Twins in Dairy Herds. Is It Better to Maintain or Reduce a Pregnancy?
Multiple ovulations and so multiple pregnancies have increased recently in dairy cattle. The incidence of the double ovulation impact in high producers at insemination may be over 20%. Twin pregnancies are undesirable as they seriously compromise the welfare and productive lifespan of the cow and he...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-10-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/11/2006 |
| _version_ | 1797549223312359424 |
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| author | Fernando López-Gatius |
| author_facet | Fernando López-Gatius |
| author_sort | Fernando López-Gatius |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Multiple ovulations and so multiple pregnancies have increased recently in dairy cattle. The incidence of the double ovulation impact in high producers at insemination may be over 20%. Twin pregnancies are undesirable as they seriously compromise the welfare and productive lifespan of the cow and herd economy. Clinical problems extend from the time of pregnancy diagnosis to pregnancy loss, abortion or parturition. Early pregnancy loss or abortion of multiple pregnancies lead in most cases to culling. In cows reaching their term, mean productive lifespan is up to about 300 days shorter for cows delivering twins than for cows delivering singletons. While there is an urgent need to address multiple pregnancy prevention procedures in the foreseeable future, the incidence of twin pregnancies continues to rise in parallel with increased milk production. Herein, we review two contrasting measures proposed for the time of twin pregnancy diagnosis: (1) gonadotropin-releasing hormone treatment for pregnancy maintenance, or (2) embryo reduction. These options are discussed in terms of their implications for individual animal health and herd economy. Our main conclusions find that manual twin reduction has proven to be the best management option, whereas the use of prostaglandin F<sub>2α</sub> for inducing abortion may be a better option than doing nothing. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:10:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0cc725a910dc416e97f86759e21a1342 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:10:37Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-0cc725a910dc416e97f86759e21a13422023-11-20T19:18:45ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152020-10-011011200610.3390/ani10112006Twins in Dairy Herds. Is It Better to Maintain or Reduce a Pregnancy?Fernando López-Gatius0Bovine Reproduction SLu, 22300 Barbastro, SpainMultiple ovulations and so multiple pregnancies have increased recently in dairy cattle. The incidence of the double ovulation impact in high producers at insemination may be over 20%. Twin pregnancies are undesirable as they seriously compromise the welfare and productive lifespan of the cow and herd economy. Clinical problems extend from the time of pregnancy diagnosis to pregnancy loss, abortion or parturition. Early pregnancy loss or abortion of multiple pregnancies lead in most cases to culling. In cows reaching their term, mean productive lifespan is up to about 300 days shorter for cows delivering twins than for cows delivering singletons. While there is an urgent need to address multiple pregnancy prevention procedures in the foreseeable future, the incidence of twin pregnancies continues to rise in parallel with increased milk production. Herein, we review two contrasting measures proposed for the time of twin pregnancy diagnosis: (1) gonadotropin-releasing hormone treatment for pregnancy maintenance, or (2) embryo reduction. These options are discussed in terms of their implications for individual animal health and herd economy. Our main conclusions find that manual twin reduction has proven to be the best management option, whereas the use of prostaglandin F<sub>2α</sub> for inducing abortion may be a better option than doing nothing.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/11/2006unilateral twin pregnanciesbilateral twin pregnanciesearly fetal losstwin reduction |
| spellingShingle | Fernando López-Gatius Twins in Dairy Herds. Is It Better to Maintain or Reduce a Pregnancy? Animals unilateral twin pregnancies bilateral twin pregnancies early fetal loss twin reduction |
| title | Twins in Dairy Herds. Is It Better to Maintain or Reduce a Pregnancy? |
| title_full | Twins in Dairy Herds. Is It Better to Maintain or Reduce a Pregnancy? |
| title_fullStr | Twins in Dairy Herds. Is It Better to Maintain or Reduce a Pregnancy? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Twins in Dairy Herds. Is It Better to Maintain or Reduce a Pregnancy? |
| title_short | Twins in Dairy Herds. Is It Better to Maintain or Reduce a Pregnancy? |
| title_sort | twins in dairy herds is it better to maintain or reduce a pregnancy |
| topic | unilateral twin pregnancies bilateral twin pregnancies early fetal loss twin reduction |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/11/2006 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT fernandolopezgatius twinsindairyherdsisitbettertomaintainorreduceapregnancy |