Post by Debbie Lincoln on Mar 15, 2024 14:19:37 GMT -5
Sophie was due to calve Wednesday, the 13th. 9th calf. She is 12. She’s been dry for over 5 months. Udder started swelling 12 days ago. Locked her up Monday under the watch of barn camera. Yesterday she pawed dirt up on her belly all day long. Would not eat. Watery bowels. This is not normal for her. She usually calves without issue or any notice. Vulva does not swell but teats leak a bit. Called vet and my regular couldn’t come. They send inexperienced, first year gal that already has messed up here this past summer (another story, another time). She palpates her both vaginally and rectally. Says “calf is deep in belly and small, like a 6 month fetus. Any chance the date is wrong?”
“uhhh no. Look at her udder. I have a confirmed breeding and ultrasound at 6 weeks. And this is what her udder does right before she calves. And she does not get poofy in the rear. She also has had a large clear mucous string 2 days in a row.”
“Let me check her cervix…..it is closed.”
“Is the calf alive?”
“I cannot tell. But it is small”
Me: “well damn. We have had issues with abortions and Neospora in the past and had a full term, small dead calf born to a positive cow 2 years ago. We tested all the other cows and culled another. But Sophie was negative. Of course that was 2 years ago.”
My heart is sinking now and I’m ready to cry. Vet says she sees nothing else wrong, And can’t explain the excessive pawing. Maybe she’s just pissed off because all the rest of the cows are on gorgeous grass and she is locked up with year old hay. We decide to turn her out with the others and see what happens.
This morning I go out at dawn and there’s a white 18” long membrane string. Rear teats leaking. I lock her up and at 8:00 am she delivers a normal size, full-term bull calf. In 30 minutes he’s up and nursing.
By noon, placenta is delivered and removed. Calf is bloused, tagged and iodine sprayed, doing great. She licking and loving on him as usual.
??
Here’s the problem…she is still pawing. Not wanting to eat. Runny bowels. Very attentive to calf though. Will not leave him in barn to go graze. Can cows get a DA when they’re pregnant? Could she be ketotic? Doesn’t smell like it. Could it be all the bananas I fed her 3 days ago?! Thoughts please.
“uhhh no. Look at her udder. I have a confirmed breeding and ultrasound at 6 weeks. And this is what her udder does right before she calves. And she does not get poofy in the rear. She also has had a large clear mucous string 2 days in a row.”
“Let me check her cervix…..it is closed.”
“Is the calf alive?”
“I cannot tell. But it is small”
Me: “well damn. We have had issues with abortions and Neospora in the past and had a full term, small dead calf born to a positive cow 2 years ago. We tested all the other cows and culled another. But Sophie was negative. Of course that was 2 years ago.”
My heart is sinking now and I’m ready to cry. Vet says she sees nothing else wrong, And can’t explain the excessive pawing. Maybe she’s just pissed off because all the rest of the cows are on gorgeous grass and she is locked up with year old hay. We decide to turn her out with the others and see what happens.
This morning I go out at dawn and there’s a white 18” long membrane string. Rear teats leaking. I lock her up and at 8:00 am she delivers a normal size, full-term bull calf. In 30 minutes he’s up and nursing.
By noon, placenta is delivered and removed. Calf is bloused, tagged and iodine sprayed, doing great. She licking and loving on him as usual.
??
Here’s the problem…she is still pawing. Not wanting to eat. Runny bowels. Very attentive to calf though. Will not leave him in barn to go graze. Can cows get a DA when they’re pregnant? Could she be ketotic? Doesn’t smell like it. Could it be all the bananas I fed her 3 days ago?! Thoughts please.