Post by heartwoodhomestead on Oct 31, 2011 9:46:35 GMT -5
Our calf has been separated from our cow during the day and put together at night for nursing. She is about 7 months old and doing great. We are weaning her this week with the use of a weaning ring. We don't have enough paddocks in the winter to keep them separate and she guzzles the milk. I need it, so this is why we are weaning her.
I am worried about mastitis. We were only milking once a day (evening) and letting baby on her to basically take care of the morning milking. We watched momma carefully when we first put the weaning ring on. She didn't look very full that first morning, so we decided (probably unwisely decided) to go ahead with our normal evening milking and not milk that morning. That was last night and she was kicking at me. The last time she did this, she was developing mastitis. It was mild then, but her reaction is pretty severe. I guess I'd be the same way though.
So, I got out the CMT kit and tested her milk from that milking and there wasn't really any thickening or gelling. I figured she must just be feeling sore from being slightly engorged.
This morning, I went out and decided ahead of time that I would milk just to help her out a bit. She was extremely mad at me-kicking-and didn't want to be milked at all. I ended up having to dump the milk, but I did milk all four quarters. She wasn't hot to the touch and didn't have any clumps in the first squirts of milk.
So, I think she is only very tender, but I am also hoping for some advice on treating what looks as though she is heading towards an infection.
I know enough to keep milking her twice a day to get everything out. I can't back off on grain too much. Any other advice? I really don't want this to get to the point where I have to treat with antibiotics. I will if need be, but I'd like to do what I can now. I don't mind dumping milk, but I want to get her better ASAP so we can get back to "normal."
I am worried about mastitis. We were only milking once a day (evening) and letting baby on her to basically take care of the morning milking. We watched momma carefully when we first put the weaning ring on. She didn't look very full that first morning, so we decided (probably unwisely decided) to go ahead with our normal evening milking and not milk that morning. That was last night and she was kicking at me. The last time she did this, she was developing mastitis. It was mild then, but her reaction is pretty severe. I guess I'd be the same way though.
So, I got out the CMT kit and tested her milk from that milking and there wasn't really any thickening or gelling. I figured she must just be feeling sore from being slightly engorged.
This morning, I went out and decided ahead of time that I would milk just to help her out a bit. She was extremely mad at me-kicking-and didn't want to be milked at all. I ended up having to dump the milk, but I did milk all four quarters. She wasn't hot to the touch and didn't have any clumps in the first squirts of milk.
So, I think she is only very tender, but I am also hoping for some advice on treating what looks as though she is heading towards an infection.
I know enough to keep milking her twice a day to get everything out. I can't back off on grain too much. Any other advice? I really don't want this to get to the point where I have to treat with antibiotics. I will if need be, but I'd like to do what I can now. I don't mind dumping milk, but I want to get her better ASAP so we can get back to "normal."