Triplets

[Wyoming Wind]

Had a set of triplets born out of a 4 year old angus cross cow. My husband saw the first get born, get up and suck, and thought all was good. Went back a few hours later and the bull calf had gotten squished when she laid down to deliver the 2 identical heifer calves. All are dead and each weighed 55-60 pounds. Father in law and our long time vet friend who practiced over 40 years had never seen or heard of triplets around here before. The bull calf was just a tad bigger than the heifers. Both heifers had a little white on their bellies. Here's a pic taken with our crummy phone. Any of you ever had triplets??

 

[PPRM]

We did last summer. It was actually a first calf heifer. She took them all and was doing great. Then it got really hot and one laid out in the sun (We had provided shade) and he never recovered.

The two heifers were doing great. I wish we hadn't turned them out with the rest of the cows. I had an older cow all the sudden have bad hip issues and butchered her. Her calf latched onto this heifer with the now twins. She raised all three, but it was a lot against her condition and I feel it set the other two calves back.

This heifer is out of a line of Angus/Simmental/shorthorn cross cows that I call my "Supercows". They get em out, get em up and get em going. They all have pretty gentle dispositions as well.

Funny thing was two days before, I took this heifer into the vets. She was just miserable and I was worried she had a dead one in her. Vet palpated and found a foot. it took awhile, but it jerked and we knew she had a live calf. He was worried about her discomfort as well. I was traveling when my wife called to tell me the heifer was calving and had one nursed and up and was laying down to have another. "Can I call the vet?" she said... Ummm, heck Yes!

Vet did a great job getting them going. We still give him a hard time about finding only one of 12 feet though.

 

[greybeard]

That picture you posted is one I have seen more than a few times with twins. Very discouraging to see a young cow and so much opportunity lost.
We did have a cow about the same age raise a set of triplets.
I was out feeding and saw her off on her own. It was about 3 weeks early for any calves. I left her alone until I saw a calf standing with her laying down obviously delivering another.When I got there she had three live calves. Two pretty much normal size and one smaller. No dummies or oxygen deprived.
We kept them in the barn and then in the alley until turn-out. Fed
the two bigger calves a bottle twice a day and the little one never learned to suck. Always ran to the mother when the bigger ones were busy.
She brought them all home in the fall and calved again the next year. Don't think she ever had multiples again.
I consider myself very lucky and hope I never see another twin on the place.

 

[Faster horses]

That is just sad, Wyoming Wind. One would hope that out of 3, one would
live.

We never did like twins, just caused extra work. I know they do come in
handy plenty of times.
We never did have triplets and really, we never had all that many twins.
Our cattle were straightbred Angus and they aren't as susceptible to
twinning as some other breeds.

Good luck from here on out!