palpation

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bubchub

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Can anyone tell me how to pregnancy check a cow? I like to know so I won't have to haul a couple of my cows to the vet.




Thanks
Bubchub
 
Simplicity its self. All you need to do is feel of the uterus and determine if a calf is in there or not. Sounds simple, and yet the biggest complaint I hear about vets that do thousands of them a year is that they misscalled and open for bred or vice versa and missed the stage of pregnancy.

dun
 
Also helps to know something about gross anatomy. OJT also helps. Experience and skill helps a great deal.

Wouldn't think palpation is something for the untrained, uninformed novice. Same applies to A.I. procedures.
 
Definately agree with Bill on this one. You need a trained professional to palpate.. it's not just running your hand up in there and feeling around.

The AI classes that are offered by the semen suppliers also have palpation training with AI training. You might want to consider that.
 
dun":3hgqojbe said:
All you need to do is feel of the uterus and determine if a calf is in there or not.

dun

That should be real simple for someone that has never had his arm inside a cow before.
 
Good grief, doesn't any one see the point. Obviously inuendo doesn't come across very well.

dun
 
to answer the original question, i doubt that anyone can sufficiently explain it over the internet. if you're serious about learning, you may want to sign up for a palpation class. most of them explain things in a classroom setting & then you go out for live demonstrations....cows will be marked w/stage of pregnancy so you can get a good idea of what each stage feels like.
 
Since you are in East Texas, you might want to check with the COBA/Select Sire boys in Tyler. They seem to tolerate beginners pretty well. That's where I would go in regards to anything to do with AI. They can set you up with classes if you want. Their number is in the book, they also have a website.
 
bubchub":94cpub7j said:
Can anyone tell me how to pregnancy check a cow? I like to know so I won't have to haul a couple of my cows to the vet.




Thanks
Bubchub

In our case, it's cheaper to get the vet to come out and palpate then for me to have taken the time out to take one of the clinics.
That way I just line them all up and he starts to checking. Plus it doesn''t cost that much per cow to have it done.

I have done it though under the supervision of the vet, but, he's the professional so I'll just let him do it. I spend enough time in that area of the cow while I'm Ai'ing.

But, at the palpation clinics, like the Ai'ing clinics, you learn alot of informative information about cattle, so, they are a good thing to go to if you have the time.
 
bobby22":ti5usrtf said:
I have heard that this can cause cow to miscarry. Any truth to this.

It's possible but not something that happens often enough to be a consideration.

dun
 
bubchub":2107ku00 said:
Can anyone tell me how to pregnancy check a cow? I like to know so I won't have to haul a couple of my cows to the vet.




Thanks
Bubchub

go to the texas a and m website and look thru their publications.. they have one on determining pregnancy in cattle... very informative...

after you have studied that publication VERY well, try to get someone in your area that knows how to palpate a cow palpate some cows with you and tell you what you are feeling of inside.

then practice, practice and practice so you call become better, and remember, even then you will miss one every now and then.

good luck

jt
 
bobby22 wrote:
I have heard that this can cause cow to miscarry. Any truth to this.


Approximately 2% of cows abort after palpation.

Ann B

I am not questioning you, so please don't take this the wrong way.....but........... How do the know for sure that its because they were palpated and not because of natural occurance?
 
txshowmom":26ylrf1r said:
bobby22 wrote:
I have heard that this can cause cow to miscarry. Any truth to this.


Approximately 2% of cows abort after palpation.

Ann B

I am not questioning you, so please don't take this the wrong way.....but........... How do the know for sure that its because they were palpated and not because of natural occurance?

It was considered to be caused by palpation if the abortion was within so many days of palpation. Pregnancies were also past the point where early embryonic death could be a factor.

Ann B
 
txshowmom":sudc7ig0 said:
bobby22 wrote:
I have heard that this can cause cow to miscarry. Any truth to this.


Approximately 2% of cows abort after palpation.

Ann B

I am not questioning you, so please don't take this the wrong way.....but........... How do the know for sure that its because they were palpated and not because of natural occurance?

ann,

to get the 2%, what %age of your cows palpated are over 60 days bred?

i could be wrong, but it seems to me that the earlier the pregnancy the easier it would be to cause it to abort by handling the fetus.

it would seem to me that for you to get 2%, you would have to be palpating your cows very early in their pregnancy.

not in any way disputing you, i just find this interesting. i have never heard anyone put a %age on this. i would have thought the %age would have been much less. i palpate for a few around me and i am just trying to learn more here.. i definitely do not want to cause any of their cows (or mine) to abort.

jt
 
jt":1i1n5u4x said:
txshowmom":1i1n5u4x said:
bobby22 wrote:
I have heard that this can cause cow to miscarry. Any truth to this.


Approximately 2% of cows abort after palpation.

Ann B

I am not questioning you, so please don't take this the wrong way.....but........... How do the know for sure that its because they were palpated and not because of natural occurance?

ann,

to get the 2%, what %age of your cows palpated are over 60 days bred?

i could be wrong, but it seems to me that the earlier the pregnancy the easier it would be to cause it to abort by handling the fetus.

it would seem to me that for you to get 2%, you would have to be palpating your cows very early in their pregnancy.

not in any way disputing you, i just find this interesting. i have never heard anyone put a %age on this. i would have thought the %age would have been much less. i palpate for a few around me and i am just trying to learn more here.. i definitely do not want to cause any of their cows (or mine) to abort.

jt

The percentage is a quote from a company that does blood pregnancy tests. They have the study results on their website, I'll have to find the link.
If I'm not mistaken, most of the palpations were done at 45 days.

Of course, these folks are selling the ability to pregnancy test heifers at 28 days and cows at 30 days, so they're going to emphasize the risk of palpation.

Ann B
 
I know this sounds silly but it works. If the hair right between the shoulders is lying down slick, the cow is bred. Heard that a famous vet from S. Africa taught it in a clinic once years ago. I am hardly ever wrong using this method even in early pregnancy. Course it is harder to tell in winter with a heavy coat & I dunno about furry cows like Highlands..LOL
 
I have heard that after 5 months you can "bump" the cow to tell if a calf is in there. I can't even recall if it is the left or right side of the cow you push on. I had a vet show me a couple years ago, and you could feel the calf "bounce back" against your hand after you pushed on the cow. But it's not going to work on a 45 day bred cow.
 

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