Help! Help! PLEASE!

[Black and Good]

I have a bred heifer that will be 2yrs old on 3/30/13 she is 1/2 Brangus and 1/2 Horned Hereford. She was A.I.ed to High Design 5/1/12 due to calve 2/7/13. OK here's my issue for the last week or so i've noticed when shes laying down she holds her tail out slightly and a golf ball sized red stuff coming out of her anus,late night it was almost tennis ball sized when she got up i saw a string of blood on her tail. I'm thinking prolapse. What do you all think? What should I do? Thanks B&G

 

[angie1]

Had one steer do this straining to pee (long story and sad ending). My vet sowed the anus so it was (to use a term of duns) laced, until the problem was solved. Do you notice if she is pooping or peeing?

 

[Black and Good]

Had one steer do this straining to pee (long story and sad ending). My vet sowed the anus so it was (to use a term of duns) laced, until the problem was solved. Do you notice if she is pooping or peeing?

I think se is doing both fine. And it is definetly Rectal.

 

[angie1]

Your vet is going to want to know that. Some of the behavior and results indicate that she is "pushing" for some reason. With my calf, we found out after it was too late, that he was straining to pee to the point where he prolapsed rectally, and it was a process that took place over a day and a half, not the week or so that you are talking about, so my experience is irrelevant.

All I can advise is call your vet, he or she may direct you to wait to see what happens next, or they may choose to do something more pro-active. This is one of those problems that may not progress if neglected, or she could turn inside out before you know it.

 

[Chris H]

I have a bred heifer that will be 2yrs old on 3/30/13 she is 1/2 Brangus and 1/2 Horned Hereford. She was A.I.ed to High Design 5/1/12 due to calve 2/7/13. OK here's my issue for the last week or so i've noticed when shes laying down she holds her tail out slightly and a golf ball sized red stuff coming out of her anus,late night it was almost tennis ball sized when she got up i saw a string of blood on her tail. I'm thinking prolapse. What do you all think? What should I do? Thanks B&G

What is she eating, and how dry is her manure? Is her manure stacking up in 'haystacks'?
Edited to add: I wouldn't keep her. If you keep her up to calving, be prepared for a large calf or twins. If you're in an area that is freezing now, put her in a barn where that prolapse is not exposed to the elements, especially freezing temps. If her diet is causing dry, stacked manure piles, then changing it so the stool is softer may help her. You have 2 more months before she calves, this prolapse will likely get bigger as you get closer to calving. I'm not experienced with the rectal prolapses, but if it was a vaginal prolapse I load her on the next truck out of there, BTDT.

 

[jerry27150]

some are born with an anus tube that is too long. if it it comes out & stays out the vet can fix it easily

 

[Chris H]

some are born with an anus tube that is too long. if it it comes out & stays out the vet can fix it easily

Never heard that reason before. If that would be true, it seems like it'd be hereditary, and a good reason to ship her.

 

[jerry27150]

it probably is, so i wouldn't keep her calves, but it won't bother her again if it is fixed

 

[chippie]

How is she doing? Did you get her checked out by a vet?

 

[Black and Good]

Update,had a long talk with vet. He told me that if it does'nt stay out when she stands up and be as big as a softball,he was'nt worried about it. He just thought that she's running out of room. He thought when she calved it would go away and as she matures she'll be fine. I just moved other cows in there, I'm wondering if fighting or getting shoved around could have caused this? He said any increased pressure on her might cause this. I really want to keep her to see what kinda cow that cross will make. What I like bout her and mom (Brangus) is they coat up as good as anything I've got. In fact this heifer keeps a long coat year round. B&G

 

[chippie]

I doubt that it was caused by being pushed around or fighting. Your vet explained it well about the calf growing and no room. When she lays down, the calf gets sort of squashed in there and makes her pooch out. I've seen them gap open in the back and look like something is going to come out while the cow is laying down, but not as much as yours.

When she is standing, gravity pulls the calf down and so it is not pushing against her rear end.

Glad that it wasn't serious.

 

[Black and Good]

I doubt that it was caused by being pushed around or fighting. Your vet explained it well about the calf growing and no room. When she lays down, the calf gets sort of squashed in there and makes her pooch out. I've seen them gap open in the back and look like something is going to come out while the cow is laying down, but not as much as yours.

When she is standing, gravity pulls the calf down and so it is not pushing against her rear end.

Glad that it wasn't serious.

Thanks for all the great input. I'm going to keep a close eye on her. I hope it does'nt get worse. Thanks again B&G :tiphat: