• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.339-343
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• 2011

This study determined the effects of twin birth on subsequent postpartum disorders, culling and reproductive performance, and its risk factors in dairy cows. Detailed data related to reproduction, health, and calving events, including dates of artificial insemination (AI) and calving, hormonal treatment prior to conception, cow parity, twin birth, retained placenta, metabolic disorders, and endometritis were collected from 1,717 individual calvings on 9 dairy farms. The incidence rate of twin birth was 3.4%. Gestation length was shorter in cows with twin birth ($270.6{\pm}2.0$ days) than cows giving birth to singletons ($279.5{\pm}0.2$ days, P < 0.01). The incidence of retained placenta (47.5 vs. 16.0%), metabolic disorders (18.6 vs. 3.8%) endometritis (62.7 vs. 28.2%), and culling rate (32.2 vs. 16.5%) was greater in cows with twin birth than in cows giving birth to singletons, respectively (P < 0.01). The hazard of pregnancy (adjusted hazard ratio, AHR) by 210 days in milk analyzed using Cox proportional hazards model was affected by calving season, in that the rate of pregnancy for cows calved during spring was less than for cows calved during winter (AHR = 0.80; P = 0.01); this was also true for endometritis (AHR = 0.46, P < 0.01). AHR was not affected by twin birth. Logistic analysis demonstrated that increasing the cow parity (P < 0.01) and hormonal treatment prior to conception (adjusted odds ratio, AOR = 1.84, P < 0.05) increased the risk of twin birth. These results demonstrate that twin births are responsible for severe economic losses through the increased occurrence of postpartum disorders and culling; thus, appropriate management for the deleterious impact of twin birth, and/or reducing the risk factors by herd control regarding cow parity and the use of reproductive hormones prior to conception might be necessary.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.209-218
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• 2004

To investigate the feasibility of embryo transfer technology to promote productivity of cattle, 36 cows(18 Holstein, 18 Hanwoo) were superovulated. Fresh embryos were transferred to 25 recipients(14 Holstein, 11 Hanwoo), whereas frozen embryos were transferred to 17 recipients(10 Holstein, 7 Hanwoo). Two embryos were transferred at a time to 13 recipients(9 Holstein, 4 Hanwoo) to produce twin calves. 1. 75.0％ of donor cattle were reacted to hormonal treatment far superovulation. 2. The rate of embryo recovery by non-surgical method for Holstein and Hanwoo was 90.4 and 95.8％ in comparison with numbers of corpus luteum. 3. Of all the ova collected non-surgically, the rate of viable blastocyst was 66.4％ and the rate of transferrable blastocysts was 48.6％. 4. The rate of embryo collection by one-catheter method was 75.0％. 5. The rate of pregnancy/delivery following embryo transfer with fresh embryos was 60.0％. 6. The rate of pregnancy/delivery following embryo transfer with frozen embryos was 35.3％. 7. In embryo transfer to produce twin calves, the rate of pregnancy/delivery was 28.6％ with fresh embryos and 16.7％ with frozen embryos.

• Journal of the korean veterinary medical association
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• v.39 no.11
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• pp.1020-1028
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• 2003

We analyzed the records that distribution of the twinning rate, sex of calves and complications of other diseases with twin pregnancy from 10,012 dairy cows for 5-year period from 70 dairy farms in Paju and Goyang cities. Twining rate was increased for 5-

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.12
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• pp.1512-1518
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• 2002

Purpose : Twins have a higher mortality and morbidity than singletons. Co-twin with one fetal death is particularly at risk. We investigated the neonatal outcome of live co-twins when one fetus had died after the 20th gestational week, and associated risk factors. Methods : A retrospective study was performed in fifteen cases of twin pregnancy with single intrauterine fetal deaths after the 20th gestational week during the period from January 1996 to December 2000 at Chonnam University Hospital. Results : Gestational age was $33.7{\pm}3.2weeks$, birth weight was $1,992{\pm}592g$. Interval between one fetal death being detected and the delivery of a live co-twin was $32.4{\pm}29.5days$. There were 11 cases(73.3%) of premature babies less than 37 gestational weeks. Main causes of preterm delivery were preterm labor and premature rupture of membranes. Hematologic findings suggesting disseminated intravascular coagulopathy(DIC) were not found in all mothers before delivery, and was not associated with DIC and encephalomalacia of the live co-twin. Perinatal outcome of fifteen live co-twins was as follows : six were normal(40%), three were DIC(20.0%), three were encephalomalacia(20.0%), one suffered intrauterine growth retardation, there was one case of twin to twin transfusion syndrome, and one of congenital heart disease(atrial septal defect with pulmonary stenosis). The occurrence of DIC and encephalomalacia in live co-twins was not related to placental chorionicity, birth weight, gestational week, and the interval between the detection one fetal death and the delivery of a live co-twin. Conclusion : We could not find any maternal hematologic problems in twin pregnancies complicated by one fetal death. Twenty percent of live co-twins showed DIC and encephalomalacia. However, its associated risk factors were not found. We need to investigate more closely the cases of live co-twins with one intrauterine fetal death.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.97-104
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• 2005

