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Hermaphrodite (bad luck)

Posted by Kolti Ishler on May 2, 2013 at 11:01pm in Breeding

My best registered nubian doeling born this year turned out to be a hermaphrodite!! I was terribly upset when I found out. I came in the house with tears to tell my mom. Iv been a wreck since. Does anyone know if this is caused by something or is it just random? Iv had the worst luck these past two years as some of you may know. Guess I shoulda kept lil Lucky here for good luck with that horseshoe and all!! But anyways last year I had hermaphrodite also and I never want it to happen again. Both my registered nubian doelings born this year are not going to be registered as the one is a hermaphrodite and the other has an underbite. :( I really wish I could fix both those things!!

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Replies

  • Laurelle Balog March 23, 2014 at 6:47am
    It sure was old school. The vet was in his late 60s and that's the way they thought. He actually didn't says free martin, he said freemart. Bit, if you google the word, you will see that there is a technical definition and a farm definition, both generally refer to a female having a semblance of both sex organs.
    I was told recently by a big dairy boss with Holstein cows that when twin heifers are born, one will always be sterile. They sell them off because it is a waste of time to raise them both to find one doesn't earn her keep. Then again, he was an old timer, and that may not be true. I don't know cows..
  • Deborah Niemann-Boehle March 17, 2014 at 12:36pm
    That is really old school thinking. Did he even examine them? The thing aboout freemartins, however, is that it occurs when a female shares the uterus with a male sibling. It is fairly common with cattle, but they rarely have twins anyway. In case anyone reading this is confused, a freemartin and hermaphrodite are two different things. Freemartin goats are almost unheard of.


    Laurelle Balog said:
    My first goats over 20 years ago,were an unrelated ND buck and unrelated twin sisters. The more dominant of the sisters never came into heat and would act buckish. She had all the correct parts, size and shape. I had her looked at and the vet said she and her sister were polled therefore, at least one would be intersex, and back then it was thought that most polled goats were free martins. I know now that it isn't true. But, I was green back then. It's just the luck of the draw.
  • Laurelle Balog March 17, 2014 at 6:01am
    My first goats over 20 years ago,were an unrelated ND buck and unrelated twin sisters. The more dominant of the sisters never came into heat and would act buckish. She had all the correct parts, size and shape. I had her looked at and the vet said she and her sister were polled therefore, at least one would be intersex, and back then it was thought that most polled goats were free martins. I know now that it isn't true. But, I was green back then. It's just the luck of the draw.
  • Deborah Niemann-Boehle January 10, 2014 at 8:07pm

    Being a hermaphrodite is the least common reason for a doe to not come into heat or get pregnant. Mineral deficiency is a very common reason for fertility problems. Copper and selenium are the two most common deficiencies that cause fertility problems, and there are multiple discussions on here about copper deficiency. If the doe is overweight, that can also make it difficult for her to get pregnant, and it really doesn't take a lot of extra fat.

    Dorothy King said:

    Hi I'm new to posting but I have a dilemma somewhat in line with this thread. Sorry if this goes against the etiquette of the thread content. I have a 2 yr old doe who didn't get pregnant with last years breeding and is virtually impossible to tell when in heat. The only way is with a buck present or if you catch a pen mate mounting her. She was bred 2 months ago and personality has completely changed 2 wks after the breeding. On top of that she is basically eating only hay/some browse and has lost weight like crazy. Could she be preggers or possibly one of the intersex and other health issues are going on?
  • Glenna Rose January 7, 2014 at 4:03am

    I wouldn't be concerned about the personality change after breeding.  My Capri, both last year and this year, gets extra quiet afterward and lays around more than usual; I attribute it to hormonal changes since many women do it (change temperament) as well.  However, in her case, there is *no* question when she is in heat in the fall.<g>

    Dorothy King said:

    Hi I'm new to posting but I have a dilemma somewhat in line with this thread. Sorry if this goes against the etiquette of the thread content. I have a 2 yr old doe who didn't get pregnant with last years breeding and is virtually impossible to tell when in heat. The only way is with a buck present or if you catch a pen mate mounting her. She was bred 2 months ago and personality has completely changed 2 wks after the breeding. On top of that she is basically eating only hay/some browse and has lost weight like crazy. Could she be preggers or possibly one of the intersex and other health issues are going on?
  • Rachel Whetzel at MigMog Acres January 6, 2014 at 1:53am

    Dorothy, I think that it's not uncommon for it to be difficult to tell when a doe is in heat. What you describe is pretty much the norm for my herd. How does her tail look from underneath? She might need a wormer or some other help to keep her condition if she's pregnant. 

  • Dorothy King January 5, 2014 at 1:32am
    Hi I'm new to posting but I have a dilemma somewhat in line with this thread. Sorry if this goes against the etiquette of the thread content. I have a 2 yr old doe who didn't get pregnant with last years breeding and is virtually impossible to tell when in heat. The only way is with a buck present or if you catch a pen mate mounting her. She was bred 2 months ago and personality has completely changed 2 wks after the breeding. On top of that she is basically eating only hay/some browse and has lost weight like crazy. Could she be preggers or possibly one of the intersex and other health issues are going on?
  • Colleen November 30, 2013 at 10:38am

    I know it's old, at the same time, I just wanted to wade in to say what a useful discussion this was. 

    I was worrying about a doe I have who has never been bred and now that we have boys here, she seems to be in heat constantly. I'm much less worried about her being a hermaphrodite even though she is polled given that there is no buck smell etc. and think she's likely just turned obnoxious! 

  • Kolti Ishler May 7, 2013 at 12:54am

    Wow...a little scientificky for me!! Haha but I think I got it for the most part!! Thank you all for your help its highly appriciated!! I think I have a gal that is going to take her and give it a shot and the deal is that if she cant get pregnant I will give her the fallowing doe out of the same dam and sire!! You all made me feel better so dont be worrying about me!! :-)

  • Jill McElderry-Maxwell May 6, 2013 at 11:28am

    And I guess I didn't want her losing sleep thinking she was the only person this had ever happened to - I think we both want the best for her and subsequent breedings!

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