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Would you rather be surprised by twin calves or an unexpected calf?

 
gardener
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If you like the "Would You Rather" game, check out this index of other questions. https://permies.com/t/238000/Permaculture-Edition

Would you rather visit the pasture and be surprised by twin calves from a cow you thought had one or surprised by a calf from a cow you didn't know was pregnant?
 
Matt McSpadden
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Sometimes I come up with questions I don't really have an answer to. I think I would rather have the twins though. Hopefully it would be easier to know their heritage.
 
Steward of piddlers
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Great question!

I'm going to go with twins. The reasoning is that hypothetically I am ready for one calf. Instead of having to scramble to deal with two, I only have to scramble sorta for an additional.
 
Rusticator
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Twins.
 
pollinator
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Unexpected. Most of the time one calf gets rejected. A lot of the time they die even if you are prepared to bottle feed.
 
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I just want them healthy.  

I would rather have fewer animals that are stout and full of life.  If a sheep raises one lamb it grows faster and has more weight on it than a ewe with two.  
 
Samantha Lewis
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If it's an angus, you maybe don't want twins.  If there is a bull calf and a heifer calf, the heifer will likely be sterile.   a freemartin
 
Timothy Norton
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Samantha Lewis wrote:If it's an angus, you maybe don't want twins.  If there is a bull calf and a heifer calf, the heifer will likely be sterile.   a freemartin



I wasn't aware this was a thing! Thank you for sharing, it is fascinating.
 
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One day years ago, our daughter said our cow name Three had too many feet.

She had an unexpected calf.

The reason her name was Three was because she had three white feet.

Nowadays any calf would be nice because we only have deer fawns.

I would especially love to have twins.
 
pollinator
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The money is in the twins so if mommy had milk for them and I had feed for them will go with the twins every time.  Plus that also means I likely planned for the weather where the unexpected calf might arrive in any weather.
 
pollinator
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I would rather be prepared for one calf and unexpectedly get two.
Reading the other replies are enlightening, though.
I have no experience raising cattle, so replies from those of you who do are really interesting!
 
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Matt McSpadden wrote:If you like the "Would You Rather" game, check out this index of other questions. https://permies.com/t/238000/Permaculture-Edition

Would you rather visit the pasture and be surprised by twin calves from a cow you thought had one or surprised by a calf from a cow you didn't know was pregnant?



Twin calves, that you were expecting!

sandy
 
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Twins, at least you were expecting one instead of none.
 
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