unbreedable calves

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our cow just had twin calves One is a bull and the other is a hefier ,some one said that if there are twins born that they won't be able to breed , it this true or not . Vince

-- Vince (Dove@epix.net), April 12, 2002

Answers

This is called a "freemartin". Most of the time the heifer will be sterile. On a very very rare occasion she will be normal but it is really against the odds. Sorry....

-- Tana Mc (mcfarm@totelcsi.net), April 12, 2002.

Think I read that the chance is one in twelve that a twin heifer to a bull calf will be able to breed. There may be a test of some sort that can be done, you could ask your vet.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), April 12, 2002.

It's likely the heifer will never breed. Her bull twin's hormones interfere with her own reproductive tract development in utero. The bull, of course, is fine, if you wanted him for breeding.

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), April 12, 2002.

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