Twins...

[Fallfish]

Just had one of my old cows have twins for the first time. Only one was born alive, but its doing fine. I was just wondering what the chances of another set of twins are for next time. Does anyone have any thoughts?

Fallfish

 

[shorty]

I had a cow that had two sets of twins in her liifetime but they were 5 years apart. I just had a first calf heifer have twins in fall

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Normally, a cow is "run down" at breeding time because of twins, so very unlikely that she will carry twins two years in a row.
Having said that, we had a cow that spit out live twins last year (within 1 hour for both) and cleaned immediately. We bred her AI during our normal breeding season, she just spit out live set of twins yesterday - again within 1 hour & cleaned immediately - and is still in good condition. Twin heifers out of Macho.
But, I STILL HATE TWINS!!

 

[fellersbarnoneranch]

Normally, a cow is "run down" at breeding time because of twins, so very unlikely that she will carry twins two years in a row.
Having said that, we had a cow that spit out live twins last year (within 1 hour for both) and cleaned immediately. We bred her AI during our normal breeding season, she just spit out live set of twins yesterday - again within 1 hour & cleaned immediately - and is still in good condition. Twin heifers out of Macho.
But, I STILL HATE TWINS!!

Do you synch your herd with hormones? In horses, the lut seems to increase your chances of twins.

 

[TheBullLady]

If she's "old" it's probably a one time thing. I've had a couple of older cows that had one set in their lifetime, but never again.

On the other hand, I have had two cows that had twins 3 years out of four. But they had twins their first calving.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I occasionally use Lutalyse, but pretty rare. Only use it if I think I missed a heat & don't want to wait for next one. Also will use it on cows that retained their placenta.
Didn't use it on this cow. And don't find twinning caused by the hormone shots.
The cow is 4 years old. Had a single at 2, and now twins at 3 & 4. She can stop now!!

 

[jerry27150]

anyone else ever have a twin that was born 3 months later than the first?

 

[TheBullLady]

No.. the farthest apart I've had was 10 hours.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

anyone else ever have a twin that was born 3 months later than the first?

Was the first one born 3 months early (DOA) and the second one born on time??

 

[ChrisB]

I remember reading that story or one like it a couple years ago. I can't remember exactly, but weren't the calves sired by two different bulls? I don't know if they were technically twins or not. Anyone else remember this?

 

[TR]

I heard a story on the news the other day about a woman who had twins 3 months apart....apparently she had 2 uteruses? :shock: The news castors looked just as confused as I was.....

 

[jerry27150]

no jeanne the first was a full term calf bor healthy three months later there was another calf in the pasture running aroun & i couldn't find any cow that was near freshing or wanting her. i asked my old vet & he said sometimes an old hereford will do that.
have never seen it happen again