Cow Aborting - Twins

[Jerry]

How likely is it a cow will abort twins?

I found a calf yesterday evening with a cow standing over it, calf was about 6 weeks away from being due.

This morning I found another calf the same size but no cow.

One a bull calf the other a heifer.

This is suckler cows, pedigree Devon.

Ive looked at all the other cows and there are bo signs of anything else calving and Ive just seen the cow I know that has aborted go and sniff and paw the ground where the second calf was found.

No new stock on farm for 4 years, no change in diet, been in the same field for the last 5 summers. Just eating grass, plenty of water and lots of shade for them. TB test was a month ago and pretty low stress and clear.

Ive taken one calf to the lab to get tested but vet thinks had to pick up anything with calves.

 

[twizzel]

We had one abort twins last year, about 6 weeks out too. Didn’t get them tested, sent the cow on as she wasn’t anything special.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Sometimes the stress of 2 can make them pick them

 

[choochter]

a few years ago there was 2 late abortions here, not had that before
tested cows and discovered IBR.
I have biosecurity fencing here where it matters so no nose touching
but vet says it can blow in on the wind

 

[som farmer]

just hope it was a twin, not 2 cows aborted, Abortion rate up to 4% ? is considered normal by ministry.

had a cow calve, on time, never found the calf, she had blood/mucus all round her back end, and was looking for a calf, nice udder, very little milk.

week later, pulled a bloody great bb calf out of her, and she's milking fine. It was a jersey cow, and they have different attitude than other breeds.

way back, early 70's, pulled a calf out of a cow, big calf, and alive, 10 days later, helped her have another live calf, and not a small one. They can still surprise us, vet wasn't sure about it, but we pulled both calves, so no doubts whatsoever.