Freemartin Ewe?

[Britgoes2market]

Hello All!!

Okay, last year we had a lamb, a ewe that we wanted to keep back, who ended up being very much a ram. She was actually both sexes and after doing some research it looks like when a ewe is part of a litter of two rams, the testosterone flush can cause this.....

This morning, we had a litter born of two rams and an ewe, and I'm reading that it could still potentially be a normal little girl. I was curious, how many of you have run into this? And is it a rule that when a ewe is born with 2 rams she will be sterile or are there exceptions?

 

[Baymule]

Good questions, I’ve never had that happen, so I can’t answer.

 

[mysunwolf]

It's actually extremely rare in sheep. Not something you will see everyday since they are designed to have multiples and so not exchange hormones the same way they would with cattle, say. The rule is actually that you will NOT have a freemartin ewe, and the exception is that you will.

 

[Britgoes2market]

Good questions, I’ve never had that happen, so I can’t answer.

I know! Crazy.

It's actually extremely rare in sheep. Not something you will see everyday since they are designed to have multiples and so not exchange hormones the same way they would with cattle, say. The rule is actually that you will NOT have a freemartin ewe, and the exception is that you will.

Oh! That's very comforting! Thank you for that!!