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A Study of Multiple Births in a Holstein-Friesian Herd¹

Department of Dairy Industry, College of Agriculture, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey

ABSTRACT

Dairy cows are uniparous animals. Multiple births are relatively rare and occur with variable frequency. Twin births are most frequent, and triplets, quadruplets, and quintuplets are progressively rarer. Numbers of twin births reported for individual dairy breeds range from less than 0.5 per cent to 4.5 per cent (11) and for individual herds up to 8.8 per cent (9).

There still are differences of opinion as to whether twin births are desirable or undesirable in dairy cattle breeding (4, 5). Hewitt (7) considers multiple births a sign of increased fecundity and fertility, whereas Williams (12) relates such births to unsound or even diseased conditions of the genital tract, in particular of the ovary.

A general study of fertility in dairy cows, in which twin births were recognized as one of the factors influencing reproductive performance, led to a more detailed investigation of multiple births. The results are presented herewith.

SOURCE OF DATA

¹ Paper of the Journal Series, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Rutgers University, Department of Dairy Industry, New Brunswick.

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