Prolapse- chance of happening again?

[red]

Had a friend call & say that a heifer had prolasped last night. They got her stuffed back in sewed up w/ the help of the vet. She's lucky that she has a good vet willing to make farm calls at night. My question is- what are the chances she'll do it again? Will she even rebreed? I don't think she is keeping the heifer after the calf is weaned but I'm just curious.
Any one have any luck w/ a cow delivering a live calf the next year after a prolapse? This calf weighed 92 pounds, which is big for a heifer but I've had bigger w/ no trouble.
What are the reasons or thoughts behind prolaspes? Genetic? Lack of something or just bad luck?
Any feedback?

Red

 

[chambero]

We've always sold them just as soon as they healed up.  I would think its kind of like hernia, once you get a tear in tissue like that it is always weak.

 

[CAB]

My son had a 1st calf heifer that did the same thing. She was a orphaned bottle calf, ( Smokey ), weird name, I know, that he raised when he was 4, so we just couldn't part with her of coarse. She bred back on time and never missed another year, or ever prolapsed again. That first year, we were there watching and,MO is that it being a new experience for "Smokey" that her uterus seemed, or was miss placed and she kept pushing. I like to get the mothers up fairly quickly after they deliver B/C sometimes I think it helps to get things back into place quicker, of coarse most cows will naturally get up to mother.  We sold Smokey in the fall of 2006. My son was 16 that fall, so she was 12 or 13 years old. I personally would be way more concerned about an older cow doing it and having a repeat incidence B/C of loss of muscle tone B/C of too many calves being processed.Totally, JMO.

 

[cowz]

If it was a minor prolapse, that we have fixed we load them up on a long course of antibiotics and keep them.  BUT if it was a full blown, down to the hocks prolapse, we also get them healed up, let them raise the calf, then they are sent to town, no matter what.

 

[red]

This sounds like a full blown down & out prolapse. Any ideas why some cows do? Is it a straining thing? I'm amazed when someone can sucessfully stuff it back in all the right places. It's like they said getting 10 gallons in a 5 gallon bucket!

 

[CAB]

My son's heifer was full blown, but we were right there and her disposition was great, ie. not flying around and what not, what I'm saying is that if it is dirty, torn up and such, not a pet, that would all enter into my decision.

 

[cowz]

It is the straining response, which does not immediately go away after the calf comes out.

A vet can inject lidocaine to help numb the area to reduce the urge to push.

 

[fluffer]

Hey Red,

My "prized show heifer" had a MAJOR prolaps with her 3rd calf.  The vet came out in the middle of the night, in a snow storm, to put it back in.  That required 2 numbing shots into the spine and about2 hours of hard work to get her uterus back in.  She prolapsed because the calf was big (100 lbs) but he also was not quite in the right position so she had to work extra hard to push him out, despite my help.  Once we got her all back together I asked every vet and "cattleman" that I knew what the likelihood would be that would happen again.  I got every answer in the book.  Anything for very likely to less likely then a normal cow.  I decided to make her a donor and flush her.  Well when she quit producing good embryos  it was either breed her, or let her live out her years (going to town is not an option  )  She has had 2 calves since and not 1 single problem.  I breed her for calving ease now.  She is a big Gelbvieh cow, so I usually breed her to an Angus bull you would use on heifers.

One person, who I have a lot of confidence in, said that when the uterus folds in on its self and comes out, the ligaments that hold uterus in place stretch, this caused scar tissue to form on the ligaments.  Scar tissue is not as flexable as regular tissue and therefore would be less likely to stretch.  This would make it less likely a prolaps would accrue.  Don't know if it is true or not.  

Now, another cow we had proplaps went to town as soon as she healed up and put some weight back on.  Guess it depends on how good your cow is if you should keep her or not.  I suppose it is kind of like twins.  May happen again, but it probably won't.  Just keep an extra good eye on her and be prepared.

Fluffer

 

[Okie Boy]

We had an unusual number of prolapses this year. Of about 50 cows we had 3 prolapses we had to get sewn up. Two before calving and one after, All three were vaginal, out to the cervex. We had never had one do this after calving before. My vet said get rid of them. From previous experiance, those that prolaps before calving will do it again. For us it has always been older cows that did this.

 

[kanshow]

Seems like prolapses repeat themselves on a higher level than we care to mess with.  Commercial cow get's tagged cull and PB cows are really scrutinized.      There are rebreeding problems, etc.      Plus there is some heretibility involved in some kinds of prolapses.   

 

[mlk32]

It has been a tough couple of days in my little cattle operation.  Had fits getting a calf to nurse earlier this week and then I was one with the prolapsed heifer last night. 

This I know from the last three days:  1.  Having the ability to pick up the phone and call someone like Red or Redwing for advice/sympathy/encouragement is valuable beyond any dollars.

2.  Having a vet that was at my barn with a smile on his face ready to help within 45 minutes of my call is worth every penny on his bill.

I follow DL's advice with my vet.  I make a point of buying my all my drugs from them even though it is an hour round trip to their office and anytime he calls to say he is running late for an appointment I say "No problem" knowing he is giving someone elses animals the same attention he will give mine whenever I need it.

 

[red]

I guess that's why it's good you have an outside job, to pay all the vet bills & etc...

I wasn't trying to out you, just thought it was a good topic.

Any change in the calf getting up?

Red