Reprodoc saves this valuable heifer from culling.

In general females born co- twinned to a male are infertile. This is known as the free-martin condition whereby the male starts to produce hormones at approximately 65 days of gestation which pass into the blood stream of the female co-twin and stops development of her genitalia. In approximately 1% of mixed set twins this condition of free-martinism does not occur, as the fusion of blood vessels between the male and female twin does not take place.

This Charolais heifer belonging to breeder Kevin Whelan in Co. Laois is a special case whereby smart scan from ReproDoc revealed that her reproductive tract was normal and that the animal was fit to be bred 2 days after examination.

On our visit to the farm this week 2 months later we were able to reveal that indeed the heifer was fertile as she was now pregnant carrying a heifer calf. Therefore it is essential that you use smart scan from ReproDoc to clarify the fertility status of females born to co-twinned males before culling them from the farm.

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