Free Martin calves

[vet tech]

if i have a set of twins, one bull, one heifer, is the heifer 100% unbreedable? Is there heifer calves that are normal?

 

[shortdawg]

I've been told by a vet that 97 % or more of the heifer twins to a bull are free martins.

 

[The Driver]

I've been told that at best there is 10% chance she will breed

 

[DL]

The vast majority of heifer to bull twins are free martins, ie missing some or all of the important parts needed for breeding - there are several ways to determine if she is a free martin - there is the "test tube test", or you can wait until she is of sufficient size and either palpate or ultrasound her. There is a blood test that looks for male cells in the heifers blood, but all that tells you is that there was mixture of blood btwn the heifer and bull calf in utero - doesn't tell you anything about what she does or doesn't have.

 

[M-n-M Cattle Company]

When we had dairy cows (over 60 years) we had many sets of twins and about 5 of the heifers (bull/heifer) were good. Just lst year we got shorty twins (bull/heifer) and the heifer is good. So just have the vet out and have him test her there is hope. If she's no good please eat her instead of sending her to auction for another poor sap to buy.

 

[vet tech]

How do the vets test her?

 

[M-n-M Cattle Company]

To be honest I don't know I just know that everytime our vet has said that a heifer is good she has been. And everytime he says she a dud we still run them with our bull and theres never been one that breeds.

 

[vet tech]

o gotcha. Thanks everyone!

 

[loveRedcows]

How do the vets test her?

There is such a thing as a "free martin probe" that the vet here uses to determine if the reproductive tract is a blind pouch on a young heifer.

 

[cowman 52]

We have used a bic  pen for years-  on 2-7 day olds insert pen in vulva if you hit resistance before you run out of pen no good

 

[Jeferin]

The pen trick does work, but you only have a week or so to tell. 10% is what I have heard.

Another way to help you tell on a little older heifer is look at the teats. No teats no good. If there are teat it doesn't mean she is good. Also the hair around the vulva, lots a hair usually not a good sign.

 

[vet tech]

okay well its to late for the pen test. and she has good hair and is growing great but she dosn't have a lot of hair around the vulva....just the normal

 

[Jill]

There is no way to visually tell, you'll need to have her checked.