8th?) angus, can't see the dairy in her but she milks good and raises a real nice calf.
farmerjan
Well-known member
I had a bottle calf for 2 days then she took the 2nd one back.... then one of my jersey's calved and I grafted 2 calves on her so she raised 3 that year. That's why I like my nurse cows, I can switch calves around if I need to.
jerry27150
Well-known member
had a hereford cow years ago have an extra calf 6-8 weeks after the first. couldn't figure it out so i asked vet & he said some old hereford cows would do this
Logan52
Well-known member
I have several cows descended from a Jackson Farms Red Poll heifer one of my girls showed years ago. They are all prone to twinning, as was the original heifer. They never seem to come at the same time like sheep. They vary from 12 hours up to 4 days apart. It usually goes well but once the twin died inside the cow and it came out in pieces over a week later. Quite smelly but the cow raised her other calf, even though she got pretty thin and rough looking.
Yesterday morning I found one of these cows with a new gray calf but the cow did not want to come eat. Late yesterday afternoon I returned to find her with with a new black calf. Both are big full size heifers.
This cow had twins at her first calving as a 2 yr old. Again, a black and a gray calf. I sold the gray calf for I thought it was asking a lot for a heifer to raise twins. This year she again had a black and a gray (Charolais influence). She is claiming them both but clearly favors the black calf that came second.
I've noticed before some cows favoe a calf the color of one they have raised before.
Yesterday morning I found one of these cows with a new gray calf but the cow did not want to come eat. Late yesterday afternoon I returned to find her with with a new black calf. Both are big full size heifers.
This cow had twins at her first calving as a 2 yr old. Again, a black and a gray calf. I sold the gray calf for I thought it was asking a lot for a heifer to raise twins. This year she again had a black and a gray (Charolais influence). She is claiming them both but clearly favors the black calf that came second.
I've noticed before some cows favoe a calf the color of one they have raised before.
simme
Old Dumb Guy
Twinning is definitely genetic. Once bought a simmental heifer. Had twins the first time. Single the next time. Twins the next two times. Had 7 calves by the time she was 5 years old. Certainly a record in my experience. Sent her down the road. For me twins usually are smaller, grow off slower, require additional care and labor and pull the cow down. Some people welcome them, have two big calves that the cow accepts and both wean heavy, and cow breeds back on time. I would rather have singles.
Not me!!! 3 sets last year. Multiple rants on this forum.
