Does this look like retained placenta?

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SSS Angus

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Ran across a heifer this afternoon in the pasture and wanted to get ya'lls thoughts. What would you say from looking at these pictures? Im unsure how long she's been in this condition as there is already quite a stinch.
 
In the subject I asked if that was the issue because from the research I had done that's what I've come up with. Generally what is the solution for this issue? We have yet to find a calf thats why I wasn't positive a retained placenta was the exact issue.
 
SSS Angus":aj2y0idt said:
In the subject I asked if that was the issue because from the research I had done that's what I've come up with. Generally what is the solution for this issue? We have yet to find a calf thats why I wasn't positive a retained placenta was the exact issue.
I prefer to go in and remove it others on here disagree and say just leave it alone and it will take care of itself

I don't agree with the leave it alone approach

if you don't know what you are doing you are better off to have a vet remove it for you if you decide to have it removed
 
It's most all the way out... hit her with a shot of Lutalyse and she'll probably spit it out at your feet.
 
If you can not find a calf and it does not look like her bag has been sucked, glove up! Check and make sure there is no dead calf inside. Agree with MM, a shot of Lute. If she goes off her feed, shot of antibiotic
 
yes that is afterbirth.how long has she been like that.it sounds like from what your saying she is infected an stinking real good.if so she needs tobe infused an cleaned out.im betting she had a dead calf.with that hanging out of her i doubt theres a calf in her.
 
Yes, as others said, that is definately retained placenta. Since you were unable to identify what this is, we have to "assume" you are really new at this. Do you even know if she was due to calve? Is she "on time" or early? How long had it been since you last saw her? Heifers due to calve should be checked a few times a day.
I would go with the assumption that there is a calf out in your field somewhere - dead or alive???
Not VERY likely that she is passing the placenta & still has the calf in her - although nothing is impossible. If it is, it's dead, and you need a vet.
 
Not VERY likely that she is passing the placenta & still has the calf in her - although nothing is impossible.

I have seen it once and it that case it was dead twins. One placenta was hanging out like this and came out when the calves were pulled the other placenta was retained and only came out a week later.

Did I mention lately how much I hate twins?
 
I have had cows that don't pass the placenta until 2-3 days after birth (doesn't always look like that), sometimes its a smaller tail of tissue and then all of it just comes out at once instead of hanging on, and stinking like that.

Last year a cow had retained placenta like that. It looked like that on day 2 or 3, I called the vet, he said he wouldn't do anything until 7 days..and it was gone in the 7 days.

Did you find a calf?
 
in those pictures its not far from coming out on its own. i usually just leave them alone. a couple of times i have snuck up behind one at feeding time and pulled it out but getting the smell on you is totally not worth it. (even with gloves).
 
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