Twins!

Dachshund · Feb 23, 2016

Well, sort of! Both little girls, too!
The top one was born 22 Feb 2016. Her Dad is a 3/4 Jersey, 1/4 Guernsey, and mom is a full Jersey.

The bottom one was born Christmas Day 2015. Her Dad is a full Jersey, and mom is a 3/4 Jersey, 1/4 Guernsey.

At least now I have a couple of replacement milk cows for later on.

<a href="https://hillbilly-hill-farm.smugmug.com/Yearly-Photos/2016/i-qqDnjpN/A">

20160223_102321-S.jpg" alt="Twin Number 1

</a>

<a href="https://hillbilly-hill-farm.smugmug.com/Yearly-Photos/2016/i-cN5P37F/A">

20160223_102331-S.jpg" alt="Twin Number 2

</a>

roy prins · Feb 23, 2016

Wow - aint that nice ? nice calves-- hands down !

RayP(MI) · Feb 23, 2016

Very pretty. May they become good members of the herd.

pat sublett · Feb 23, 2016

I seems to me that there is some kind of story about girl twins being steril under certain circumstances. Maybe if one is a boy. Don't remember the exact saniro. Is that an old wives tale? Does anybody know?

T in NE · Feb 23, 2016

One male one female. The female could be a hermaphrodite, which would mean she is sterile.

Tom in TN · Feb 23, 2016

Pat,

T in NE is correct. In a pair of twins where one is female and the other is male, usually, the females reproductive tract does not develop normally. This condition is commonly referred to as "freemartin". Sometimes the ovaries don't develop properly. Usually, she won't produce the needed hormones to create "heat". Rarely, but sometimes, male reproductive organs will actually develop within her reproductive tract.

The strange thing is that the male twin will be completely normal.

I've had a bunch of twins born to my cows over the years, but fortunately, in every case, both of the calves were female. I still have some of them as herd cows in my herd.

Tom in TN

Andy Martin · Feb 23, 2016

(quoted from post at 19:56:13 02/23/16) Pat,

T in NE is correct. In a pair of twins where one is female and the other is male, usually, the females reproductive tract does not develop normally. This condition is commonly referred to as "freemartin". Sometimes the ovaries don't develop properly. Usually, she won't produce the needed hormones to create "heat". Rarely, but sometimes, male reproductive organs will actually develop within her reproductive tract.

The strange thing is that the male twin will be completely normal.

I've had a bunch of twins born to my cows over the years, but fortunately, in every case, both of the calves were female. I still have some of them as herd cows in my herd.

Tom in TN

I always remember "freemartin".

lee little · Feb 24, 2016

Usually in calves if it is twins with one male and one female the female will be sterile about 85% of the time. this is said to be caused by a comingling of hormones at some point. It doesnt affect the male and I have not heard of this happening in other species. I have been raising cattle better than 50 years and have NEVER had good luck with a set of twins.

WAYNE-N-TX · Feb 24, 2016

I must have read the thread wrong, not per say twins, different mothers & dads.

Dachshund · Feb 24, 2016

Yeah, sorry for the confusion! These aren't REALLY twins, they were born two months apart! I just had not expected the second calf to look as close as she does to the first. I'd better get two different colored halters so I can tell who's in trouble from a distance!

caterpillar guy · Feb 24, 2016

With triplets if there is one bull then one of the heifers will be freemartin the other will breed. We raised a set that was such.

Twins!

Dachshund

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roy prins

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RayP(MI)

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pat sublett

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T in NE

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Tom in TN

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Andy Martin

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WAYNE-N-TX

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Dachshund

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caterpillar guy

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