# Retained afterbirth



## Swv.farmer (Jan 2, 2016)

Had a first time heffer that had a long hard birth in the wind up I had to pull the calf it was dead and it now been about 12 hours and she hasn't cleaned what should I do I've never had this problem before.


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

I wouldn't truly worry about it until 48 hours or so. Vet can give you a shot to give her, can't recall the name. Too come to me about 4:00 tomorrow morning...


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

I have had to deal with this a number of times and our vet told us many many years ago how to take care of it. Give your vet a call and explain the situation and he will give you 3 boluses of tetracycline which will need to be inserted into her uterus, sometimes they also prescribe a shot to get the uterus to contract. Its kinda hard to explain but after getting your arm in the cow you go to the right and there's a little pocket there that you insert them into. Sounds gross but it has always worked. Don't let it go too long because if it causes an infection she may not breed again. Good Luck.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

BTW: That was my wife. She's the herd and farm manager for our sons operation and wanted to chime in on this. She knows cows, she's been around them her entire life.

She lurks on here everyday.


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## Swv.farmer (Jan 2, 2016)

Thanks so much for the info.
I just got in from checking her she had finally passed it.I had never had one take that long.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I am glad she passed it.

My old Vet told me to wait 72 hours before I did anything. They usually passed it by 48. The few times over that he gave me a shot that would make it pass with in 30 minutes.

Our new Vet says to wait 10 days. I disagree but an not a Vet.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Oxytocin is what I used for horses and cattle retained placentas....it is a good thing to have on hand.....if you are in good standings with your vet he can get you a bottle of it. It has a long shelf life compared to many other medications.

Regards, Mike


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

If after 72 then I'd start to worry, but since going to a straight beef herd hasn't been a problem. I'll see if I can remember to ask Dad what we used to use with the dairy herd,


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

I believe that feeding a good mineral all winter long really helps prevent retained placenta. It does seem to happen if a cow aborts and sometimes even when she has twins.

Dad likes to give them uterine boluses and infuse the uterus with about 60cc of oxytracycline mixed in about a quart of warm water.

I'm a little more into the the new school way of doing things which is let nature take care of it. Most vets recommend now to leave it be and let her get rid of it on her own. They claim that inserting uterine boluses or infusing them with anything simply introduces more bacteria that will cause more infection.

Dad and I disagree on this quite abit. But I've shown him time and time again that cows that I do nothing with still rebreed. Even if they retain it for a week.

Working on a cow with a retained placenta is one of the smelliest foulest jobs. If you do decide to give uterine bolus, double up on the OB sleeves.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Oxytocin is also useful for helping a mare or cow who has not "let down" her milk to do so. I have had mares that had fescue fungus problems and no milk, be brought to milk....and heifers with no milk, also be brought to milk. Oxy is a good thing to keep.

Regards, Mike


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

Everyone we talk to recommends a shot of lutalyse to clean the reproductive system

We use uterine boluses or now have started using hydrogen peroxide. Infuse about half a bottle of it and as it oxidizes it loosens the placenta and should come right out within a couple minutes. Our vet did that a couple times and that's usually what do anymore


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## Swv.farmer (Jan 2, 2016)

I still haven't figured out what caused it yet but out of 107 she is the only one and only the third I've had to pull


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

Could be a number of things. Difficult calving, low calcium, something off in mineral of the diet, something along those lines. Or there are some that are more prone to it than others. We have one or two that every time they calve they end up with a retained placenta


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Or it could be genetic predisposition.

Regards, Mike


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## Swv.farmer (Jan 2, 2016)

Could be I figure I'll wait till next year and see what happens if it a repeat down the road she goes


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