Hello! About 4 days ago I bought a jersey heifer in milk and the first morning I went to the stall to take her out to pasture I see this red fleshy bubble coming out of her rump. Looked it up and it looked like a prolapse. This girl had a calf about 6 weeks ago and that is all I know. By the time the vet came out to stitch her the bulge had been sucked back in! The vet said she would not stitch her right now but to call her if it popped out again. She also told me that most folks sell cows with this issue. I bought her as a pet and milk cow and had planned to breed her. She is a really large miniature jersey and I wanted to breed her to a mini zebu. Do you think since the calf would be so small that the mom and baby would be ok? Is it just too risky to breed her? Could her condition heal itself or is there anything I can do? The heifer seems happy and the vet have her a clean bill of health with the prolapse exception!
Risk of breeding a cow with prolapsed vagina?
- Thread starter JosieBlue
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branguscowgirl
Well-known member
There have been many discussions on here about prolapses. I have not dealt with any myself. But I seem to recall Lucky P, the vet, saying that vaginal was not a big deal?
Aaron
Well-known member
Being that she can pop it in and out that long after she has calved, signals that it will be much worse the next time she calves and runs a very high risk of uterine prolapse if she doesn't stop with contractions after the calf is out. These are the ones that get shipped after they wean the calf. You will pay for it if you give them a 2nd chance.
Nesikep
Well-known member
I agree with Aaron.. its both hereditary, and gets worse with age.. I have never had one with a vaginal prolapse ever have a uterine prolapse though. 2 weeks ago I shipped my last (hopefully) cows that had chronic vaginal prolapses... Usually if they have it 6 weeks after calving, it must have been a lot worse just before, and I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I think that's why she got sold, and the seller isn't someone I'd deal with again.
Fire Sweep Ranch
Well-known member
We have one cow that had a vaginal prolapse before calving last year. She calved unassisted, and bred back. Again, this year, we would see a small bulge ONLY when she jumped a cow in heat. We never saw it when she was lying or standing. She calved unassisted again this year. We have not treated it, and she breeds back and raised a calf each year. The difference is we see it right before she calves, versus yours is evident AFTER. That might be a major concern, since there should be no pressure on her vagina causing a prolapse, like a cow getting ready to calve....
Aaron
Well-known member
Before or after calving, it's all the same. No reason to hold on to that crap in the gene pool. They look so much better hanging from a hook.
Lucky_P
Well-known member
BCG... you remembered wrong.
I would never recommend keeping a cow with a vaginal prolapse...or her offspring.
Uterine prolapse... no big deal...they're just an 'accident'.
I would never recommend keeping a cow with a vaginal prolapse...or her offspring.
Uterine prolapse... no big deal...they're just an 'accident'.
Rafter S
Well-known member
Fire Sweep Ranch":3u9nnoub said:
I had a cow prolapse a few years ago when her calf was about 3 months old. The vet said it sometimes happens when they're in heat, and was likely to reoccur. The best I remember he said all the muscles back there get so relaxed that they can prolapse. I let her raise that calf and then sold her (for slaughter).
branguscowgirl
Well-known member
Yep. I was remembering it backwards. Vaginal "no". Uterine "ok". Got it!Lucky_P":28o5wwoo said:
(That's why I had a question mark at the end of my comment.) I was hoping someone would link the thread about it, it was very informative.
Aaron":2nj7fwcp said:
:nod: Especially since you are wanting an animal to breed back.
wbvs58
Well-known member
To me it seems unusual that a vaginal prolapse would occur 6 weeks after calving. Are you sure it was vaginal? At 6 weeks post calving she could have been coming back on heat and doing a lot of mounting and I have seen young bull calves pop their rectums out when doing a lot of jumping like that. I am in the middle of synch and inseminating my heifers and one yesterday had a bright red cherry rectum pop out when she was mounting other heifers.
Ken
Ken
Gosh , I'm not sure actually! I have a picture. Maybe you all could tell me for sure? I just looked it up and the photos of vaginal prolapse looked like what I saw. What if it is the rectum? What then? Could I keep her? I just can't send her to slaughter. She is a real sweetie!
Now let me research how to post a photo again.....
Thanks to everyone for the help!
Now let me research how to post a photo again.....
Thanks to everyone for the help!
We had one prolapse 3 months after she calved... it stayed out even when she stood. Vet stitched her up and said 'Sell'... I was not the one who took her to the vet so i wasnt there to ask what the heck is going on. But if my vet says sell....we sell.wbvs58":12d1294j said:
Aaron
Well-known member
Well, if your not going to sell her, start saving your pennies because your going to need them for the vet bills.
JosieBlue":3iihfk3g said:
You might want to re-think owning cattle. Culling or putting animals dow is part of your responsibilities like food and water.
Sell sell sell.....that is exactly what our cow did who prolapsed months after calving. If our vet said to sell, sell. We can take care of lots of things most cant....so he either tells us what we can do to keep an animal and lets us decide. If he tells us to sell, there is no questioning him....
Sad thats she's a pet... i've learned to keep animals emotionally distant, makes it easier.
Sad thats she's a pet... i've learned to keep animals emotionally distant, makes it easier.
branguscowgirl
Well-known member
Brute many of us can sell cattle when we need too, but have a "special" cow that will never go anywhere.Brute 23":1mnu8abm said:
I just sold a an old show cow for slaughter that I raised, that didn't breed back. Her full sister will be buried here when the time comes. Just because you have a favorite that you have made a pet out of, doesn't mean you are not a responsible cattle owner.
To answer the OPs question.........You can do anything that you want to with her. Have her sewn up, milk her, or put calves on her for awhile if you like. But don't breed her.
What if I don't breed her, but just use her as a nurse cow for my bottle calves? Coudnt I keep her in milk for a long time without her being at risk? Are yall saying that the prolapse is an indicator that there are other health problems to come? Thanks so much for your help!
