Well I Guess We're Calving

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True Grit Farms":10m14nra said:
Silver":10m14nra said:
Tbrake":10m14nra said:
Your saying you have had 10 sets of twins out of 43 cows? That is unreal. I had 146 baby's this spring, only 4 twins. And a lot of them have strong gelvieh influence. Known for twins. (that I found) only about 12-15 cows left. Fingers crossed for no more twins!!!!
Edit: I'm not doubting you, just never heard of so many twins !

I've never heard of it either. It is now 12 sets on 48 cows. I can only assume it is going to stop soon, I've had enough.

It's not luck, good or bad there's a reason for what's happening. Everything in nature has a reason. Did your neighbor feed oat baleage last spring?

Our neighbour did not feed oat baleage last spring. Nature does not always need a reason, there is a chance of twinning involved in every conception. But because the majority of these calves are fraternal I am inclined to believe that conditioning prior to breeding may be playing a roll. Calving season is a long ways from being done, so I won't be coming to any rash conclusions just yet. It may well end up that we have just a few more than normal and that it was just chance that so many came early rather than sprinkled throughout the season.
But for the time being it's a strange place to be in for sure.
 
Silver":3npi8ioo said:
True Grit Farms":3npi8ioo said:
Silver":3npi8ioo said:
I've never heard of it either. It is now 12 sets on 48 cows. I can only assume it is going to stop soon, I've had enough.

It's not luck, good or bad there's a reason for what's happening. Everything in nature has a reason. Did your neighbor feed oat baleage last spring?

Our neighbour did not feed oat baleage last spring. Nature does not always need a reason, there is a chance of twinning involved in every conception. But because the majority of these calves are fraternal I am inclined to believe that conditioning prior to breeding may be playing a roll. Calving season is a long ways from being done, so I won't be coming to any rash conclusions just yet. It may well end up that we have just a few more than normal and that it was just chance that so many came early rather than sprinkled throughout the season.
But for the time being it's a strange place to be in for sure.

Sometimes you never figure out the reason, but there's always a reason. We'll just have to disagree about nature.
 
Got three due March 28, including a first-timer that's already getting bagged up and floppy in back. She's kinda small, will probably go early. Weather has been cold and tons of snow. Was hoping it would warm up a bit. I'm wondering if I should get a shelter for the calf (calf hutch) to keep it off snow/muck/ice....I plan to put out some bedding tomorrow but the boss cows will just lay on it and soil it. It's still too cold to set up a separate area for the calvers (hard to keep water open in two areas here). Wish they'd hold out til their due date but ours tend to go early by 5-14 days.
 
Silver":2cjmnzow said:
True Grit Farms":2cjmnzow said:
Silver":2cjmnzow said:
I've never heard of it either. It is now 12 sets on 48 cows. I can only assume it is going to stop soon, I've had enough.

It's not luck, good or bad there's a reason for what's happening. Everything in nature has a reason. Did your neighbor feed oat baleage last spring?

Our neighbour did not feed oat baleage last spring. Nature does not always need a reason, there is a chance of twinning involved in every conception. But because the majority of these calves are fraternal I am inclined to believe that conditioning prior to breeding may be playing a roll. Calving season is a long ways from being done, so I won't be coming to any rash conclusions just yet. It may well end up that we have just a few more than normal and that it was just chance that so many came early rather than sprinkled throughout the season.
But for the time being it's a strange place to be in for sure.

I've found twins tend to be gestated a little less, so it would make sense you see more of them early in the season. Heaviest set of twins I had was a pair of bulls calves, 110 lbs each.. second was a breech I didn't notice for over a day because well, who'd think there's another calf in there when the first one is that weight..

I have a wet cow.. hint hint :p
 
Nesikep":3f3x5st6 said:
I've found twins tend to be gestated a little less, so it would make sense you see more of them early in the season. Heaviest set of twins I had was a pair of bulls calves, 110 lbs each.. second was a breech I didn't notice for over a day because well, who'd think there's another calf in there when the first one is that weight..

I have a wet cow.. hint hint :p

I agree with you on the gestation of twins, we often get several sets early in the season. I don't believe we will maintain anything near our current 25 percent pace. There have been many attempts by folks a lot more clever than myself to influence twinning in herds and only very limited success.
Just like I don't like to believe that we will continue to have heifers at a rate of 2:1 to bulls. More random chance
220 lbs is a lot of calf in one cow for sure. The last set of twins I pulled were big but not quite there for sure.
If you'd like a calf for that wet cow stop in and we'll have a drink and come up with something that works for both of us :D
 
Wow Silver! Do you have goats or cows? It's a shame they didn't all make it. Hope you stay lucky! And I always thought if you have to bottle feed one you might as well be bottle feeding 3 or 4. LOL.
 
wbvs58":1qefuulv said:
I think you should go to a casino and see if you can use up some of your luck there Silver.

Ken


I look at this a different way than most. I would avoid flying, or doing any sort of activity that could potentially be dangerous.

I had a premi today, 18 Lbs. Pretty lively compared to others I've had. Got to figure out a way to get him some colostrum, as my regular tube feeder won't fit. We'll see what happens, but probably a waste of time.
Mom is in milk, checked for twins (first thing I thought when I saw he calf) felt inside her no twin there either. She was very tight still, so I'm assuming just premature calf. Although this calf seems more developed than others I've had.
 

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