Post by mtcowgirl on May 7, 2009 10:48:53 GMT -5
HI Folks,
We bought two milk cows on Sunday to use as nurse cows for our orphan beef calves that we have this year.
This is a 7 yr old Jersey/Guernsey Cross. And she just calved this morning. I just got back in from helping the baby get its first drink. Their are two quarters that aren't working, I can't get milk out of them. Back right and left front, diagonals, the other two are spraying milk she is so full. The right front I was able to squeeze just a little bit out and it was a very pale white, watery, not like colostrum at all, the back one I got maybe a drop to show up on the end of the teat, and it looked the same and I had to work to get that. The gal I bought them from did say that the right front on had gotten mastitis in it after she had gotten frostbit last winter, but that they had made sure she was over it before she dried up. I am wondering if maybe she doesn't have it in both those quarters now? If she does what do I do? Should I put the nurse calves on her right away and see if they can suck that stuff out of their? I got her baby on one of them but she gave up as she wasn't getting anything hardly from it.
I will also be calling the vet, in a few minutes, just thought I would ask you guys also, You always have good suggestions.
Thanks
here's some pics of what her udder looks like
Mom and baby
This is a pic of the back right one that I couldn't get anything out of, maybe a drop.
Another one of the back right, you can also see a little of the left front one also. Neither one of these teats is swelled up like the other two are with milk, they are all shriveled and wrinkled, yet the quarter above them is hard and full of milk it seems to me.
This is a pic of the left front teat, couldn't get a really good shot, she wasn't cooperating at all, I'll try for a better one later.
A pic of baby
edited to keep 'on topic' for quick reference.
We bought two milk cows on Sunday to use as nurse cows for our orphan beef calves that we have this year.
This is a 7 yr old Jersey/Guernsey Cross. And she just calved this morning. I just got back in from helping the baby get its first drink. Their are two quarters that aren't working, I can't get milk out of them. Back right and left front, diagonals, the other two are spraying milk she is so full. The right front I was able to squeeze just a little bit out and it was a very pale white, watery, not like colostrum at all, the back one I got maybe a drop to show up on the end of the teat, and it looked the same and I had to work to get that. The gal I bought them from did say that the right front on had gotten mastitis in it after she had gotten frostbit last winter, but that they had made sure she was over it before she dried up. I am wondering if maybe she doesn't have it in both those quarters now? If she does what do I do? Should I put the nurse calves on her right away and see if they can suck that stuff out of their? I got her baby on one of them but she gave up as she wasn't getting anything hardly from it.
I will also be calling the vet, in a few minutes, just thought I would ask you guys also, You always have good suggestions.
Thanks
here's some pics of what her udder looks like
Mom and baby
This is a pic of the back right one that I couldn't get anything out of, maybe a drop.
Another one of the back right, you can also see a little of the left front one also. Neither one of these teats is swelled up like the other two are with milk, they are all shriveled and wrinkled, yet the quarter above them is hard and full of milk it seems to me.
This is a pic of the left front teat, couldn't get a really good shot, she wasn't cooperating at all, I'll try for a better one later.
A pic of baby
edited to keep 'on topic' for quick reference.