Afterbirth?

[twabscs]

Hi All,

Out chopping ice and checking on the cows today and I found one of my bred cows with something hanging from her vagina. She is due within the next 30 days. I went to get help from my neighbor (has had cows for years) and he said he thought it was just the afterbirth hanging down and not to worry about it, and give it a day or two. We looked all over for a calf and didn't find one. Also, she didn't act like she had calved to me and she really hadn't bagged up yet, etc.

Should we put a glove on and check it out?

Thanks

 

[iowahawkeyes]

looks like she aborted

 

[bigbull338]

that cow has calved.she just hasnt cleaned out yet.dont know weather calf is dead or alive.but if you cant find it im betting she has it hidout somewhere.

 

[twabscs]

Bigbull, I hope you're right. I'll look real hard for the calf tomorrow. However, I think Iowa might be right as well.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Bigbull, I hope you're right. I'll look real hard for the calf tomorrow. However, I think Iowa might be right as well.

For your sake I hope bigbull is right. But by the looks of her bag, and the 'afterbirth' I'm inclined to think she slipped that calf.

Katherine

 

[okbob]

can you tell if she is being nursed?

 

[cfpinz]

Bigbull, I hope you're right. I'll look real hard for the calf tomorrow. However, I think Iowa might be right as well.

For your sake I hope bigbull is right. But by the looks of her bag, and the 'afterbirth' I'm inclined to think she slipped that calf.

Katherine

My opinion also.

cfpinz

 

[jcarkie]

i would check her because if there is no calf outside it may still be in there. i had one that i knew was calving and all she had was a membrane looking piece hanging out. i looked everywhere for a calf, but she didn't look like she calved.
she had a twisted uterus and she just quit when the calf wouldn't go in the birth canal. to me something is not right i would check it rather than wait till it gets worse.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I would sure put an arm in her. If she had a dead calf, wouldn't the coyotes clean it up right away?
At least, that way you will know for sure. It LOOKS like she aborted/calved early. It is very normal for them to retain the placenta when they calve early like that. Just give her time, and leave her alone (after palpation). Unless, she goes off feed, just let her clean natural - could take a few weeks.

 

[KNERSIE]

if the cow has aborted how soon can you put her with a bull if your goal was to get her bred ASAP to get her moved from a winter calving season to a summer calving season?

Under normal circumstances I know what to do, but have no previous experiences with abortions at 6 months bred.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Knersie - if the cow is healthy, you can put her right in with the bull. The few early abortions I've had over the years, the cow was in standing heat within 2 weeks. Don't think they would settle then, but they did cycle.
On second thought, maybe I'd wait 2-3 weeks to give her time to clean/heal just in case she did stand that early.