Twins - scenarios

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Alan

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Every year I read about folks dealing with twin calves, while doing one of those brain dead task around here, I got to thinking what I would do with twins ( I have never dealt with twins yet). Could use some help to check my logic please (not sure I have any).

For sake of argument, lets say the cow has averaged a 600lb weaned calf every year and has plenty of years left in her. But I will always question if she can raise 2 600lb weaned calves. Also lets assume she is a nice cow with good phenotype, breeding and EPDs and the bull is a proven AI bull, in other words should be very nice calves.

Now for the scenarios;

(A) 1 bull and 1 heifer calf; I thinking pull the heifer and take her to the sale as a day old. Sell her as a possible free martin and hope to get 2 to 3 hundred for her. This way I have mom raising 1 calf, I have pocketed a few hundred for very little work and have now cost of raising one to weaning.

(B) 2 bull calves; keep both and test the cow to see if she can hold her condition and get bred back. While keeping an eye on her and the calves for the first couple of weeks to be able to pull and sell one calf within the first couple of weeks. Again no cost of raising the weaner and not taxing the cow to much or going thru the hassle of getting the cow extra feed separate from the rest.

(C) 2 heifers; same as the 2 bull scenario, except for, if I need to, for 2 heifers I would take the time and hassle of separating the cow and calves to get the cow some extra feed.


I'm just turning thoughts in my head, any thoughts from you folks, see any problems or have any suggestions?

Thanks,
Alan
 
I'd say it depends on your feed/pasture conditions. We have had lots of twins through the years and I don't remember it causing alot of problems with the cow breeding back timely. I would say let her raise them, if it looks like she is not doing a good job or the pasture is getting short pull one off. I don't like taking day old calves to the sale barn. The cow ought to have enough milk to get them both started as long as she is accepting them both. If you let her get them a couple months old and it looks like you need to pull one off, it ought to be old enough to start on feed. You can feed it untill weaning time and then put it back in the pen with its calf crop mates.
 
When we've left twins on cows they've averaged about 1 1/2 times their normal weaning weights on both cows. (If her preceding calves average 600 her twins will average 450) It also seems that usually the next years calf weans off lighter then her previous calves. Forunately we don;t deal with many twins.
 
alexfarms":arwpmtbn said:
I'd say it depends on your feed/pasture conditions. We have had lots of twins through the years and I don't remember it causing alot of problems with the cow breeding back timely. I would say let her raise them, if it looks like she is not doing a good job or the pasture is getting short pull one off. I don't like taking day old calves to the sale barn. The cow ought to have enough milk to get them both started as long as she is accepting them both. If you let her get them a couple months old and it looks like you need to pull one off, it ought to be old enough to start on feed. You can feed it untill weaning time and then put it back in the pen with its calf crop mates.

I think mine is doing an ok job.But like Dun said I think they are lighter than if she only had 1

cowsatfarmfall2009014.jpg
 

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