WOW! Two aborted sets of twins in 1 week!

[keduhpn]

On Monday I found that a red simmy cross cow that I have had aborted a set of twins. She was bred by my herd bull which is a maine out of WMW. They were both about 55lbs and didn't seem to have troulbe calving.

Then last night I checked the cows and my black simmy cross cow was off on her own. I have been watching her extra close because she was due on April 12th and was bred to Golden Child. I was concerned  because she was 10 days early.

I checked her again late last night and early this morning. About 8 this morning 1 leg and head were out and it was dead. So I got the puller thinking that there was only one large calf, but when I pulled the 1st calf a leg came out from the 2nd calf. so then I pulled the next. Both were heifers and weighed about 60 lbs each.

I was sick, but what can you do?

Now I am wondering what the odds are that I would have two sets of twins die in one week?
Me and my dad were talking this afternoon and came up with the idea that maybe they got into some mistletoe which caused them to abort.
What do yall think?
Wierd huh?

 

[aj]

It always amazed me when twins did come out right and lined up properly. I've had one set this year that worked out ok. I did graft the exra calf on another cow that lost her calf.

 

[kanshow]

We had a mess of a tangle of twins earlier this year.  Three legs & one head were coming but only one of those legs belonged to the head. 

I would not say these twins were aborted as from teh sound of it, they were pretty close to term in gestation.  Twins will often come just a tad early for reasons having to do with Total calf weight.

 

[Jill]

I would have to agree, 10 days early isn't an aborted pregnancy, they should be able to live that early even if they had gotten into something, they were born dead so it isn't the case of lungs not being developed enough.  I would guess it is just a freak coincidence.

 

[justintime]

Twins can bring a lot of grief. I have had 5 sets so far this year, which is lower than normal for us. Three sets come fine and all are alive. Two sets of both dead came on the same day. I was wondering what was happening as I had two sets of dead twins and a single stillborn the same day. A pile of 5 dead calves to show for my day's work! Not sure why these things happen. I agree with Jill, that 10 days early is not an aborted set of twins. Twins almost always come early term, and 10 days early is not unusual.  The most we have ever had was 17 sets of twins in one year. Give me a good single over twins any day!

 

[keduhpn]

I agree with all the comments and would love to take singles over twins any day!

I am very new at AI and really wanted this cow to be bred to Golden Child and was looking forward to the calf.

Looking back now, I recall breeding this cow. She came into heat naturally (no synchronization drugs). I saw my herd bull chasing her so in the morning, then I pinned her up and bred her that night when she was standing. Then I gave her another dose the next morning to assure that I timed her correctly. The twins were not identical. One was solid red and the other was black and white.

Could the two doses have caused the twining? Or did the embryos split? Or did she ovulate 2 eggs? I am not sure if I caused the twinning. What do yall think?

And if you had 17 sets of twins, how many cows do you have?!?!?!? WOW!

 

[justintime]

When we had 17 sets of calves we were calving about 250-275 cows.  In your case, the twins you got were not from an embryos splitting. When an embryos splits you will have identical twins. In your case, you cow probably produced an embryo on both ovaries. Two of my sets of twins this year are out of black cows and they both had a red and a black twin. They could be from the same bull, or in your case, they could be from two different sires if the cow was bred by two different bulls ( or bred by a bull naturally and AI'd as well).

 

[frostback]

Since you are new to AI I will point out one large problem with your program. Not a great idea to have the herd bull running with the cows you want to AI. You will never be sure what bull the calves are by. I dont think it will increase chances of twins though. The embryo did not split or they would be the same colour and sex, it was two eggs. Dont let a little bad luck discourage you, things happen. Frosty

 

[keduhpn]

Thanks to everyone for their help. "S__t" happens I guess. Thanks.