Prolapsing Heifer

[rouxshortorn]

Hi all from Maine --

We have a "family" heifer, last one from my deceased grandfathers farm. According to vet in mid August she is "springing" and should be ready to calve out in about a week. When she is laying down she is prolapsing, uterus is out a couple of inches. Same thing happened to her mother, who is no longer with us due to this. With the calf due any day......does anyone have any suggestions? What are our options? Worst case? Best case? Any info would be helpful......

 

[bigbull338]

Hi all from Maine --

We have a "family" heifer, last one from my deceased grandfathers farm. According to vet in mid August she is "springing" and should be ready to calve out in about a week. When she is laying down she is prolapsing, uterus is out a couple of inches. Same thing happened to her mother, who is no longer with us due to this. With the calf due any day......does anyone have any suggestions? What are our options? Worst case? Best case? Any info would be helpful......

all you can do is watch her when she calves.an if she prolapes call the vet an have it put back in.

 

[CWT Angus]

Sounds like what you are seeing is a vaginal prolapse rather than a uterine. Some cows are prone to that, and yes it is genetic. Other factors that don't help much are being overweight and heavy in calf. At this point of her pregnancy there just isn't anymore room in there and her ligaments around the vulva are loosened for calving.
I had a cow do the same thing. The first year we didn't notice it until she was a month or so from calving. I should have shipped her but didn't & this last year it was much, much worse & earlier in the pregnancy. I am not quite sure how it went back in every time. My vet would advise me to get her up (mine always did it laying down) and make her walk. It would eventually go back in. We calved her out in Feb., didn't breed her back, let her raise her calf & hauled her to the sale in August. In late June I had top sew her up to keep it in.
If she has a heifer calf, don't keep it and if it's a bull I would cut it. This problem will get worse with each calving season.
Just watch her closely & she my just calve out O.K.
Good Luck

 

[dun]

If it's a red colored balloon no bigger then a softball I wouldn;t do anything. If it gets the size of a soccer ball, then you have a problem. If it goes back in when she's not laying down it most likely won;t have any affect on her calving. If it is swollen and the calf is big it still isn;t that big of a deal as long as you're there to help ease the calf out.

 

[msscamp]

When she is laying down she is prolapsing, uterus is out a couple of inches.

What you're seeing is not the uterus - it's the vagina.

Same thing happened to her mother, who is no longer with us due to this. With the calf due any day......does anyone have any suggestions? What are our options? Worst case? Best case? Any info would be helpful......

Since this is not a uterine prolapse - I would take a deep breath, monitor this animal, and be prepared to help with delivery if necessary. Since uterine prolapse does tend to be hereditary, I would also have the vet's phone number in my cell phone, just in case she does prolapse on delivery. I would not keep this animal for future breeding, nor would I keep any daughters out of her.

 

[rouxshortorn]

so, if bull calf we should probably steer him instead of keeping him for a bull because prolapse is genetic thanx for everyones help

 

[rouxshortorn]

went out around 9:oo p.m. to check progress and knew it would'nt be long ,well around 2:30 a.m. she had a heifer calf,solid red.Not bad seen's the bull was Roan. Calf is up and running and the cow appears to be holding everything in.Will probably ship cow after calf is weaned,show calf next season and ship her next fall. Don't want to take anymore chances, because the cows dam did the same thing and prolapsed on calf #2.

 

[greatgerts]

went out around 9:oo p.m. to check progress and knew it would'nt be long ,well around 2:30 a.m. she had a heifer calf,solid red.Not bad seen's the bull was Roan. Calf is up and running and the cow appears to be holding everything in.Will probably ship cow after calf is weaned,show calf next season and ship her next fall. Don't want to take anymore chances, because the cows dam did the same thing and prolapsed on calf #2.

Why keep the calf to show? If you are going to cull both of them, do it soon, then take that money to put towards a better animal that you can show next year. I'd also ask the breeder about past prolapses in the herd. Most breeders will tell you.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Not always greatgerts.
Never keep anything out of a cow or heifer that shows signs of prolapsing.