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Twins

gobblesandgrunts

gobblesandgrunts

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Is it true that certain does have twins every year? I've tried to keep up with this one mama, she has a spot on her leg. The last 2 years she has had twins. Was curious if that happens or if that's happenstance.

Thanks!
 

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Every doe should (is capable of) conceive twin fetuses. Fetal count studies find - looking at all does 1 year old or older - that average fetus count in mid-winter should be close to 1.8 fetuses per doe. That means, naturally, 8 out of 10 does conceive twins. However, what percent fully develop, are born alive, and survive to the fall hunting season is called the "Recruitment Rate." The Recruitment Rate is very important because that tells you how many fawns will be recruited into the adult population on their first birthday (of course, realizing some will die during the hunting season and following winter). In a very healthy herd with little natural predation of fawns, Recruitment Rates usually run around 120%, meaning there are 12 fawns alive in fall for every 10 adult does. This also means 6 fawns for every 10 adult does did not survive from the fetal stage to the fall months, as complete survival from fetal stage would produce a Recruitment Rate of 180%.

Looking at a property's fall-season Recruitment Rate can tell you many things. But a low Recruitment Rate (which has been common across the Southeast the last decade or so), suggests one of several possibilities: poor nutritional resources for mother does, high fawn mortality due to disease, or the most likely culprit high fawn mortality due to predation.

I've seen many areas of TN with fall-season Recruitment Rates of only 25%. I would prefer to see it closer to 80%.
 
I've had a doe in 2 different family groups that produce twins every year. Some years one of them has twin button bucks. I don't know if there's a gene or some sort of trait that's passed down but, it's been noticed by me and one of the neighbors for quite a while.
 
gobblesandgrunts said:
Take that back, triplets! Or dies that even happen? Lol
Click to expand...
Yes it happens.

Female deer have a bifurcated uterus, meaning the uterus has two halves that are designed to each carry a fetus (twins). Sometimes one half holds two fetuses (creating triplets). The interesting thing is, genetic studies find about half of all "twin" fawns have different fathers! Those does are shameless hussies!
 
BSK said:
Every doe should (is capable of) conceive twin fetuses. Fetal count studies find - looking at all does 1 year old or older - that average fetus count in mid-winter should be close to 1.8 fetuses per doe. That means, naturally, 8 out of 10 does conceive twins. However, what percent fully develop, are born alive, and survive to the fall hunting season is called the "Recruitment Rate." The Recruitment Rate is very important because that tells you how many fawns will be recruited into the adult population on their first birthday (of course, realizing some will die during the hunting season and following winter). In a very healthy herd with little natural predation of fawns, Recruitment Rates usually run around 120%, meaning there are 12 fawns alive in fall for every 10 adult does. This also means 6 fawns for every 10 adult does did not survive from the fetal stage to the fall months, as complete survival from fetal stage would produce a Recruitment Rate of 180%.

Looking at a property's fall-season Recruitment Rate can tell you many things. But a low Recruitment Rate (which has been common across the Southeast the last decade or so), suggests one of several possibilities: poor nutritional resources for mother does, high fawn mortality due to disease, or the most likely culprit high fawn mortality due to predation.

I've seen many areas of TN with fall-season Recruitment Rates of only 25%. I would prefer to see it closer to 80%.
Click to expand...
This kind of information and knowledge sharing is why I'm on TnDeer....good stuff....Thanks for sharing.
 

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