32 BOVINE OBSTETRICS 



severe uterine contractions set in, which induced the worried 

 owner to apply a bandage to prevent an eventual prolapsus. 

 Since the contractions increased in severity, the bandage was 

 removed and the uterus examined, and a sixth foetus was 

 detected, which was born easily. The afterbirth came away in 

 proper time. There were two pairs of envelopes, so that three 

 foetuses had one common chorion. The foetuses were well 

 developed for their age. Three had red, one black and the 

 others fawn color ; four were males, two females ; two foetuses 

 weighed each 10 kg., one 11 kg., two each 12 kg., and one 

 14 kg. The six calves had a total weight of 69 kg. This fertile 

 female made a good recovery and remained in good health ever 

 since. 



A case of multiple pregnancy is mentioned by Fleming, 

 who quotes from MacGillavry. A small polled cow gave birth 

 to one calf in 1842, seven in 1843, two in 1844, three in 1845, 

 six in 1846, two in 1847, and four in 1848, — altogether twenty- 

 five calves in seven years. 



Koch observed seven young in a cow. 



Kieinschmidt reports that a cow which delivered one 

 strong calf was slaughtered on account of a serious disease. 

 In the uterus and vagina were found fifteen calves. 



In twins, as a rule, each foetus occupies one uterine horn. 

 Both usually have a normal position, one the anterior and the 

 other the posterior presentation. Harms mentions one case 

 where the two foetuses rested in one horn and the uterus. 

 The pregnant horn in this case had increased to such an 

 extent that the second foetus could not be felt after the first 

 one developed. 



Numan noticed that in the bovines the foetuses of multiple 

 pregnancy, when of opposite sex, the females, as a rule, are 

 sterile, and are known as free martins. This observation has 

 been corroborated by many, as Villeroy, Gurlt, Sanson and 

 others. They also hold that the same rule holds true with 

 the mare, and only the sheep forms an exception to this rule 

 (St. Cyr and Violet). 



The above shows that multiple pregnancy in bovines 



