36. Clinical management of cattle twin pregnancy Flashcards
Twinning in cattle?
Twinning in Cattle:
- Unipara
- Effects
o Environment
o Nutrition
o Climatic seasonal factors
o Age
o Parity
- Different judgement in dairy and beef
- Low chances (0.01-0.09%)
- Chromosomes 5,7,19,23
Incidence of twin Pregnancy in Dairy herd?
Incidence of Twin Pregnancy in Dairy herd
- More common in dairy herd.
- East Europe 2.4%
- Co- dominant follicles ovulate
- Bilateral twins more common
- Monozygotic twins are low (4-6%)
Causes of twin pregnancy?
Causes of Twin Pregnancy
- Milk production
- Different preovulatory FSH patterns
- Due to increased metabolism increased blood flow through the liver
- Preovulatory hormonal treatment is not a cause
Consequences of twin Pregnancy in dairy cattle?
Consequences of twin pregnancy in dairy cattle
- Abortion 2.5-3x
- Freemartinism
o Placental anastomoses
o Day 35: placental union
o Sertoli cells, AMH
o Diagnoses
§ Clinical exam
• Foetal mortality
o During foetal development of gestation if one of the foetuses dies surely the other will die also
• Length of pregnancy
o Shorter, 3.5-8 months
- Dystocia
- Placental retention
- Postpartum reproductive performance decr
Diagnosis of twin pregnancy?
Diagnosis of twin pregnancy
• Rectal palpation
o Palpation of the fluctuation
o Amniotic sac palpation
o Foetal membrane slipping
- Ultrasound
- Pregnancy protein measurement
- Progesterone concentration measurement
Advised interventions in case of twin pregnancy?
Advised interventions in case of twin pregnancy
- Signalling from the dam
- Increase pregnancy exams
- Total termination of pregnancy, single termination not recommended
- Special care at calving, decreasing stillbirth
- Individual monitoring of freemartin animals
Complications of twin pregnancy?
Complications
• Twin pregnancies may increase the risk of LDA by virtue of a more dramatic size change of the uterus
in the periparturient period
