Free Martin Syndrome: Twins Journey – Split Destinies

Free-martinism was originally reported in 1791 by Hunter; nevertheless, the word “Freemartin” was used at least a century before that, “Free” likely derived from farrow, barren or incapable of reproduction. “Martin” perhaps designates St Martin’s Day (November 11), the date when cattle, including barren, non-pregnant heifers and cows, were typically slaughtered to procure meat for winter. Free-martinism is the severe expression of sexual abnormality in bovines particularly cattle in which a sterile female calf is born twin to a male calf with whom it has interchanged whole blood. This congenitally genital tract altered, sterile female is known as FREE MARTIN. This infertility syndrome is economically as well as scientifically significant.