Prolapsed Uterus

[GLZ]

Had a first calf heifer this year prolapse while calving.  Was able to get the uterus back inside, and save her and the calf.  My question is what should I do with her for next year.  Should I ship her, or try to rebreed her?  Vet told me she would probably rebreed, however runs the risk of prolapsing again.  What are the chances she would prolapse again?

She is just an average purebred heifer, but she did throw a really fancy bull calf.

 

[C-CROSS]

We ahve had 2 this year, haven't had any for years.  However the went up on a small hill and got on their tops.  We will keep them and rebree.  Never have had a problem with one prolapsing twice, but there is always a first time for everything (cow)

 

[TPX]

If its a first calf heifer I would rebreed her cause chances are she wont prolapse again.  We have had a few heifers do this and we always keep them and rebreed them and never have a problem as log as you remember to take the string out before she calves again the next year.  We have never had a older cow that we kept after a prolapse I dont know why it was just the way things were done by our parents when we took over so we never changed.  Does anyone know if a older cow prolapses is there a greater chance of them doing it again the next year?

 

[Okie Boy]

People, keep in mind that there are two kinds of prolaps. Uterine is where the whole uterus comes out, that is where the calf is growing before birth. Vaginal is just the outer portion up to the cervix, this is a dirty place anyway, urine and penises go here, to my experience this is the most common type of prolaps. The uterine kind lets all kinds of organisms and material into the 'sanctuary' as it were. We have had two mature cows prolaps this way over the years, one was almost dead when I found her in the morning, the other was up chasing her calf, we got her put back together but vet said "don't expect her to breed".

 

[Bawndoh]

Lets just say we had a LOT of SHIT HAPPENS moments with one heifer, who then turned into a cow.  She prolapsed (uterine) on her first calf, second, AND third.  She was obviously supposed to be shipped after her 2nd prolapse at least, but it never happened!!! 

I think that if the heifer was of high value to you, I would give her another chance.  Most people in this area dont give a prolapser another chance.  Like one of the previous posts, the uterous is like the cleanest most sacred place, and if it is not healthy, you can have a big mess.  Save your time and money and get rid of her.

 

[Show Heifer]

It is my FIRM belief that prolapses of any kind (uterine or vaginal or rectal) are genetic. Seems like you can do anything to an animal that has no genetic predisposition to prolapsing and they will not prolapse, but if they have that genetic predisposition, they will prolapse at any reason.  So I would sell her. And don't even THINK of flushing her....never could understand the theory of "she can't raise a calf herself so I will flush her".....

 

[kanshow]

Experience has led us to cull every cow that prolapses her uterus.  They either don't breed back or they shell it all out the next year.  Not worth keeping those kind around. 

 

[CAB]

If you want to read more about the subject, search the archives here under prolapses.

 

[CPL]

It is my FIRM belief that prolapses of any kind (uterine or vaginal or rectal) are genetic. Seems like you can do anything to an animal that has no genetic predisposition to prolapsing and they will not prolapse, but if they have that genetic predisposition, they will prolapse at any reason.  So I would sell her. And don't even THINK of flushing her....never could understand the theory of "she can't raise a calf herself so I will flush her".....

Couldn't agree more. Steer the bull calf, send to heifer to the packer. Also wouldn't hurt to look at Sire and Dam and try to identify any problems that could arise in the future.

 

[CAB]

I would have to disagree about the cattle being predisposed to prolapse. I will agree that the older a cow gets that they would be more apt to repeat B/C of looser or less muscle tone. My belief on 1st calf heifers is that they are doing something that so foreign to them that if they have a hard time especially that once they have the calf, that if they don't get up to care for the calf & get things to drop back into place that they sometimes will keep straining & they subsequently prolapse. If you are lucky enough to be close by & can get it put back in without significant damage, ie. dirty, tore up, that I would give the heifer another chance. I have in the past & never had the cow repeat nor have any of her daughters that have been kept here. I think though that this is something that everyone's going to have to decide themselves as to which cows are good enough to give the second chance to. If you've been around alot of cows/heifers calf, I'm sure that you have seen the cows that keep straining after the calf drops, those are the ones that I hold my breath & cross my fingers hoping that the sensation to push quits soon.

 

[DL]

Uterine prolapse is not believed to be hereditary in the cow - this would esp be true for heifers following dystocia

http://www.vetmed.lsu.edu/eiltslotus/theriogenology-5361/problems_of_bovine_pregnancy.htm

I would keep her and re breed her

Vaginal prolapse is hereditary and Herefords and Santa Gertrudis are predisposed

good pictures on this web site

 

[Jill]

We have had 2 over the years prolapse both uterus, 1 died, 1 sold as soon as she healed up.  I look at this the same way many of you look at genetic defects, way too many good cattle out there to mess with that kind of problem!

 

[dori36]

We ahve had 2 this year, haven't had any for years.  However the went up on a small hill and got on their tops.  We will keep them and rebree.  Never have had a problem with one prolapsing twice, but there is always a first time for everything (cow)

I  had a first calf fullblood Lowline hiefer prolapse - uterine.  Figured it was my fault as I let her get too fat.  That's a real challenge with Lowlines - not letting them get fat.  After the Vet put her back together, I kept her with the other cows for about 3 months and, then, turned her out with the bull.  She rebred right on time and  never prolapsed again and has had several calves for her new owner, Rocky Mtn Lowlines in Wyoming including the Grand Ch. Fullblood Lowline Bull at Houston this year, RML Top Gun.  He's sired by my Lowline bull, ABF Fitz S219, she said bragging!  ;D

 

[ratmama2]

We had two uterine prolapses last year, from 2 first calf heifers. We lost one hef from I think overzealous young vet when it was not put back right the first time and she prolapsed again. Anyhow our real vet says it is a chemical imbalance so we revisited my feed program and and added more minerals etc cause we grind our own feed she felt the ladies weren't getting the right mineral supplements. No prolapses this year thank goodness, have one first calf heifer left to calve next month. Those were the only 2 ever in my life time. Hope to never see one again. I do cull out the vaginal prolapses because in our Hereford breed they are hereditary and in one of my cow family I have had 3 of those. Not nice either. Specially when she hasn't calved yet, but still stands there straining.