Calving and Afterbirth

[GaryDG]

One of our heifers calved this morning and there is still afterbirth hanging out? I've been checking every 2 hrs or so since birth and I would say that most of the afterbirth is gone. There is a strip, say, 2 inches wide and about 3 feet long hanging out.

It has been approximately 12 hours since birth. Heifer (now cow) seems fine otherwise, calf is nursing.

Is this typical on a first calf or any calf?

Thanks!

 

[MikeC]

One of our heifers calved this morning and there is still afterbirth hanging out? I've been checking every 2 hrs or so since birth and I would say that most of the afterbirth is gone. There is a strip, say, 2 inches wide and about 3 feet long hanging out.

It has been approximately 12 hours since birth. Heifer (now cow) seems fine otherwise, calf is nursing.

Is this typical on a first calf or any calf?

Thanks!

Not typical but not a disaster either. Let nature take it's course, she'll be fine.

 

[Farmhand]

Don't worry. They can take a few days to totally clean out. Have some older cows that do that too.

 

[stocky]

any age cow is capable of retaining the afterbirth for a few days. seldom have i had to go in and clean it out. if it is still that way after a week, you can reach in and gently clean it out and give her some penicillin for possible infection.

 

[Rafter E]

Agree with above posts...We had a Hereford cow that had a 2 or 3 foot 'string'... almost the size and length of her tail. After a week or so it stunk real bad so my wife snuck up on her at cake time. She grabbed ahold of it and it slid out with ease. We got her into the corral for some penicillin and she and her calf are doing fine. My advce...get it out after no more than a week.

 

[Farminlund]

There is another long thread on this subject not too long ago - you can search for it - I just did & found it at the following link: http://cattletoday.com/forum/about9921. ... afterbirth

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

DO NOT PULL IT OUT. Leave it alone. YEARS ago, vets used to go in & "unbutton" it & give antibiotics. But it has been proven that this does more damage than if you leave it alone. Do not treat her with anything unless she goes off feed - runs a fever. Than, yes, you have to intervene.
Having a "string" hanging as you described is not unusual. If they have a large amount hanging & they may step on it, it is advised to "knot" it up or just cut it shorter without pulling on it.

 

[jerry27150]

jeanne is a 100% on as usual. i used to have them removed by vet & then they proved it is best to leave alone or cut anything off that hangs out. i do nothing & they always come out fine in time without complication. can't beat mother nature

 

[bigbull338]

if the cow hasnt cleaned out a few days after calving she is getting rotten inside an needs tobe infused an cleaned out the longer it takes her to clean the longer she will be open scott

 

[CowCop]

~

I think this technique might just be a Vermont one.... but here goes.....

All our cows calve up near the loafing barn so after they calve we give them 5 gallons of warm water and a little maple syrup (Grade A medium or dark amber ) to help them "drop" their afterbirth.

They suck it down right away with no hesitation.
Every single cow and 1st calf heifer guzzled their bucket full and I gave a few of the xlg cows 2 buckets. It's a real #$&% trying to navigate the knee high mud, ice, snow and poop quicksand to get a full bucket to every new mom, but WELL worth it.

It is amazing to watch how soon after they get their "hot toddy" that they drop their "calf luggage."

The only cow that hung on to her afterbirth, for more than a day, is the cow that calved way up in the woods a mile away from the barn.
I have photos, of course......

Perhaps you can give your cow a warm drink and it will help.
Use Molasses or karo syrup in place of the Pure Vermont Maple Syrup.

 

[Farminlund]

~

I think this technique might just be a Vermont one.... but here goes.....

All our cows calve up near the loafing barn so after they calve we give them 5 gallons of warm water and a little maple syrup (Grade A medium or dark amber ) to help them "drop" their afterbirth.

They suck it down right away with no hesitation.
Every single cow and 1st calf heifer guzzled their bucket full and I gave a few of the xlg cows 2 buckets. It's a real #$&% trying to navigate the knee high mud, ice, snow and poop quicksand to get a full bucket to every new mom, but WELL worth it.

It is amazing to watch how soon after they get their "hot toddy" that they drop their "calf luggage."

The only cow that hung on to her afterbirth, for more than a day, is the cow that calved way up in the woods a mile away from the barn.
I have photos, of course......

Perhaps you can give your cow a warm drink and it will help.
Use Molasses or karo syrup in place of the Pure Vermont Maple Syrup.

Sounds like you have a process that gives the desired results. If you don't do this, it sounds like you have retained afterbirth - is that because of genetics (breed of cattle), environment, or something with nutrition/feed? I fortunately rarely have any retained afterbirth - can't even think of the last time one hung on for more than an hour or so. Just wondering out loud.