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of various factors such as recipient parity, delivery season, offspring number, pregnancy period, delivery type, midwifery type and dystocia, on the viability of calves derived from embryos produced in vitro. There was no difference in the abnormality of calves among treatments ($0\~25\%$, respectively). The incidence of a disease was significantly higher in delivered by multiparous $(40\%)$ than nulliparous$(9.9\%)$, in eutocia than dystocia group, in delivered on spring $(20.4\%)$ and winter $(22.7\%)$ than summer$(4.3\%)$ and autumn $(0\%)$, in single offspring $(18.4\%)$ than twin offsprings $(6.7\%)$, and in eutocia group $(17\%)$ than dystocia $(2.7\%)$, respectively (p<0.05). The rate of mortality was significantly higher when transferred into mulliparous $(22.3\%)$ than multiparous$(0\%)$, when were delivered within 270 day $(53.3\%)$ than over 270 day $(14.3\~16.1\%)$, when were dystocia $(41.7\%)$ than eutocia$(14.1\%)$ group, when were induced delivery $(44.4\%)$ than self-delivery $(18.1\%)$, when were non-midwifery $(34\%)$ than midwifery$(10.8\%)$, and when delayed midwifery $(31.6\%)$ than earlier midwifery$(11.5\%)$, respectively (p<0.05). The present study suggested that the proper treatment of parturition may be increased the viability of calves derived from in vitro.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.141-146
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• 2012

Calving records of Holstein dairy cows from 2005 to 2010 comprising Goyang and Paju cities herd with 2,362 calving events representing 240 twin births were used to evaluate the effect of abomasal displacement and retained placenta after single or twin births on fertility. In retained placenta cows, the period of twin pregnancy (mean 270.5 days) was shorter than that of single pregnancy (mean 274.8 days), however first artificial insemination period (twin: mean 107.4 days, single: mean 92.0 days), non-pregnant period (twin: 154.8 days, single: 132.2 days), and number of insemination (twin: mean 2.00 times, single: mean 1.87 times) of twin pregnancy were increased as compared with single pregnancy. In abomasal displacement cows, first artificial insemination period (twin: mean 122.9 days, single: mean 106.0 days), non-pregnant period (twin: 172.4 days, single: 152.0 days), and number of insemination (twin: mean 2.16 times, single: mean 1.89 times) of twin pregnancy were increased as compared with single pregnancy. The prevalence of complication such as retained placenta, abomasal displacement with single or twin births increased first artificial insemination period, non-pregnant period, and number of insemination period.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.33-37
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• 2012

This study was performed to evaluate the rate of twin pregnancy and parturition in dairy cows. Calving records of Holstein dairy cows from 1998 to 2009 comprising Goyang and Paju cities herd with 20,990 calving events representing 820 twin births were used to evaluate twinning rate, calf sex ratio, periods of pregnancy and complication after parturition in single and twin births. Overall, the reported twinning rate was 3.9% in Holstein dairy cows. Rate of bicornual pregnancy (75%) was larger than that of unicornual pregnancy (25%) among cows having twin. Regardless of parity, the greatest twinning rate was observed in fall season from September to November. Calf sex ratios (male, M; female, F) were 48.0% FM, 28.9% MM, 21.5% FF and 0.9% mummifications for twin calves. Parturition type among cows having twins included normal (4.7%), premature (66.9%), delayed (9.2%), abortion (18.4%) and mummification (0.8%). The period of pregnancy in twin pregnancy (mean 272.6 days) was shorter than single pregnancy (mean 278.1 days). The retained placenta after parturition was over fourth times such as twin parturition (34.8%) higher than single parturition (8.5%) and the abomasal displacement was over two times such as twin parturition (10.2%) higher than single parturition (4.9%). The distribution of twin pregnancy with parities was high rate during the 2~3 parities. The prevalence of complication such as retained placenta and abomasal displacement with twin parturition revealed higher than single parturition.