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I have a four-year-old Hereford cow that had to have a dead calf pulled on Monday. She has not yet expelled the afterbirth and it is now Wednesday. The vet said it may take three to four days. Isn't this dangerous for her? She is acting depressed, staying in the same place in the pasture. She is drinking from the creek and eating what I take down to her.
Last Updated: October 15, 2010
Follow the recommendations of your vet. Keep a close eye on the cow. You might want to take her temperature to check for a fever which might indicate the onset of infection. Sometimes, the vet will give females that retain the placenta some vaginal boluses to ward off infection. Retained placenta is not uncommon for cows that give birth to calves that may be born early. The cotyledons and caruncles (commonly called buttons) still have a firm attachment and are not ready to release. They will in time. Do not pull, as this may cause some damage to the uterine wall and may increase the time for the cow to cycle and be ready to rebreed. If the placental material is long (maybe as long as her tail), you could get her in to trim some of it away.
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