When I was young, Deb, my dad raised Black Angus and a few Jersey milk cows. When they gave birth they would eat their placenta, unless we found it and buried it first. It never hurt them, it just seemed unnecessary - since they weren't living in the wild - and disgusting. I also had to help cows birth their calves if they had trouble part way through and seemed to be in trouble. If the cow was ready to give birth that day - which you could know by checking to see if the pelvic ligaments have been relaxed - I would have to check her right away after getting home from school to make sure she was all right.
The problem with watching Angus when they're close to term is that, unless you confine them to a barn, they'll find the most remote and isolated area on the property to give birth
