Post by DostThouHaveMilk on Aug 14, 2005 8:01:44 GMT -5
That is my piece of advice for today...
Of course, I tend to say that a lot.
Last evening at milking 841( I'm not sure on her name) seemed "off." Keep in mind we are milking around 53 animals right now, and I've only worked there a year and a half now.
841 was on the cull list for most of last year. She was very large, milking a long time, not producing much and open. She was bred one last time and settled. She had a fairly lengthy dry spell by their standards. She calved last Saturday with a beautiful heifer calf.
So back to last night. She was straining to make manure, and when she did manage to, there was not much and it was pretty solid. I made a mental note, and started thinking early stage of MF. I knew she had calved awhile ago, but then, they have had six calves born since last Friday, so I wasn't focusing.
When I washed her off she didn't try to kill me and this was with a cow that was just filthy. Normally she is steppy and with her udder being that dirty and me having to spend a bit of time on her I would have expected more of a fight. But no. Tucked that back there with that previous mental note, but still not sure on my diagnosis.
When I went to turn them out she went to turn and fell down. She then dragged herself over into the ditch and finally pulled herself up. Okay, on occasion they will slip and fall...though the way she tried to turn did not seem normal. She stood up and started wobbling down the back walk and I started screaming for Mike. I asked him when she calved and he said last Saturday and I told that she was going to go down with milk fever. I don't use think a lot when I feel I am right (maybe you all have noticed that by now?). He said I could put her in the box stall, but I wanted her to get some water first. When I went out to move her she was laying in a free stall and everyone else had left to go to the pasture. I figured she would stay there and we would have the vet out in the morning if she was down for the count.
First thing I asked this morning was if she was up. We went out to check the free stall barn and she wasn't where she had been laying last night. That's good. Except she wasn't anywhere up in the free stall area. We looked down the hill at the pasture and Mike said there she is. She was laid out flat. When we got down there we were sure she was dead. Bu she heard up talking and lifted her head and looked at us. She picked one of the best places to go down with milk fever. A nice flat open area..especially when you consider how hilly we are.
Mike called the vet and he showed up a half hour later or so and treated her. She was up and came up the hill to the lot when he was done treating her. We put her in the box stall for this afternoon in case she goes down again.
Apparently, she had Ketosis and it turned into a mild case of MF.
Had I not noticed all this last night, it is lightly we wouldn't have had a clue before I brought in the second string of cows. The vet would have been called then, instead of earlier, and there is a chance she might not have made it.
But it was a mild case, so we could have been safe. Just wanting to remind you to listen to your gut. You know your animals and at the slightest change, the moment they seem "off" start taking notes on how they are doing.
Of course, I tend to say that a lot.
Last evening at milking 841( I'm not sure on her name) seemed "off." Keep in mind we are milking around 53 animals right now, and I've only worked there a year and a half now.
841 was on the cull list for most of last year. She was very large, milking a long time, not producing much and open. She was bred one last time and settled. She had a fairly lengthy dry spell by their standards. She calved last Saturday with a beautiful heifer calf.
So back to last night. She was straining to make manure, and when she did manage to, there was not much and it was pretty solid. I made a mental note, and started thinking early stage of MF. I knew she had calved awhile ago, but then, they have had six calves born since last Friday, so I wasn't focusing.
When I washed her off she didn't try to kill me and this was with a cow that was just filthy. Normally she is steppy and with her udder being that dirty and me having to spend a bit of time on her I would have expected more of a fight. But no. Tucked that back there with that previous mental note, but still not sure on my diagnosis.
When I went to turn them out she went to turn and fell down. She then dragged herself over into the ditch and finally pulled herself up. Okay, on occasion they will slip and fall...though the way she tried to turn did not seem normal. She stood up and started wobbling down the back walk and I started screaming for Mike. I asked him when she calved and he said last Saturday and I told that she was going to go down with milk fever. I don't use think a lot when I feel I am right (maybe you all have noticed that by now?). He said I could put her in the box stall, but I wanted her to get some water first. When I went out to move her she was laying in a free stall and everyone else had left to go to the pasture. I figured she would stay there and we would have the vet out in the morning if she was down for the count.
First thing I asked this morning was if she was up. We went out to check the free stall barn and she wasn't where she had been laying last night. That's good. Except she wasn't anywhere up in the free stall area. We looked down the hill at the pasture and Mike said there she is. She was laid out flat. When we got down there we were sure she was dead. Bu she heard up talking and lifted her head and looked at us. She picked one of the best places to go down with milk fever. A nice flat open area..especially when you consider how hilly we are.
Mike called the vet and he showed up a half hour later or so and treated her. She was up and came up the hill to the lot when he was done treating her. We put her in the box stall for this afternoon in case she goes down again.
Apparently, she had Ketosis and it turned into a mild case of MF.
Had I not noticed all this last night, it is lightly we wouldn't have had a clue before I brought in the second string of cows. The vet would have been called then, instead of earlier, and there is a chance she might not have made it.
But it was a mild case, so we could have been safe. Just wanting to remind you to listen to your gut. You know your animals and at the slightest change, the moment they seem "off" start taking notes on how they are doing.