The dilemma of twin pregnancies in dairy cattle. A review of practical prospects

This study examines incidences and timing of abortion in Holstein Friesian dairy cows with advanced twin pregnancies in north‐eastern Spain. The study population consisted of 1,194 twin pregnancies in two herds recorded from 2010 to 2015: 522 bilateral and 672 unilateral. The presence of live twins was determined by transrectal ultrasonography between 55 and 61 days post‐AI and pregnancy confirmed 60 days later. Abortion was recorded in 278 (23.3%) cows before Day 260 of pregnancy: 7 (1.3%) in bilateral and 271 (40.3%) in unilateral twin pregnancies. Using binary logistic regression procedures the following were excluded as risk factors for abortion: herd, year, heat stress (temperature‐humidity index values >72), lactation number and right versus left side for unilateral twins. Based on odds ratios, cows carrying unilateral twins were 49.9 (right unilateral twins) and 49.3 (left unilateral twins) times more likely to suffer abortion than cows with bilateral twins. The average time of abortion for unilateral twins was 173 ± 32 days and ranged from 135 to 249 days, 43% of abortions occurring between 135 and 154 days of gestation. The authors suggest prevention or reduction of unilateral twin pregnancies by follicular puncture and drainage of subordinate follicles at AI or manual rupture of the amniotic vesicle of one of the two twins at the time of pregnancy diagnosis.

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Abortion in dairy cattle with advanced twin pregnancies: Incidence and timing

García-Ispierto

López‐Gatius²

2019

“…The economic impacts of twinning are probably on the rise as twinning rates have increased considerably over the past three decades (Kinsel, Marsh, Ruegg, & Etherington, ; Nielen, Schukken, Scholl, Wilbrink, & Brand, ; Silva del Rio, Stewart, Rapnicki, Chang, & Fricke, ). Understandably, the twinning rate is closely related to the twin pregnancy rate, which has been extensively described as an emerging principal non‐infectious factor jeopardizing pregnancy maintenance (López‐Gatius, Andreu‐Vázquez, Mur‐Novales, Cabrera, & Hunter, ). The risk of pregnancy loss during the first trimester of gestation for cows carrying twins is three to nine times higher than for cows carrying singletons (López‐Gatius & García‐Ispierto, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Puncture and drainage of the subordinate follicles at timed artificial insemination prevents the risk of twin pregnancy in dairy cows

López‐Gatius

Hunter

2017

The objective of this study was to determine whether fluid drainage from the subordinate follicles by ovum pickup procedures prevents the risk of twin pregnancy without reducing the fertility of the cow. Lactating dairy cows with at least two follicles over 12 mm diameter located one on each ovary and selected from synchronized groups for fixed-time insemination were assigned to a Control (n = 49) or Drainage (n = 49) group. The largest follicle was considered as the dominant follicle. Draining of all subordinate follicles (≥10 mm) was performed in the Drainage group. All drained follicles developed as a corpus luteum 7 days later. In the Control cows, the presence of two corpora lutea (55.1%) was lower (p = .003) than those in the Drainage cows (87.8%), whereas the incidence of twin pregnancies was 50% and 0% for the Control and Drainage groups, respectively (p < .001). Draining did not affect the pregnancy rate. These results indicate that puncture and drainage of the subordinate follicles at insemination may eliminate the risk of twin pregnancies and reduce the risk of subsequent pregnancy loss by increasing the incidence of additional corpora lutea.

“…Negative aspects include a lower birth weight, higher calf mortality, an increased incidence of dystocia and stillbirth, more frequent calf abandonment, higher rates of placenta retention, longer open days and incidence of freemartin heifers (Kirkpatrick, ). A recommended practice in dairy herds that perform pregnancy monitoring is the removal of one of the embryos (López‐Gatius, Andreu‐Vázquez, Mur‐Novales, Cabrera, & Hunter, ). However, studies have shown that the economic return for an increase in the number of offspring per dam is advantageous in intensive beef cattle production systems (Guerra‐Martinez, Dickerson, Anderson, & Green, ; Komisarek & Dorynek, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Twinning rate in buffaloes: A case report

Rocha

Santos

Tonhati

et al. 2019

Contents The information of twin pregnancy frequencies in buffaloes is scarce in the literature. Evidence even indicates that twin pregnancies are not carried to term, but it does not seem to be the case. In this case report, the event of twin pregnancy in buffaloes is reported as well as its frequency. Twin birth is the presence of two or more embryos in a single gestation. Multiple births are uncommon in buffaloes since the species is uniparous. We studied a population of Murrah buffaloes in which slightly more than 13,000 births were observed. In this study, the frequency of occurrence of twin births in Murrah buffaloes was 0.14%. This low incidence impaired the estimation of genetic parameters. Twins can have advantages and disadvantages depending on the production system, which are discussed in this case report.