Free martin question

[Wendy]

The thread about the small, cheap calf got me thinking. Why doesn't being a twin affect other animals & make them free martins?? Such as goats?? Just curious as to why it happens in cattle & not other animals. Or does it??

[MARYDVM]

The problem in cattle has to due with the way the placenta develops - the twins end up sharing circulation that allows the testosterone produced by the bull calf to influence the development of the heifer. Most species have completely seperate placentas for each twin, so this problem is not nearly as common as in cattle. But it could happen If the placentas developed a connection.

[Ken Scharabok]

There is a slight influence in animals which have large litters, such as pigs, even if each has their own pacenta. In litters which are predominately male, the females tend to be slightly less reproductive. In litters which are predominately female, problems doesn't seem to occur.

I have seen some reports on human twins which indicate the female twin may have problems conceiving. Not that they are infertile, just have more problems conceiving.

Ken Scharabok

[cloverfarm]

Well, I'll be dipped. I had no idea other species' twins could be slightly affected ...
ann