Post by Mitra on Jul 21, 2011 11:44:05 GMT -5
Nellie was due on July 15th. She's been steadily bagging up over the last week or so since her due date. That udder is very huge now. She's making little moo noises and she's got strings of goo hanging. She's also lost some of the baby bump although I wouldn't say she's gone slab-sided. The picture of Nellie in my avatar was taken hours before she gave birth to Bella. That was slab-sided.
I was hoping she would wait until our heat wave had passed by. I learned that a heat wave means three continuous days over 90 degrees and a "heat index " over 100 degrees. Today is day one of the anticpated heat wave. Maybe she's one of these cows who will do the goo for a few days....please please please!
I have my cal-mag tubes, Keto gel, vit C, armloads of comfrey (which she's already been eating voraciously), burdock root for the edema, raspberry leaves (fresh and dried), etc. at the ready. And Joann and my SIL Abby are ready to come over and help me. They are same specialized team who came over and helped me last year. I am so grateful!
I wish I could get her to come out of the barn. It is an oven in there, in spite of the fans. I keep hosing them down (Nellie and Bella) and neither seems to actually enjoy it but it must provide some relief especially when they stand in front of the fans. I think I'm going to go put a cold wet towel around Nellie's neck (like the one I have on).
I'm wondering if I should lock Bella (yearling heifer) up or let her stay with Mum. I guess it's the hormones but there was some mounting going on earlier when it was a few degrees cooler. It's too early for Bella to be in heat again.
I was hoping she would wait until our heat wave had passed by. I learned that a heat wave means three continuous days over 90 degrees and a "heat index " over 100 degrees. Today is day one of the anticpated heat wave. Maybe she's one of these cows who will do the goo for a few days....please please please!
I have my cal-mag tubes, Keto gel, vit C, armloads of comfrey (which she's already been eating voraciously), burdock root for the edema, raspberry leaves (fresh and dried), etc. at the ready. And Joann and my SIL Abby are ready to come over and help me. They are same specialized team who came over and helped me last year. I am so grateful!
I wish I could get her to come out of the barn. It is an oven in there, in spite of the fans. I keep hosing them down (Nellie and Bella) and neither seems to actually enjoy it but it must provide some relief especially when they stand in front of the fans. I think I'm going to go put a cold wet towel around Nellie's neck (like the one I have on).
I'm wondering if I should lock Bella (yearling heifer) up or let her stay with Mum. I guess it's the hormones but there was some mounting going on earlier when it was a few degrees cooler. It's too early for Bella to be in heat again.