Retained Placenta in Beef Cattle
by Mark Z Johnson, Bovine Veterinarian
Retention of fetal membranes, or retained placenta, in cows usually is defined as failure to expel fetal membranes within 24 hours after parturition. Normally the expulsion occurs within eight hours after delivery of the calf. The placenta is retained when the cotyledons on the placenta do not detach from the caruncles on the uterus during parturition. Retained placenta is rare in most cow herds.
Retained placenta creates the potential for problems. It hangs from the vulva, which permits manure and micro-organisms from the manure into the uterus. Also, when the cow lays down in dirt or mud, which is loaded with bacteria, it permits bacteria to cause infection in the uterus and can have serious negative consequences. Infection in the uterus can cause the cow to become ill (fever, weight loss, etc.). In severe cases of infection the cow can actually die. When the uterus becomes infected and inflamed, it takes longer for the cow to clean and be ready for the next breeding season. Retained placentas can result in delayed rebreeding or cows coming up open at the end of breeding season.
Bottom line: retained placentas jeopardize reproductive efficiency and can rob operations of profit potential.
Typical causes of retained placenta
Dystocia. As a result of too large a calf, twins, or abnormal presentation of the fetus, calving difficulty is a cause.
Poor nutrition. Inadequate consumption of energy or protein during pregnancy can result in thin cows. Dietary deficiency of vitamin A, selenium, iodine, or vitamin E have been linked to retained placenta. Retained placenta is most often associated with nutrition, in particular, low levels of vitamin A or the mineral selenium.
Stress, obesity, and genetics can play a role. Infectious diseases like brucellosis, leptospirosis, IBR virus or BVD virus.
What are the best management practices to prevent retained placenta? Over time, proper nutrition, herd health, and mineral supplementation should solve most of the problems. Typically the best source of vitamin A for cattle is green, leafy forage. A good-quality free-choice mineral supplement containing selenium is advised. Cows and heifers in body condition scores of 5 to 6 at calving time is advised. If you are dealing with sick cows as a result of retained placenta, consult your veterinarian for best treatment options.
US Cattle Inventories
Still Looking for a Low
Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension
The annual Cattle report from USDA-NASS at the end of January showed that the US cattle industry continued to get smaller in 2024. The inventory of all cattle and calves was 86.66 million head, down 0.6% year-over-year. This total inventory was 1.8% lower than the recent cyclical low in 2014 and the lowest since 1951. The all cattle and calves inventory has decreased 8.0 million head (8.5%) from the cyclical peak in 2019.
The beef cow herd on January 1 was 27.86 million head, down 0.5% year-over-year and 3.8% below the previous low in 2014; the lowest since 1961. The beef cow herd has declined 3.78 million head from the recent peak in 2019, a decrease of 11.9% in six years. The January 1, 2025 inventory of beef replacement
heifers was 4.67 million head, 1% less than one year ago and the smallest inventory since 1949. The 2025 beef replacement heifer inventory is down 9% from the previous low in 2011.
The dairy cow inventory in this report was 9.35 million head, unchanged from last year. The inventory of dairy replacement heifers was 3.9 million head, down 0.9% year-over-year. The inventory of bulls was 2.01 million head, down 0.6% from one year ago.
Other inventory categories are used to calculate the estimated feeder supply outside of feedlots. This includes the sum of other heifers (down 1%); steers 500+ pounds, (down 0.6%); and calves <500 pounds (down 0.2%) adjusted for January 1 feedlot inventory (down 0.9%) resulting in a feeder supply estimate down 0.5% from last year.
The cattle industry is characterized by so-called “ten-year” cattle cycles. In fact, the last eight cattle cycles have varied from nine to 14 years with only one (2004–2014) exactly ten years from low-to-low inventory (Figure 1). The 2025 inventory represents the eleventh year since the previous cyclical low. Is 2025 the cycle low? Maybe, but not necessarily. We won’t know for sure for another year.
