Twins

[inyati13]

I have had three sets of twins since March in a herd of 16 cows and heifers. The cow below was AI bred to In Force. Due 10/2/15. She calved 6 weeks early. Both calves dead.

 

[Lucky_P]

Angus & Simmental influence in a herd of well-nourished cows. It happens. Can be a great thing if all goes well...not so good if it doesn't.

Have had 3 sets of twins in my herd over a nearly 30 year period. Two bull/heifer sets, one set of bulls; 5 lived to weaning, so overall I came out pretty good - but I still don't want any more.

 

[FlyingLSimmentals]

Ron, don't you love those twins. I love the Simmental and SimAngus cattle but if I was strictly raising commercial feeder calves, I think I would start looking at using some other breeds. Didn't have all these twins back when we ran Hereford and Red Poll Bulls. These Simmental, SimAngus and even our Gelbvieh genetics we've used has really shot them out.

 

[inyati13]

Ron, don't you love those twins. I love the Simmental and SimAngus cattle but if I was strictly raising commercial feeder calves, I think I would start looking at using some other breeds. Didn't have all these twins back when we ran Hereford and Red Poll Bulls. These Simmental, SimAngus and even our Gelbvieh genetics we've used has really shot them out.

Hi Mike. I have not enjoyed the twins. I did ok with the first two sets. But I don't like the issues that go with twins. In two of the sets, I had to deal with retained placenta which I have not had on singles.

 

[skyhightree1]

ron im sorry you lost them that sucks.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Sorry for your loss Ron. She is a beautiful cow also.

 

[Williamsv]

She surely is a beautiful cow. I am so so sorry for your loss. It happens to all of us. I would rather not have twins. We take what we get and make the best if it.

 

[Supa Dexta]

I lucked out and got a steal of a deal on a calf this past season to replace a dead one, and the cow took right to it. Never hurts to check around for one if it isn't too late.

 

[Nesikep]

on a herd of 20, I had a year where I had 3 sets... the first one the mother died after a day or two (dehydration? wouldn't go get water without the calves?), also born considerably early, so we didn't have any cows to graft to, so we gave them to a neighbor (this was when prices were really bad).. next set comes along a month later, but both dead, they hardly had hair.. a few days later, another set, momma only wanted one, so the one who lost hers adopted. That cow lost 3 sets of twins, always born too early, but always adopted, so she bought herself a couple years.

over the last 100 calves I've had here, there were 2 sets of twins... a pair of 110 lb bull calves (first one OK, second only discovered after a day and a half when the cow wasn't looking right.. who'da thunk twins with those weights?), and another rather stupid cow that only had brains for one (and that was pushing it)... I had a cow that has a dead breach birth 2 days earlier, and she claimed that calf at first sight, it was quite a relief. I think I'm batting about 50% on twins both surviving

 

[gizmom]

I hate twins, just hate dealing with them (at least bovine twins) my twin grand daughters I love to death. We are not due to have our first calf until 9/30/15 but had a set of twins today making them 22 days early a bull and heifer out of a Regis daughter and OCC Missing Link 830M. Calves both weighed 38 pounds jury still out on mamma taking them both. To be safe we gave them colostrum the cow is so dang confused one minute she is thinking about taking the heifer the next the bull then butts off the heifer. Like I said we think she may end up taking them both but not 100% on that yet and didn't want to risk neither of them getting what they needed. The colostrum was an insurance policy. The up side is two calves to send to the market.

gizmom

 

[Supa Dexta]

Twins do better locked in a pen with their mother for a few days until everyone is familiar with one another. After that I find the twins will actually stay together on pasture most of the time, right up until weaning.

 

[gizmom]

Your right and they are penned up with mamma, like I said we think she will take them both but right now she is one confused nasty tempered mamma, with the worst udder we have had on the place in years so she has earned a trip to town no matter what the outcome on the calves.

gizmom