Post by Tammy on Oct 15, 2008 9:18:56 GMT -5
I started this in another thread but thought I might get more response here.
Dixie is a purebred Jersey who is about four years old. The information that I have is that she has had one calf previously and then a long lactation. She was field bred to a Jersey bull, so we do not have an exact due date.
About three days ago, she started acting kind of lethargic. Her ears were a little droopy and she just acted like she didn't feel good. Her ears were not cold to the touch and her eyes are clear and healthy looking. Her nose is normal. She has been drinking normal. Her feces looks normal. As of yesterday, she has eaten very little.
She appeared to be laboring at various times yesterday. By last night, she was push occasionally but no progress. My FIL who retired from the dairy business came up and looked at her. He did not think she had Milk Fever, but we gave her a little Molasses anyway. He did sleeve her and said the calf was in position correctly in the birth canal.
Is there any possibility that a cow can be having contractions but the contractions not be strong enough to dilate and birth a calf? I know that can be the case with humans.
Am I worrying about nothing?
I just have never had a cow act like she is acting.
Also, I am wondering if mastitis might be an issue? She has one quarter (right front) that feels hot to the touch and when we extracted a "squirt" it was watery and looked like it might be mastitis. If she has mastitis, that would cause her to feel poorly.
I don't have any personal experience with the history of this particular cow as I have only had her for about four months.
Dixie is a purebred Jersey who is about four years old. The information that I have is that she has had one calf previously and then a long lactation. She was field bred to a Jersey bull, so we do not have an exact due date.
About three days ago, she started acting kind of lethargic. Her ears were a little droopy and she just acted like she didn't feel good. Her ears were not cold to the touch and her eyes are clear and healthy looking. Her nose is normal. She has been drinking normal. Her feces looks normal. As of yesterday, she has eaten very little.
She appeared to be laboring at various times yesterday. By last night, she was push occasionally but no progress. My FIL who retired from the dairy business came up and looked at her. He did not think she had Milk Fever, but we gave her a little Molasses anyway. He did sleeve her and said the calf was in position correctly in the birth canal.
Is there any possibility that a cow can be having contractions but the contractions not be strong enough to dilate and birth a calf? I know that can be the case with humans.
Am I worrying about nothing?
I just have never had a cow act like she is acting.
Also, I am wondering if mastitis might be an issue? She has one quarter (right front) that feels hot to the touch and when we extracted a "squirt" it was watery and looked like it might be mastitis. If she has mastitis, that would cause her to feel poorly.
I don't have any personal experience with the history of this particular cow as I have only had her for about four months.