 

[CowCop]

Sounds like you have a process that gives the desired results. If you don't do this, it sounds like you have retained afterbirth - is that because of genetics (breed of cattle), environment, or something with nutrition/feed? I fortunately rarely have any retained afterbirth - can't even think of the last time one hung on for more than an hour or so. Just wondering out loud.

Very good question. I wish there was a short answer, so here are the real details instead:

The bucket of water actually does two VERY important things:
Aids in a quicker cleaning AND gives the cow some hydration and energy without her having to walk & slide down to a very cold icy mountain stream. Most of the herd won't leave the area they had their calf in for at least 2 days, even though the stream is within sight.

We have never had a placenta problem--meaning hanging for more than TWO days--and that is rare as well. The cow that calved in the woods was a 1.5 day placenta heifer--first one in 5 years.

However with that said, no one likes to see hanging placenta, no matter how long it's been a hanging there.
Especially non-farm people.
Let me explain even further:
Our herd has boundary fences near roads. Last year I recieved many calls on my cell phone from towns people telling me about "bloody cows" that they saw on their way to or from work. They were describing the neighbors farm where the cows calve right near the road, and where commuters were witnessing what they thought was a horrible abuse. ( you saw some of the previously posted fatality photos because of last years calls from "commuters" )

This further encouraged the Vermont Hot Toddy routine this year for our herd. With every bucket I remembered that there would be one less phone call from "concerned" citizens about cows with hanging sheets of blood coming out of their tucus. My goal is "clean cows for the commute" and a lower cell phone bill~!

So I guess the short answer is--no we don't have placenta problems due to breed, environment, management or nutrition. It is probably BECAUSE OF our breed, environment, management or nutrition that we HAVEN'T had those issues. The hot toddy is just an easy, healthy, efficient technique for quicker cleaning of afterbirth and hydration for the mom.

Every situation is unique. And as the population grows around us we have had to "adjust" a few things to pacify the neighbors, commuters, visitors etc etc.

I hope this helps to answer your good question.

 

[Farminlund]

Sounds like you have a process that gives the desired results. If you don't do this, it sounds like you have retained afterbirth - is that because of genetics (breed of cattle), environment, or something with nutrition/feed? I fortunately rarely have any retained afterbirth - can't even think of the last time one hung on for more than an hour or so. Just wondering out loud.

Very good question. I wish there was a short answer, so here are the real details instead:

The bucket of water actually does two VERY important things:
Aids in a quicker cleaning AND gives the cow some hydration and energy without her having to walk & slide down to a very cold icy mountain stream. Most of the herd won't leave the area they had their calf in for at least 2 days, even though the stream is within sight.

We have never had a placenta problem--meaning hanging for more than TWO days--and that is rare as well. The cow that calved in the woods was a 1.5 day placenta heifer--first one in 5 years.

However with that said, no one likes to see hanging placenta, no matter how long it's been a hanging there.
Especially non-farm people.
Let me explain even further:
Our herd has boundary fences near roads. Last year I recieved many calls on my cell phone from towns people telling me about "bloody cows" that they saw on their way to or from work. They were describing the neighbors farm where the cows calve right near the road, and where commuters were witnessing what they thought was a horrible abuse. ( you saw some of the previously posted fatality photos because of last years calls from "commuters" )

This further encouraged the Vermont Hot Toddy routine this year for our herd. With every bucket I remembered that there would be one less phone call from "concerned" citizens about cows with hanging sheets of blood coming out of their tucus. My goal is "clean cows for the commute" and a lower cell phone bill~!

So I guess the short answer is--no we don't have placenta problems due to breed, environment, management or nutrition. It is probably BECAUSE OF our breed, environment, management or nutrition that we HAVEN'T had those issues. The hot toddy is just an easy, healthy, efficient technique for quicker cleaning of afterbirth and hydration for the mom.

Every situation is unique. And as the population grows around us we have had to "adjust" a few things to pacify the neighbors, commuters, visitors etc etc.

I hope this helps to answer your good question.

Wow - thanks "for the rest of the story". I am glad to still live in the "country" where folk understand cattle & what takes place. But likely that will change for us in time, so thank's for the head's up. I do remember the picture of the hiplocked calf hanging from a hereford - that would even get a call in these parts.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

The "hot toddy" is an old dairy trick. Most the old timers around here ALWAYS give a bucket of warm water to the cow after calving.
I am not a believer or should say "user", but who knows.