For 2025, the die is mostly cast relative to herd dynamics. The small inventory of beef heifers calving in 2025 (a part of the total beef replacement heifer inventory) suggests that little, if any, growth in the beef cow herd is likely. With bred heifers determined for the year, it will depend on cow culling. The cow culling rate in 2024 dropped to 10.2% (from higher levels in 2021–2023), about equal to the previous twenty-year average. Another year of sharp decrease in beef cow culling could lead to minimal herd growth but, lacking that, the cow herd could shrink a bit more this year. In the last three herd expansions, the cow culling rate has averaged below nine percent. In 2025, beef cow slaughter will have to drop more than 12% year-over-year to result in a cow culling rate below 9%.
The question of heifer retention in 2025 will determine herd dynamics in 2026 and beyond. Heifers saved for breeding (part of the 2025 beef replacement heifer inventory) and additional unplanned (or impulse) heifer breeding in 2025 may result in a modest increase in heifers calving in 2026. The supply of heifers available to do this is limited but could allow for limited herd growth in 2026. Additional retention of heifer calves in 2025 (for breeding in 2026) might set the stage for more rapid herd growth in 2027 and beyond.
What is a Good Bull Worth in 2025?
Mark Z. Johnson, Oklahoma State University Extension
The spring bull-buying season is here and it’s time to revisit the age-old question. The question has been asked forever, or at least as long as we have been breeding cattle with a notion of trying to make the next generation better. It is a classic and timeless question. It is an important question. At this time of year, when many bulls are being marketed and we are planning ahead for the spring breeding season, it is a question that is asked a lot!
The Answer
I remember first hearing the answer nearly 40 years ago as a student at Oklahoma State University: “A good bull is worth the value of five calves he sires.” I’ve heard that answer again many times over the years. It is a good answer and a good rule of thumb to follow; the problem is it doesn’t exactly narrow down the range. If we do a little “cowboy math,” this answer may in fact lead to more questions. Such as:
What is considered a “good bull”?
For this discussion, qualifications to meet “good bull” status are:
• A bull that sells with a registration paper that includes pedigree information and a complete set of genetic values (including EPD and bio-economic indices) to be considered in the selection process.
• A bull that has passed a breeding soundness exam (BSE) and sells with a breeding soundness warranty (terms will vary).
When are we marketing our calves? What is their value?
According to the most recent (January 21, 2025) Oklahoma Market Report:
• 524-pound weaned steer calves (Large, 1) are worth about $3.50/pound for a value of approximately $1,834 per head. Therefore, if my future marketing plan is to sell weaned steers, $1,834 x 5 = $9,170 is the answer.
• 912-pound yearling steers (Large, 1) are worth about $2.53/pound for a value of over $2,300 per head. Therefore, if my future marketing plan is to sell yearling steers, $2,300 x 5 = $11,500 is the answer.
• 1,500-pound finished beef steers are worth $2.00/pound live for a value of $3,000 each. Therefore, if my future marketing plan is to retain ownership through finishing and selling fed cattle on a live weight basis, $3,000 x 5 = $15,000 is the answer.
So, in the current market, a good bull is worth somewhere between $9,000–$15,000 to a commercial cow-calf operation. Where exactly in that range depends on your marketing plan and the market conditions at that time. This is not an exact number because there are many variables in play. One key point illustrated here is that the longer you own the offspring before marketing, the greater the value of the bull to your operation. Retained ownership gives you more time and opportunity to capture the value of your investment in genetics. It is noteworthy that we haven’t considered the value added to replacement females a bull will sire. Bulls used to sire the next generation of cows have an even greater long-term economic impact on the profit potential of your operation and should be valued accordingly.
I encourage cow-calf operations to consider their production system and marketing plan. Doing so should dictate where to apply selection pressure. Genetic values pay when you purchase bulls capable of improving genetic potential for the
specific traits that will translate to added value at your intended marketing endpoint.
Keep the following chart in mind as another way to evaluate ownership cost of bulls on a per-calf-sired basis.
