Calf came out in pieces.

[SFrey]

I just had my first heifer lose her first calf today. I'm not a beef man but I've been in the egg layers for a spell. I recently decided to buy a couple head of cattle and get my feet wet.
She's a 3/4 waygu 1/4 herford cross and looks great. Today she was walking with her tail up so I figured she was gonna drop a calf. When I got to her she was trying to push it out but couldn't get anything to move. We got her into the chute and when we checked her the calf was dead. Trying to pull on a leg would get you a bone or two. When we pulled on the back the spine and ribs came out. We finally got it all out and she passed a mess of fluid. She's been walking around and eating. When we got ahold of the vet he didn't seem to worried. He never came out (Sunday). I'm worried that she might get sick from having having the calf in there so long. Should I get another vet to come check her and what should I be watching for.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Their reproductive system is amazing as far as "self-healing". Just keep a close eye on her and make sure she is eating and acting fine. Any sign of a fever, and yes, she will need to be treated. Many people automatically put antibiotic boluses in the uterus or give antibiotic shots - but - antibiotics kill bad and GOOD bugs. The natural bugs in her repro track will "eat" the rotting pieces still in her. If you kill the good bugs, it will take longer for her "self cleaning" to work. You will get lots of different opinions, but this has been vet recommended to me for many years now.

 

[SFrey]

Thank you for sharing the experience you've had. She's been up eating and drinking water. She's doing well so far.

 

[wbvs58]

Their reproductive system is amazing as far as "self-healing". Just keep a close eye on her and make sure she is eating and acting fine. Any sign of a fever, and yes, she will need to be treated. Many people automatically put antibiotic boluses in the uterus or give antibiotic shots - but - antibiotics kill bad and GOOD bugs. The natural bugs in her repro track will "eat" the rotting pieces still in her. If you kill the good bugs, it will take longer for her "self cleaning" to work. You will get lots of different opinions, but this has been vet recommended to me for many years now.

Well said Jeanne. I was going to say something similar but probably not as well as you put it but I had 2nd thoughts as I thought I would have people scream me down as has happened in the past in a similar situation. A lot of people want to throw in every antibiotic/antiseptic known to mankind to create a very sterile situation where the debris then just lies there to become mummified. The best thing that can happen is for them to come in season and usually a couple of cycles later they are squeeky clean. They are amazingly resilient.

Ken

 

[SFrey]

Ken: Should she be kept away from a bull for a while then? I have a neighbor that brings his bull to my pasture for the summer. It works nice for me and him but we could probably keep him out a while.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Their reproductive system is amazing as far as "self-healing". Just keep a close eye on her and make sure she is eating and acting fine. Any sign of a fever, and yes, she will need to be treated. Many people automatically put antibiotic boluses in the uterus or give antibiotic shots - but - antibiotics kill bad and GOOD bugs. The natural bugs in her repro track will "eat" the rotting pieces still in her. If you kill the good bugs, it will take longer for her "self cleaning" to work. You will get lots of different opinions, but this has been vet recommended to me for many years now.

Well said Jeanne. I was going to say something similar but probably not as well as you put it but I had 2nd thoughts as I thought I would have people scream me down as has happened in the past in a similar situation. A lot of people want to throw in every antibiotic/antiseptic known to mankind to create a very sterile situation where the debris then just lies there to become mummified. The best thing that can happen is for them to come in season and usually a couple of cycles later they are squeeky clean. They are amazingly resilient.

Ken

thanks for the "re-inforcement" - I generally get a lot of flack for saying that also.
As Dun always said - "benign neglect".

 

[wbvs58]

Probably keep the bull out for a couple of cycles but even if the bull is in straight away she won't go in calf until all is ready even though he will try.

Ken

 

[MRRherefords]

This happened to one of ours. She was an older girl and showed zero signs of coming close to calving. One morning I found her laying down with a head out. I reached in and got the front legs out. As I pulled on the front legs they came right off! The rest of the calf came out in pieces as well. It was obvious that it had been dead for a little bit based on the smell. It was not a big calf and she was a big cow. She just had no desire to push. We chose to cull her due to age, which we think factored into this.

