Retained Placenta

[jlahc]

This is actually the same cow as we have been discussing previously (see cow with droopy ears/isolating). This cow had aborted her calf 2 months before her due date and now has retained her placenta. She calved it out this morning around 7:00 and has not cleaned out yet. We have given her pennicillin and plan to do this daily for the next few days but I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions or tricks on helping the cows pass their afterbirth.

 

[jcarkie]

i had a heifer loss her calf 6 weeks early it took a week, to eh day, for her to pass the afterbirth, just wait it out. the less you mess withit the better.

 

[jlahc]

Did you treat her with anything?

 

[jcarkie]

no i have been told to leave it alone, she was not sick or anything so i let it go and she cleaned out fine.

 

[jkwilson]

Current "conventional wisdom" is if she isn't sick, and there's no nasty smell, leave her alone. Pulling the afterbirth has been shown to delay rebreeding.

 

[skcatlman]

I have been told this does nothing, but it seems to work for me when i have an animal with a diffcult birth and retained placenta. i give as much as they want of warm water with electolytes in it they seem to clean quickly after consuming it i usally do it if retained for more than 4 or 5 hours . It seems to work all i can say is try it. It doent cost much and seems to do what i want.

 

[jlahc]

Just thought I would give an update. The cow aborted her calf 2 months premature on Monday morning. We gave pennicillin daily for three days for prevention as per the vet and on Thurs she passed the retained placenta on her own. Now she seems fine and is back up to the manger with the rest of the cows.

 

[certherfbeef]

jlahc,
check your pm.

 

[hillsdown]

Had a hard pull on my best Holstein heifer;1100lb heifer gave birth to a 138lb bull calf .So much for Blitz being a calving ease bull. It was two days ago and her after birth had not come off and she was under the weather;temperature of 40.3C that's aprox. 104.6F.We gave her a dextrose cocktail I.V. and some antibiotics then infused her.If the after birth is not off in 3-5 days after calving even though she seems fine you might want to infuse her with dextrose and tetracycline powder.It is easier to do it when the cervix is still open;you can use a calf tubing bag and go in through the cervix.If it is not open you need to use a pipet and it is more difficult especially if you have never A.I.'d.If you don't know how ask a neighbor or call your Vet the sooner she cleans up the easier it will be to get back in calf.You don't want her to wait to long as an infection is much harder to treat.Buy the way she is feeling better already after a couple of hours and almost back to her own self those I.V.'s are wonderful miracle workers.

 

[Wick]

Give her a shot of Lutalyse. She will clean.

 

[rattler]

I have been told this does nothing, but it seems to work for me when i have an animal with a diffcult birth and retained placenta. i give as much as they want of warm water with electolytes in it they seem to clean quickly after consuming it i usally do it if retained for more than 4 or 5 hours . It seems to work all i can say is try it. It doent cost much and seems to do what i want.

My Dad use to give them warm water with a little salt in it.

rattler