Frequently Asked Questions


Q:   Are twin baby calves born sterile?

A:   No. If both twins are either male or female, fertility is normal. If a female is born twin to a male, then there is a pretty good chance that the female is infertile. These females are called free-martins. In this situation, there is some crossing-over of the blood between the male and female fetuses while in the uterus, and because of this there is developments in the female reproductive tract that render her sterile.


Dr. Rick Rasby, Professor of Animal Science
Animal Science, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE
March 21st, 2008

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