sterile

[jesterfaerie]

Someone asked me today (I don't know so wasn't able to answer but they asked me)..if horses can be born sterile and if so what would they be called?

 

[Shilasdair]

Sterile means can't produce babies....yes it's possible...I've heard of hermaphrodites too which had mare and stallion's genitalia....not good.
S

 

[jesterfaerie]

Yeah I know they were wanting to know if the mare and stallion had a particular name if they were infertile such as barren.

 

[Patches]

Totally irrelevant piece of information, but if a cow has twins and one is a bull and one is a heifer, the heifer is 99% of the time infertile. Infact, she often has no internal reproductive system. It's to do with the male hormones crossing the placenta during gestation.

These are known as Freemartin Calves. We've had "normal" heifers who are infertile though and just refer to them as barren. Although in fairness, I'm sure barren just refers to them being not in calf at this moment in time.

 

[jesterfaerie]

Oh wow never knew that, as my dad has cows and a few times they have had twins although the majority have been both heifers. But great piece of info to know thanks Patches! are you able to shed any light on the horse issue

 

[Patches]

No I'm afraid I can't. Never heard of a specific name other than saying they're infertile.

The only infertility I'm aware of, resulting in a specific name, is a hinny and a mule but that's as a result of crossing the species.