Why do heifers prolapse after they calve unassisted with small calves, feed them, lay down to clean, then prolapse, have had 10% of what has calved, different breeds, different AI protocals, cattle are in good shape, not to fat not to thin, not feeding any goofy feed , just grass hay, lick tubs, salt mineral.
Heifers Prolapse
- Thread starter cowcamp
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Since there are so many variables I would wonder about the mineral composition. Overly fat and genetics have always seemed to me to be the primary causes. Maybe poor muscle tone. Skinny ones may prolapse when they're eating poor quality feed and having to stuff themselves to get adequate nutrition. But that's usually pre-calving.
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
IF you actually have a decent eye for body condition, and your heifers are in normal calving BCS, than I would also say it's a mineral deficiency. Nutrition plays a huge role in causes of prolapse, along with many other calving issues.
Check with a nutritionist with your local feed mill or the local beef extension.
Check with a nutritionist with your local feed mill or the local beef extension.
calcium16%,phosphorus16%,magnesium1%,potassium 0.5%, copper 2790ppm, iodine 100ppm,selenium 35.2ppm,zinc 9000ppm, vitamin a 350,000 iu per pound, vitamin d 50000 iu per pound, vitamin e 800 iu per pound. these cattle were raised on this mineral and are eating 3to4 onces of it aday now.
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
If that is the requirement for your area - don't know what to say - bad luck? Not likely. Something is "off" - I would "assume". Can't think what it could be. Have you discussed this with your vet?
these are chelates, dont mean these hfrs inparticular ate enough. the odd part of all this is, why wait to clean to prolapse.never seen it befor. last night we jacked a big calf out of hfr from a known prolapse cow family, every thing just fine.
TexasBred
Well-known member
Don't think it has anything to do with mineral at all. That is a highly fortified mineral and 4 oz. per head per day should be more than enough. Actually a little less would be fine. Having 10% of your cattle prolapse is pretty darn high..... You can blame it on nutrition, mineral or whatever but a lot of cattle with absolutely no real nutritional program behind them never prolapse. Good to see you are buying a good mineral with at least a protion of the zinc, manganese, copper and cobalt in chelated form. Hopefully some of the selenium is organic as well.
10% seems pretty high. What kind of prolapse?
rockridgecattle
Well-known member
there is also the possiblity that the heifer had a bigger than intended birthweight calf. There is swelling in the uterus and had the continual urge to push thus prolapsing.
birth weight is 50/50 governed by the bull and the cow. Might have a lower birthweight bull, but what was the cows BW?
first I would weigh one or two of your hiefer prolapse calves, go from there.
If the birthweight is over 80-85#'s you might have the problem.
I would check with your vet, because what i suggest might not be what the vet recommends. Anything over the 80# mark on a hiefer, i would give a shot of oxytocin to reduce the swelling in the uterus. As well as and anti inflam to reduce the pain.
Selenium deficency can result in problems cleaning, thus pushing harder and resulting in a prolapse as well. Might be a good idea to give a shot of selenium, vit E and A&D to the hiefers before they calve. Again chat with your vet about this.
birth weight is 50/50 governed by the bull and the cow. Might have a lower birthweight bull, but what was the cows BW?
first I would weigh one or two of your hiefer prolapse calves, go from there.
If the birthweight is over 80-85#'s you might have the problem.
I would check with your vet, because what i suggest might not be what the vet recommends. Anything over the 80# mark on a hiefer, i would give a shot of oxytocin to reduce the swelling in the uterus. As well as and anti inflam to reduce the pain.
Selenium deficency can result in problems cleaning, thus pushing harder and resulting in a prolapse as well. Might be a good idea to give a shot of selenium, vit E and A&D to the hiefers before they calve. Again chat with your vet about this.
i think it was just horse sh1t luck, we have all the AI'D heifers calved now, and starting on bull breds. these calves from the prolapsed cows wernt heavy birth weight, they were out of different breeds of cattle, with 67 to 78lb birth weights, from heifers weighing 1000 to 1150. these cattle eat the hell out the mineral that i posted on here earlier, not one bit of cleaning problems .
