Should cows eat the afterbirth?

[nycowgirl]

I was told a cow needed to eat the afterbirth for the vitamins and minerals. With horses, we always removed the after birth as soon as we found it. They didn't want to eat it anyway. What do you guys say??

 

[Dana Kopp]

Not only does it help keep predators away (don't forget eagles too) and possibly return some nutrients, but if the afterbirth happens to hang up on the calf's face or legs, a cow that will get up and grab the afterbirth will free it up, part of the mothering instinct I think. I would guess it also helps get the calf's scent to the cow. Two of our heifers this year ate the afterbirth while licking their calf, didn't slow them down a bit...if you have a weak stomach don't watch or listen.

 

[milesvb]

Animals both wild and domestic have consumed their placenta for time immemorial, so why stop them now?

 

[dun]

The neighbor had a heifer that choked to death (according to him) on the afterbirth she was eating. Most of ours eat it, a few eat a little but leave some, one eats not only hers but any other she finds laying around.

dun

 

[alacattleman]

ive heard old timer say she wont breed back if she don't eat some of it. but its a natural way of hormone intake. too help clean herself. i use to remove it after the cows were through to keep the da@$ buzzard away ive had buzzard cirle over my head while carring it on a pitch fork

 

[Susie David]

We have some that we never even see the afterbirth, which always makes me worry about retained but never had a problem.

 

[Farminlund]

Strange run of births (4 in a row) that the mas (mainly heifers) did not eat the afterbirth. Not sure what's going on - any ideas? One was well mixed with manure, so I can understand that one.

But when they don't it is problematic as the buzzards want to eat it & the cows then are running all around trying to chase them away rather than paying close attention to a new born calf. I alway try to get it removed if the ma doesn't.

 

[jgn]

Usually all of mine will eat the afterbirth. Had one calve earlier this year and she must have wanted it bad, she couldn't wait till it was all the wat expelled before going after it. I watch her down in the field after calving and she starts running in circles trying to get to the afterbirth first one direction then the other, looked more like a dog chasing it's tail.

 

[Vicky the vet]

Eating the placenta can cause a major indigestion called "placenta burger" (guess that's just the prof's name for it) which can cause the cow to go off feed, and in rare cases, kill her. Eating it is NOT a source of nutrients which are required or even desired, but an instinct to hide the birth of the calf which is prey.

 

[nycowgirl]

Thanks for all the great replies. The next time someone tells me that a cow MUST eat the placenta, I will be ready for them.

Amy

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Eating the placenta can cause a major indigestion called "placenta burger" (guess that's just the prof's name for it) which can cause the cow to go off feed, and in rare cases, kill her. Eating it is NOT a source of nutrients which are required or even desired, but an instinct to hide the birth of the calf which is prey.

"Placenta Burger" good name. Ever try to tear off a piece - they end up eating a "non-stop" hunk. I never heard of it being a problem for a cow, but can understand the possibility. Sure is hard on my dogs. Eeeww - upchuck a great big wad - in the house. Don't ya just love it!
Since we calve in the barn - we bury the placenta in the manure pile. We have a heeler that just KNOWS where & when to dig. Always best when it's been there a few days buried. :shock: Teaching my Schnauzer puppy!

 

[milkmaid]

The neighbor had a heifer that choked to death (according to him) on the afterbirth she was eating. Most of ours eat it, a few eat a little but leave some, one eats not only hers but any other she finds laying around.

dun

My boss said he had one that appeared to have done that once. Said she was a really little cow and it was her second calf. Said he saw her calve, everything looked good, calf and cow doing well...he came back later to check on her and she was dead. The only thing he found was the afterbirth in her mouth and he concluded she must have choked on it. One of the stupider ways a cow can die on you.

 

[rkm]

Yes, we had one choke on her afterbirth. She was trying eat the afterbirth while she was worrying about her calf that was flopping around trying to get up. We were right there by the time we realized what was happening we couldn't help her.

 

[Beefy]

ive seen one nearbout gag on it and cough it back up. then she ate it again.