Post by brigitte on Apr 19, 2010 20:04:04 GMT -5
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I am very worried about Daisy. After barely surviving her first calving April 6, she seems to have dried up! We nearly lost her when her large heifer calf didn't seem able to pass beyond its shoulders, and had to be pulled, The cow didn't get up for more than an hour, Her eyes made me realize how terribly exhausted she was. Gave her calcium, b vitamins and a hormone to bring out the placenta.
The afterbirth was the next nightmare. I took nine days to pass. No vets come this far to help, despite pleas.
A second foster calf was aded to help drink all that milk, but she didn't take to her, and was taken away after three days. Now her calf can't find enough milk. I thought maybe she just wasn't letting down her milk, but it seems her udder is flacid, like she has been milked and there isn't anything in it to let down. How could this be.
I had been hand milking her twice daily. Her calf has been at her side since birth but there had been gallons extra.
I am quite concerned, and wondering when I need to consider bottle feeding what has been a very healthy vibrant calf. Is this perhaps because her placenta took so long to pass, maybe an infection (she is eating and drinking, and watching after her calf) My thought is that maybe she is so unhappy being inside (in a large pen with her calf) after living outside for so long that her body is sort of depressed?
Another far fetched possibiliyt- an electric underground line was extended to the barn (but gosh, hasn't yet even been added to electrify the interior) I am told even the extension of electrity can cause a cow to dry.
I didn't want to separate her from the calf to let her outside during the day but now I am considering allowing the two week old calf outside with her.
Please help. I am very concerned.
Thank you.
Brigitte
I am very worried about Daisy. After barely surviving her first calving April 6, she seems to have dried up! We nearly lost her when her large heifer calf didn't seem able to pass beyond its shoulders, and had to be pulled, The cow didn't get up for more than an hour, Her eyes made me realize how terribly exhausted she was. Gave her calcium, b vitamins and a hormone to bring out the placenta.
The afterbirth was the next nightmare. I took nine days to pass. No vets come this far to help, despite pleas.
A second foster calf was aded to help drink all that milk, but she didn't take to her, and was taken away after three days. Now her calf can't find enough milk. I thought maybe she just wasn't letting down her milk, but it seems her udder is flacid, like she has been milked and there isn't anything in it to let down. How could this be.
I had been hand milking her twice daily. Her calf has been at her side since birth but there had been gallons extra.
I am quite concerned, and wondering when I need to consider bottle feeding what has been a very healthy vibrant calf. Is this perhaps because her placenta took so long to pass, maybe an infection (she is eating and drinking, and watching after her calf) My thought is that maybe she is so unhappy being inside (in a large pen with her calf) after living outside for so long that her body is sort of depressed?
Another far fetched possibiliyt- an electric underground line was extended to the barn (but gosh, hasn't yet even been added to electrify the interior) I am told even the extension of electrity can cause a cow to dry.
I didn't want to separate her from the calf to let her outside during the day but now I am considering allowing the two week old calf outside with her.
Please help. I am very concerned.
Thank you.
Brigitte