Post by kristis on Jan 22, 2022 21:32:26 GMT -5
Hello! So, I have a cow that’s going off feed and acting a little off. Here is the play-by-play, starting from Friday morning.
Sunshine is Holstein x possible Jersey. She’s been in lactation for almost 2 years. She has a 7 month old heifer on her, and has been in with a bull for 3 months and has not shown signs of heat since the first month. She is 4-5 years old. She gets about 9lbs of a sweet cob mixed with alfalfa pellets in the morning, and about 6lbs at night. 1 week ago, she went from a alfalfa/grass hay to just grass hay, which she has 24/7 access to. The quality of the grass hay is “cow hay” so not the greatest. That’s been the only change in feed. We’ve had a warm few weeks, so the green grass is coming up, and she’s got full access to that as well.
Friday morning I brought Sunshine in to milk, and she wasn’t super excited about her feed. She also seemed to be moving a little bit slower than usual, but nothing drastic. She ate about 1/2 of her grain, but slowly. Usually she inhales it. I took her temp around noon and the highest read I got was 100 degrees. Her eyes looked tired and her ears were cool but not ice cold (I know milk fever is slim, but you never know lol). I turned her back out, and while she was moving slower than usual (when I mean slower than normal, it’s slight enough that I wonder if my imagination is messing with me). She ate her hay and grazed throughout the day. That night, she came in from the field, about 3rd in line, when she usually leads the pack. Seemed interested in her grain, and did eat some of it.
Saturday morning, I brought her into the stanchion. She’s still moving slower than usual, her eyes still look tired, and her temp at 8am was about 100.2. She nosed her grain around, had a few bites, but didn’t eat anymore than that. She’s been grazing and eating hay throughout the day. Still looking tired and moving slower. Also, Friday and Saturday she was practically licking the skin off my hand, which is unusual, so I’ve put some loose salt and mineral mix (I can’t remember the name) out and she ate some. So far she’s maintaining this, but I’m afraid if I don’t do something she’s going to go downhill fast. She’s never not wanted her grain. I’ll have results from her fecal on Monday, and am planning on giving her vitamin b complex tomorrow morning, as well as magnesium. A friend suggested grass tetney, so would like get that in her.
Any ideas? I am getting some ketone strips also, just to rule out ketosis. That being said, her milk production hasn’t dropped significantly. I’ve seen a half gallon drop, but I think that’s possibly from coming off the alfalfa. I could be wrong though. I’d love some ideas if you have them, or even some things I can throw her way? Thank you so much!
Sunshine is Holstein x possible Jersey. She’s been in lactation for almost 2 years. She has a 7 month old heifer on her, and has been in with a bull for 3 months and has not shown signs of heat since the first month. She is 4-5 years old. She gets about 9lbs of a sweet cob mixed with alfalfa pellets in the morning, and about 6lbs at night. 1 week ago, she went from a alfalfa/grass hay to just grass hay, which she has 24/7 access to. The quality of the grass hay is “cow hay” so not the greatest. That’s been the only change in feed. We’ve had a warm few weeks, so the green grass is coming up, and she’s got full access to that as well.
Friday morning I brought Sunshine in to milk, and she wasn’t super excited about her feed. She also seemed to be moving a little bit slower than usual, but nothing drastic. She ate about 1/2 of her grain, but slowly. Usually she inhales it. I took her temp around noon and the highest read I got was 100 degrees. Her eyes looked tired and her ears were cool but not ice cold (I know milk fever is slim, but you never know lol). I turned her back out, and while she was moving slower than usual (when I mean slower than normal, it’s slight enough that I wonder if my imagination is messing with me). She ate her hay and grazed throughout the day. That night, she came in from the field, about 3rd in line, when she usually leads the pack. Seemed interested in her grain, and did eat some of it.
Saturday morning, I brought her into the stanchion. She’s still moving slower than usual, her eyes still look tired, and her temp at 8am was about 100.2. She nosed her grain around, had a few bites, but didn’t eat anymore than that. She’s been grazing and eating hay throughout the day. Still looking tired and moving slower. Also, Friday and Saturday she was practically licking the skin off my hand, which is unusual, so I’ve put some loose salt and mineral mix (I can’t remember the name) out and she ate some. So far she’s maintaining this, but I’m afraid if I don’t do something she’s going to go downhill fast. She’s never not wanted her grain. I’ll have results from her fecal on Monday, and am planning on giving her vitamin b complex tomorrow morning, as well as magnesium. A friend suggested grass tetney, so would like get that in her.
Any ideas? I am getting some ketone strips also, just to rule out ketosis. That being said, her milk production hasn’t dropped significantly. I’ve seen a half gallon drop, but I think that’s possibly from coming off the alfalfa. I could be wrong though. I’d love some ideas if you have them, or even some things I can throw her way? Thank you so much!