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prolapse and offspring

K

kwebb

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Joined
Jun 21, 2006
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Location
Texas
I've got a registered beefmaster cow that threw a good heifer calf and both of them are clean on the top and bottom. Thing is that this cow vaginal prolapsed about three months after calving. I think she was in heat or breeding back when this happened. She had not prolapsed any time before and this is her third calf. She never acted right after having this last calf and got drawn way down while the others did fine--she's wormed, vaccinated, etc.

Now, I've got the cow sewed up and she'll go to the knacker as soon as I feel good about the calf having had her fill of what she needs from mama. I can't keep a prolapsing cow no matter what...I'm a weekend warrior and she'll die if she does it on a Monday, you know? I have to have cows that drop calves like poop or they die.

The problem is that I think that weakness as far as prolapsing is hereditary. I think that I've kept some calves before after a mama prolapsed to replace her. I think this just keeps that weakness going in my herd. So, my question is, do I keep her daughter or not?

What do ya'll think?
 
Dang. Really? Can you elaborate a little so I know why I'm doing it from now on?

Thanks for responding!
 
several nongenetic factors can cause prolapse like lack of exercize, too big of calf, and indescriminant use of calf puller. You must decide if they fit your situation.

As for heritability of prolapse, go to US Meat Animal Research and ask them.
 
Thanks for the responses. Brad, I have requested an answer from the research center.

Big Muddy: You may be right. This cow was never in great shape after calving. I am also thinking she had something she did not expel after birth and prolapsed to finally get it out. She is now doing very well finally. Saw her yesterday and the stitches are gone (I don't know how as I didn't think they were dissolving kind) and she is starting to look a little slick like she hasn't in a long time. That'll be good for auction time.

Anyway, I just hope she can keep it in until I get her gone. At this point, though, she looks great. So does her calf and she's the one I'm trying to decide about right now. She's three months old...big boned, thick, long, and straight. Hate to send her along if I don't need to.
 
The prolapser is going to market. It is her daughter that I am asking about. The meat research joint has not responded.

What do you guys do with the offspring of prolapsers? Do you ship them, too, like Juan says?

Thanks!
 
kwebb said:
The prolapser is going to market. It is her daughter that I am asking about. The meat research joint has not responded.

What do you guys do with the offspring of prolapsers? Do you ship them, too, like Juan says?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

The offspring of prolapsers go too...Personally I think a lot of it is in the genetics- while I agree that there can be outside aggravators or reasons...I know over the years when I didn't send offspring I had a much higher incidence of proplapsing by the prolapsers offspring than I did by their other herdmates...Even had one cow (black baldy) prolapse at about 4 years old and the next year her mother (hereford), who was about 7, prolapsed... Also my old vet buddy swears that a lot of it is genetics...Especially used to be a big problem with many herefords...
 
The only prolapses that I know have been shown to be heritible are the vaginal prolapses that occur before calving.

Cows don't normally prolapse when they are open so when they do, I reckon there is something wrong with her, like infection etc... that maybe caused her to strain.

I would personally take the chance on her offspring if I liked them.
 
My vote is with coulee on this one. I think there was something that
the cow was trying to expel, the reason she prolapsed at this point.
Also the fact that she hasn't done well supports the theory that
there was some infection. She might not breed back, anyway.

But I guess I would take a chance on the heifer in this situation.

(We haven't had a prolapse since we got rid of Herefords in the 70's. I do
think the Hereford people have been working diligently to eliminate
this problem.)
 
The largest and most knowledgable cattleman I know around here advised me to stay away from beefmasters before I got into the breed I have. He said they prolaps too much. He's the only one I ever heard say that but thought of it when I read your post. If I remember right beefmasters are about 1/3rd hereford. Maybe there's a connection. Any way I got angus and danged if the best heifer I've ever raised prolapsed having her first calf while I was on jury duty and I lost her. The only one I've ever had.
 
Fellas:
Thanks very much for you insight. Here's what I'm going to do. The cow is going to the slaughterhouse. I'm going to keep the heifer until she's 700 pounds or so and depending on her conformation at that time I will decide. If this was a normal birthing prolapse, I would cull them both without hesitation. Under the circumstances, though, I will give her a chance. If she's top 10% or so, I will keep her. Otherwise, ship.

As far as Beefmasters prolapsing, yeah, they do. But, for some reason I can't really explain, I love the breed. I just have it in my head that cattle are supposed to look like they look...probably the same way you feel when you look at Angus. I've had Zebus, some Angus, and Herefords. And I've done OK with all of them and liked them OK (except for a Zebu bull I was partners on--he was just crazy). I just settled on Beefmasters because I like the way they look--it is as simple and irrational as that. The fact that they're long, thick cattle that weigh well, don't tear up my fences and stuff around the farm, and have been pretty healthy for me overall was just luck.

Again, thank you all very much. Sometimes you just need a sounding board to solidify your thoughts and you guys have really helped.
 

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