[pointer]

Hi, long-time reader, but first-time poster!

I was wondering how late in pregnancy a cow could re-absorb the embryo/foetus?

Our cow is due to have her second calf between 23 January and 6 March, based on the dates she was at the bull. She was PD'd in-calf in the autumn by the vet. She is out-wintered on reasonable silage only, with occasional barley, and has had a lick bucket for the last couple of weeks. I'm just questioning though if she's lost the calf as to my mind she looks a bit thinner, and there's no sign of even starting to bag up (calf was weaned a good 10 weeks ago). How would I know if she'd reabsorbed or aborted?

Thanks for your help.

[Ladygrey]

If she aborted just after or soon after your vet PD'd her you wouldnt really be able to see any massive signs apart from if she isnt looking in calf, is she bulling? and then the best thing is if you have doubts get a vet to scan her again?

It is possible that she can re-absorb the calf although in our dairy cows the most common thing when they try and absorb a calf late term is a small cat sized mummified calf which stays inside the cow and can get infected, they usually get culled after this as they dont come back into calf, not 100% sure why but must be pretty rank inside

Best thing to do if you have doubts is to get a vet or experienced farmer (unless you are one already!) to check her over, has she been bulling? is she slack round the back?

[Sbom]

An experienced farmer should be able to help, she should easily knock a calf by now.....
As said, most likely happened just after pd ing but you should have seen her bulling since.....
  hopefully she's just hiding it well 

[Backinwellies]

towards calving calf would drop and she may look thinner ..... 

[Rosemary]

Our vet's advice was that once they are through the first three months of pregnancy, they are unlikely to lose a calf except in very exceptional / traumatic circumstances.

Ours don't bag up until a week before and, apart from Blizzard, who looks like she's going to birth a whale, they don't look hugely pregnant. She might just be hiding it - you don't want a huge calf anyway 

Hope she's OK (and the calf).

[Welshcob]

You could just wait until March with the stress of unknown, watch her closely for signs of bulling (but you won't see them if calf is mummified) or getting the vet out to PD her again.
One way or another at least you'll know.
They don't all look that big and some don't bag up until the day before or even the same day! If she held to the end of bulling season she's still too far for bagging up, dropping pelvis etc.

[Shropshirelass]

I know vets can't always be 100% certain on dates but they could have been a bit more accurate when scanning her as they've given you a 6-7 week period over when she could calve so thats given you a lot of time to be watching & waiting for her to bag up ect. I would have thought if she;d have re-absorbed it would have been early pregnancy & if she'd have aborted you'd have definitely have seen a large foetus around somewhere, if she aborted late.

[pointer]

Thanks to everyone for the advice. She wasn't scanned, it was the "vet's arm in her rear end" method! The dates are not the ones he gave, but projected based on the period she was with the bull. The vet felt that his examination was consistent with these dates. I'll just have to keep an eye on her.

[Rosemary]

Our Bonnie had a calf yesterday - we thougt she was due in May. She didn't look big and didn't bag up until she was actually in labour - so they can certainly hide it 

  that all is well.

[Backinwellies]

Great to hear your news Rosemary .... can't wait for my first calf ... which will be May hopefully!

[SallyintNorth]

If the only reason you think she may have reabsorbed is that she doesn't look huge and isn't bagging up, then I'd stop worrying.

I've just written on another post that I've a 100% Jersey due on 16th March (5th calf) is only just thinking about starting to bag up now

They can reabsorb/abort later in the pregnancy, and you don't always find anything.  But it's pretty uncommon, and I certainly wouldn't be worrying in your situation.