Prolapses occur occasionally in beef cows. Most prolapses occur very near the time of calving. Two distinct kinds exist.
1) Vaginal prolapses are those that occur in very late gestation. The vaginal wall protrudes through the vulva and becomes exposed to sun, wind and infectious pathogens. Vaginal prolapses are very repeatable. If the prolapse is repaired, the cow calves and rebreeds, then she is very likely to prolapse again next year. This type of prolapse is known to have a genetic component, which means that daughters of cows with this problem will have an increased likelihood of suffering a vaginal prolapse themselves. Therefore, when the producer finds a cow with this malady, she should be marked for culling and daughters should not be kept as replacements. Certainly, bull calves from this cow could also pass the genetic characteristics on to their offspring and proliferate the problem within a herd.
2) Uterine prolapses occur at or shortly after calving. Many times they occur with a difficult birth. The uterus is literally pulled through the birth canal with the calf or the afterbirth and again exposed to the weather elements, potential injury and certainly infectious agents. Uterine prolapses, when repaired by proper veterinary attention, can have a very successful outcome. Cows with properly cared for uterine prolapses are no more likely than others to have a prolapse next year. Because of the trauma, possible infection, and recovery time, cows with a uterine prolapse may take longer to reconceive for the next year's calf. This often means that these cows will be late-bred or non-pregnant at weaning time when pregnancy checks are made. These outcomes may be a viable reason for culling the cows, but keeping pregnant cows that have experienced a uterine prolapse is not a bad risk.