[/quote]if the cow hasnt cleaned out a few days after calving she is getting rotten inside an needs tobe infused an cleaned out the longer it takes her to clean the longer she will be open scott

No, she is not getting "rotten inside". The afterbirth does rot, and is eaten by the good bugs in the cows system. If left alone, the good bugs eats all the little bits & pieces that are left behind when the "bulk" of the afterbirth slips out. If you give ANY antibiotics, you kill the good bugs that would clean the cow up inside.
If you want to help her come back into heat sooner, you can give her a shot of Lutalyse or Estrumate 10-14 days after calving. This is NOT to make her cycle, it's to flush out her cervex/uterus (?).
There has been research on this in the past, and it was proven that cattle that were cleaned out & given antibiotics took longer to cycle & conceive.

If the cow is sick (off feed) that is totally different. THAN, yes, you need to treat her, but, YOU STILL DON'T CLEAN HER OUT. Give her Lut 10-14 days after calving.

Retained placenta's are common with nutritional problems, dystocia (calving problems), very early or very late calvings - and yes, last but not least - my favorite as many of you know - TWINS - which is usually very early and/or dystocia.

 

[stocky]

jeanne, i dont in any way doubt that what you are saying is true about the good bugs inside. however, here in sw missouri, from april 1 until nov 1 we have flies. if that afterbirth is hanging there over a week, it rots and the flies attack it and lay their eggs and pretty quickly the maggots have eaten themselves inside the cow through the afterbirth and you then have a cow that is full of infection and full of maggots and suffers terribly and probably dies. by taking all your advice and doing it that way, i would still cut or trim the afterbirth that is hanging outside to prevent this from happening. also, there are different stages of the afterbirth. i believe there is a big difference in how you treat a cow that has a strand of afterbirth hanging out or a cow that has the entire glob of it hanging. when the entire glob is hanging and it is several inches thick and dragging the ground, for several days, the blood and the filth is terrrible and there has to be something done. also, no dairyman could milk that cow in that condition due to sanitary milk conditiions. when it is that bad, there is something that is not going to turn loose, but will tear something else loose. most every time the afterbirth will come out on its own, but there is a rare occurance when that cow needs help

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Stocky, I can really understand what you are saying, and in that case, yes, it should be CUT off just inside. The reason it is suggested to leave all or most is of course the weight of it helps detach it from inside.
Of course, if it's dragging the ground, and another cow steps on it - OOPS :shock: - it's PULLED out. What's the difference from you pulling & it accidentally happening - don't know. Just know what is recommended. There are always BETTER exceptions to anything.

 

[stocky]

jeanne, when i was a kid, we had a vet who would always pull the afterbirth every time he pulled a calf or everytime he checked a cow. i saw him yank and pull and i thought he would rip the cows insides out and i never could believe that would be good for a cow later, as i got older and he retired we found out that was the worst possible thing that could be done. and now, after reading your posts, i have a much better understanding as to the reasons that it was terrible to do that.
by the way, that old vet would come at any hour of the day or night and any holiday and he always knew what the problem with the cow was before he even walked through the gate. unless it was a calving problem, it was either grass tetany, or milk fever, or hardware and fortunately it took the same medicine for all three. if she had milk fever or grass tetany she lived, if she died, that meant she had hardware and the total cost was always 25 dollars including medicine---lol. amazingly enough, i think he saved more cows for us than the new guys do at 125-300 per trip---thanks for your insight

 

[dun]

jeanne, when i was a kid, we had a vet who would always pull the afterbirth every time he pulled a calf or everytime he checked a cow. i saw him yank and pull and i thought he would rip the cows insides out and i never could believe that would be good for a cow later, as i got older and he retired we found out that was the worst possible thing that could be done. and now, after reading your posts, i have a much better understanding as to the reasons that it was terrible to do that.
by the way, that old vet would come at any hour of the day or night and any holiday and he always knew what the problem with the cow was before he even walked through the gate. unless it was a calving problem, it was either grass tetany, or milk fever, or hardware and fortunately it took the same medicine for all three. if she had milk fever or grass tetany she lived, if she died, that meant she had hardware and the total cost was always 25 dollars including medicine---lol. amazingly enough, i think he saved more cows for us than the new guys do at 125-300 per trip---thanks for your insight

Conventional wisdom used to be to detach the afterbirth. Now it's to leave it be. I've seen cows with it hanging for 2 weeks and it sure does stink, but when it's passed they don;t have any infection (usually) and may be slightly delayed in returning to heat, but no more then the usual variaiton.
If it's hangin low or draggin the ground we tie it up so that it's above the top of the udder and let it's own weight pull it. When it's ready to detach it will.
BTW, dairyman do milk cows with retained afterbirth. The usually run them in last and don;t put the milk in the tank. It's not a hard deal and it's no different then any cow that has mastitis or has been treated and is in the with holding period.

dun

 

[GaryDG]

Thanks for all your posts!

I did nothing, as most of you suggested, except for watching for behavioral changes in the cow.
The afterbirth disappeared approximately 3 full days after birth. Cow and calf doing fine.