Howdy ya'll, I'm new to the forum. My husband and I have a small (three breed cows) herd of cows. We breed for beef, our own consumption. We have one Hereford/Highland cross, one Charolais/Highland cross and a 3/4 Highland-1/4 Charolais cross (out of our C/H x). Anywho, our Charlois/Highland cross just delivered her fourth calf on Monday 06/06/05. She's never had any problems in the past, easy deliveries and she's a good momma. However, she has a retained placenta, and it is now Friday. My Vet says it is not uncommon and he could remove. But everything I read in the cattle books says cows can retain it for up to 10 days, and that it does more harm than good to remove. I've also read that it doesn't necessarily put them at risk to happen again. So any suggestions??? Leave it alone? What about risk for infection? Thanks, Annie. (By the way, the little bull is the most unique colored bull I've ever seen!! He's a pretty big boy-she's had big calves in the past-and he is slate gray, the color of a Weimaraner dog, with a white face.)
retained placenta
- Thread starter MELFARM
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Andrew
Well-known member
I suggest leaving it alone; unless, she looks sick. I had two cows like that this year. One had it hanging for about 2 weeks and the other for 1 week. No problems.
If the placenta is attached, pulling it out yourself may hurt her uterus.
If the placenta is attached, pulling it out yourself may hurt her uterus.
Andrew, thanks for the reply!! Of course, after I read your reply (which is the way we were leaning toward anyway), I went on to read MANY postings on this subject. A lot of different views, but I'm gonna go with you, our Vet and my gut and let it be.
jerry27150
Well-known member
i have had many like that & i just let nature take care of it. never seen one that didn't come out on it's own. years ago we used to have vet clean them, when we had dairy, but then they didn't recomend doing it any more
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
Muratic, I think Oxytocin works best IMMEDIATELY after calving. Not sure how effective it is 4 days later. But, lutalyse 7 - 10 days later is helpful (for cleaning - not for cycling). This is recommended on cattle that had dystocia even if they didn't retain placenta. Flushes out the uterus (sp?) for infection.
Do not clean out the placenta, leave it alone. Do not give antibiotics - unless cow gets sick & goes off feed.
Do not clean out the placenta, leave it alone. Do not give antibiotics - unless cow gets sick & goes off feed.
Ho do again, ya'll? I just wanted to say thank you for all of your responses. It sure is nice to know that there are a bunch of good people out there willing to help out their fellow man out of the goodness of their heart. Thank you and may the Good Lord bless you!! Now, I'm posting a couple of pictures of the calf born on Monday 06/06/05. His momma is a white Charolais and she was supposed to have been bred to a Black angus; however, we know that there is also a Longhorn and (I believe) a Brahma (sp?). Could we get this color from Angus? He sure is perdy!!!
jerry27150
Well-known member
you sure the mother is pure charolais
yes but your charolais has a little something else in her somewhere down the line, probably hereford or either simmental to get the white face on the calf. or possibly the angus does although less likely. calf looks angus sired to me, but not longhorn or brahman sired.
greenwillowherefords
Well-known member
Is this calf Grey or Tan? In my opinion there was a hereford bull in a near by pasture and maybe in yours! :shock:
greenwillowherefords
Well-known member
Beefy":yl3v0jjm said:
I thought of this as well.
rwtherefords
Well-known member
When I bred my Charolais to a black bull, the calf came out nearly a silver color, so yes, the color seems right to me for a black sire/Charolais dam. However, I've never seen a calf with a white head come from a pure balck and pure white cross. In my opinion, Hereford or something else is mixed in back in the history somewhere. Also, the calf will darken considerably as it ages if it's like mine were. The pretty silver color only lasted for 3 - 4 months, then they turned more smoke colored.
Mom is Charolais and Highland (unless mom's mom was mixed?, only the Highland was registered). And yes, he is gray. Kind of a silver color. Real pretty. No, there are no other bulls in the area. We are the only farm on our road with cows, and only three cows at that (our own home-grown beef, ya know.). The boys live about a mile away, (unless they are gentlemen and sneek in through the gate at night and lock it behind them). So, RWTHEREFORDS, this is possible, aye??? Thank you much......
rwtherefords
Well-known member
MELFARM":36eqe817 said:
I'm saying the silver/light gray is consistant with my experiance breeding Charolais to black bulls. I'm also agreeing with Beefy and GW that something with a white face is in the background of either your cow or the bull that bred her. I've never seen 2 purebred solid colors produce a white headed calf with a body of a different color.