 

[76 Bar]

Jeanne's advice and Ken's reinforcement of same is spot on. I had the extreme good fortune to be mentored by a highly skilled "old time" DVM who expoused the same philosophy regarding retained placenta's/uterine debris and assorted body abscesses. Dun was right. Inappropriate meddling often does more harm than good.

 

[Nesikep]

as long as she's bright eyed and eating, she's fine!

 

[farmerjan]

The only other thing you could add is to give her a shot of Lute which will help to get her to clean a little better. I also am of the mind to NOT immediately throw antibiotics at them. Monitor her eating, and see if she has much fluid passing. If it starts to smell "bad", she might have a uterine infection. Then that will need monitoring and probably treatment.
As far as the bull going in, if he is around it might kick her hormones in gear, which will get her to cycle, which will help to make sure she has cleaned up inside. Her system will not "settle" until it is in good "healthy shape" so I don't think it will hurt either way. If you have the vet out for anything, I would have him palpate her and he can give you an idea if her system feels normal, which would indicate she has cleaned up.
Eating and drinking normally is the best sign that she doesn't have any real problems.

 

[SFrey]

I turned her out to pasture. She's been eating well and drinking plenty of water. She walking good and seems to be doing well. Can't find anything that shows infection or the like. Maybe next year.

 

[True Grit Farms]

I turned her out to pasture. She's been eating well and drinking plenty of water. She walking good and seems to be doing well. Can't find anything that shows infection or the like. Maybe next year.

Great news. I use the other line of thinking, I'd of put a couple of bolus in her uterus. Prevention is better than treating, IMO.

 

[TCRanch]

Lutalyse is my first line of defense with a retained placenta or potential infection. Then I wait, watch closely, get up close 'n personal for a good whiff. 9 times out of 10 she's good to go.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I turned her out to pasture. She's been eating well and drinking plenty of water. She walking good and seems to be doing well. Can't find anything that shows infection or the like. Maybe next year.

Great news. I use the other line of thinking, I'd of put a couple of bolus in her uterus. Prevention is better than treating, IMO.

Actually, Grit, in this case "prevention" IS harmful. You are killing the good bugs that are needed to clean her out properly. And I totally believe in give a shot of Lute - but (I believe) you need to wait about 10 - 14 days before giving the shot.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

Had left some cows which hasn't cleaned properly to clean up themselves. Could see some dirty-white discharge for quite a while. Those would breed back later than usually.
We usually choose to treat a small infection happening after retained placenta. It doesn't take long and cows are back in calf quicker. Our vet usually uses intrauterine solution of 10% povidone-iodine. Works really well for us, but, well, everybody have their own system.

 

[True Grit Farms]

I turned her out to pasture. She's been eating well and drinking plenty of water. She walking good and seems to be doing well. Can't find anything that shows infection or the like. Maybe next year.

Great news. I use the other line of thinking, I'd of put a couple of bolus in her uterus. Prevention is better than treating, IMO.

Actually, Grit, in this case "prevention" IS harmful. You are killing the good bugs that are needed to clean her out properly. And I totally believe in give a shot of Lute - but (I believe) you need to wait about 10 - 14 days before giving the shot.

I'll keep treating my animals as my old school Veterinarian has instructed me till I feel he's wrong. What's wrong with putting a few Bolus in a cow and or giving it a shot of LA300 under these circumstances? Personally I see no down sides at all, besides you can't sell her for slaughter for 28 days. And you'll get hammered for selling a fresh cow with a bag without a calf on her side.

 

[wbvs58]

A lot of treatments are done to be seen to be doing something. Vets like to make it seem their call out fee was justified by pulling stuff out of their box of tricks. Iodine probably would be best done after self cleaning has taken place, it acts like a curette and often will bring on oestrus as does PG.

Ken

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

A lot of treatments are done to be seen to be doing something. Vets like to make it seem their call out fee was justified by pulling stuff out of their box of tricks. Iodine probably would be best done after self cleaning has taken place, it acts like a curette and often will bring on oestrus as does PG.

Ken

And this is coming from a retired vet - not making any money off his advice!!!

 

[True Grit Farms]

I'm still trying to figure out what harm it would do to give a cow a couple of bolus and or a shot of LA300. I'm fully aware of what could happen if an infection set in.