Heifer - bloody discharge two weeks post-calving

[badaxemoo]

I pulled a calf from a heifer two weeks ago.

The heifer cleaned - at least I thought she did - but she is still having some bloody discharge on her tail. I found what I thought was the sac around the placenta in the pen about 12 hours after calving, but it didn't seem to be as full as other placentas I have seen.

She is not off feed and is nursing the calf fine. She doesn't show any outward signs of illness.

Is this something to be concerned about?

 

[KNERSIE]

It could be just part of the cleaning process or it could be that she had her first heat after calving and that the bloody discharge is just a sign that she had ovulated about 24 hours earlier.

If she is acting normal, there is no reason for concern.

 

[KNERSIE]

That's 2 weeks, or 14 days. And as a cows cycle is 21 days I seriously thing she has not come into heat and is on her way out. And what you are seeing is not snail tracts caused by ovulation, but instead part of her birthing process.
If she is going out of heat now, it would be a first for me to see a breed back time of under 14 days. I wish, but I really don't think so! No way!
SL

The first cycle isn't neccesarily going to be in multiples of 21 days after calving. I have seen numerous heats 12-17 days after calving, have even seen one cow breed back at 17 days after calving and carrying the calf fullterm.

And there is a big difference between having the first heat at 14 days after calving and breeding back at 14 days after calving.

 

[hillsdown]

That's 2 weeks, or 14 days. And as a cows cycle is 21 days I seriously thing she has not come into heat and is on her way out. And what you are seeing is not snail tracts caused by ovulation, but instead part of her birthing process.
If she is going out of heat now, it would be a first for me to see a breed back time of under 14 days. I wish, but I really don't think so! No way!
SL

The first cycle isn't necessarily going to be in multiples of 21 days after calving. I have seen numerous heats 12-17 days after calving, have even seen one cow breed back at 17 days after calving and carrying the calf fullterm.
And there is a big difference between having the first heat at 14 days after calving and breeding back at 14 days after calving.

Me too, especially when I moved my calving period up 3 and a half months in 2 years . One was a flush cow that had calved in July I moved her from July to may to Feb and this year she calved the end of Jan. ( sorry typo) and is bred back again. The May to Feb jump she was bred at 17 days after calving, first heat, and the pregnancy held. Not the ideal situation and I usually want them to have at least one heat to clean before breeding but I really needed to move my calving t Jan Feb so i had no choice.

As for the cow in question it could be still cleaning after calving or it could be her first heat, either is likely and both are a good thing which ever it is.

 

[alacattleman]

HD,

I'm not even going there, as I can't be reading it right.
How many days, during each jump was your cow open?
SL.

Well there's one sure way to get to the bottom of this.
badaxemoo
Did the discharge you saw glisten?
If you still see it, go out at night with a flashlight and shin it on her tail and butt.If it glistens and looks like silver strings, it's ovulation discharge. ( Just like snail tracks in your garden)
If not it's afterbirth discharge.
SL

just dont let your neighbors see you :cowboy:

 

[Txwalt]

HD,

I'm not even going there, as I can't be reading it right.
How many days, during each jump was your cow open?
SL.

Well there's one sure way to get to the bottom of this.
badaxemoo
Did the discharge you saw glisten?
If you still see it, go out at night with a flashlight and shin it on her tail and butt.If it glistens and looks like silver strings, it's ovulation discharge. ( Just like snail tracks in your garden)
If not it's afterbirth discharge.
SL

just dont let your neighbors see you :cowboy:

:lol2: :clap:

 

[jcarkie]

if she is a heifer and you pulled the calf, it is not likely she has been in heat. she is still cleaning out the junk from birth, i would not worry unless she acts like she doesn't feel good. it takes a while sometimes to get the junk cleaned out.