Cow with retained placenta?

[Post Oak]

I have a cow that is 8 years old and had a retained placenta this summer after she calved. This cow has been a good cow and I am well below stocking rate and I cannot afford to buy or gamble on replacement heifers. If she bred back in a timely manner, would you consider keeping her for another year?

 

[Nesikep]

yep.. make sure she has sufficient selenium, which is a common underlying cause of RP.

 

[Post Oak]

yep.. make sure she has sufficient selenium, which is a common underlying cause of RP.

What's the best source of selenium?

 

[JMJ Farms]

yep.. make sure she has sufficient selenium, which is a common underlying cause of RP.

What's the best source of selenium?

Cheapest is a shot. Not sure if it's the best but I don't know why it wouldn't be. Some minerals have enough but then again some cows won't eat enough minerals. Shot is garaunteed.

 

[TCRanch]

I have a cow that is 8 years old and had a retained placenta this summer after she calved. This cow has been a good cow and I am well below stocking rate and I cannot afford to buy or gamble on replacement heifers. If she bred back in a timely manner, would you consider keeping her for another year?

Do you know if she's bred? If so then yes & make sure she has enough minerals & is in good condition. Otherwise it depends on the circumstances of the retained placenta (infected, etc).

 

[Nesikep]

yep.. make sure she has sufficient selenium, which is a common underlying cause of RP.

What's the best source of selenium?

A shot is a good short term fix, like for a sluggish calf, but to treat a cow that has it chronically, it hardly makes any sense.
Before calving (3-4 months) I feed a loose mineral mix that has about 100-125 ppm Selenium. We are very deficient in my area, perhaps you don't need as much... I sure noticed a difference in the frequency and severity of RP here, we went from about 3-4 cases a year down one every couple years. Copper is an important one too in may of the body's systems, including the immune system (and helps fight metritis associated with RP).
The best way to really know what minerals you need more of is to get a blood test done.. I'd do it on a couple heavy producing cows just before breeding time, or any cows that SHOULD be doing better than they are.

 

[Post Oak]

The vet said that she was too d@mn fat. I fed about 10 pound of 13% msg pellets last winter to stretch hay.

 

[kenny thomas]

yep.. make sure she has sufficient selenium, which is a common underlying cause of RP.

What's the best source of selenium?

A shot is a good short term fix, like for a sluggish calf, but to treat a cow that has it chronically, it hardly makes any sense.
Before calving (3-4 months) I feed a loose mineral mix that has about 100-125 ppm Selenium. We are very deficient in my area, perhaps you don't need as much... I sure noticed a difference in the frequency and severity of RP here, we went from about 3-4 cases a year down one every couple years. Copper is an important one too in may of the body's systems, including the immune system (and helps fight metritis associated with RP).
The best way to really know what minerals you need more of is to get a blood test done.. I'd do it on a couple heavy producing cows just before breeding time, or any cows that SHOULD be doing better than they are.

I don't it is legal in the US to put more than 56 PPM in the mineral. If someone knows better please tell me.

 

[Nesikep]

What's the best source of selenium?

A shot is a good short term fix, like for a sluggish calf, but to treat a cow that has it chronically, it hardly makes any sense.
Before calving (3-4 months) I feed a loose mineral mix that has about 100-125 ppm Selenium. We are very deficient in my area, perhaps you don't need as much... I sure noticed a difference in the frequency and severity of RP here, we went from about 3-4 cases a year down one every couple years. Copper is an important one too in may of the body's systems, including the immune system (and helps fight metritis associated with RP).
The best way to really know what minerals you need more of is to get a blood test done.. I'd do it on a couple heavy producing cows just before breeding time, or any cows that SHOULD be doing better than they are.

I don't it is legal in the US to put more than 56 PPM in the mineral. If someone knows better please tell me.

Last I heard it was 100ppm, but I think more is possible with a warning label (at least up here it is)
Also.. 100ppm on a 2oz/day feeding is equivalent to 50ppm on a 4oz/day feeding rate, so that will mess with you too

 

[TexasBred]

What's the best source of selenium?

A shot is a good short term fix, like for a sluggish calf, but to treat a cow that has it chronically, it hardly makes any sense.
Before calving (3-4 months) I feed a loose mineral mix that has about 100-125 ppm Selenium. We are very deficient in my area, perhaps you don't need as much... I sure noticed a difference in the frequency and severity of RP here, we went from about 3-4 cases a year down one every couple years. Copper is an important one too in may of the body's systems, including the immune system (and helps fight metritis associated with RP).
The best way to really know what minerals you need more of is to get a blood test done.. I'd do it on a couple heavy producing cows just before breeding time, or any cows that SHOULD be doing better than they are.

I don't it is legal in the US to put more than 56 PPM in the mineral. If someone knows better please tell me.

26 ppm here for mineral with 4 oz consumption rate. 52 for mineral with 2 oz consumption rate. Most finished feeds are formulated with selenium levels of .3 PPM or less. Cattle with a selenium deficiency usually have a Vitamin E deficiency so this should also be taken into consideration. One reason products like Bo-Se and Mu-Se are often used.

 

[jerry27150]

agree with vet & I never worried about one that didn't clean good, most breed back & are fine

 

[TCRanch]

The vet said that she was too d@mn fat. I fed about 10 pound of 13% msg pellets last winter to stretch hay.

Being overweight can impact ability to breed back & cause calving issues. That said, my Steamroller is obese (BCS 8), 9 years old and that fat girl breeds like clockwork, raises big healthy calves.

 

[TCRanch]

The vet said that she was too d@mn fat. I fed about 10 pound of 13% msg pellets last winter to stretch hay.

Being overweight can impact ability to breed back & cause calving issues. That said, my Steamroller is obese (BCS 8), 9 years old and that fat girl breeds like clockwork, raises big healthy calves.

What just happened? I meant to type BCS 8.

 

[dun]

Apparantly "8 right parenthesis" is the 8) code