Post by barefootfarmer on Dec 6, 2011 0:25:36 GMT -5
I bought Sugar October 1st off Craig's List. She was pretty thin and had supposedly calved the previous month. The owners said they sold the calf before I bought the cow. She was milking about 4 gal a day. I took her home, wormed her and gave her lots of pasture, grass hay etc.
Tonight I came up on her and she was laying down, breathing kind of ragged and had a string of whitish mucous coming out of her vaginal area. All of a sudden I realized this is what my other cow looked like right before she calved. I've been graining Sugar at the milking stand and milking twice a day. Over the weekend I noticed that she was going off by herself but thought maybe the other cows were "bullying" her. And I'd been telling my husband that if I didn't know better I'd think she was pregnant because her sides have become so barreled. But here's the thing. I bought a bull November 1st and we saw him mounting her. So would the bull do that if she was pregnant? And if she was in heat right now, shouldn't the bull be getting pretty loud and interested? They are in the field side by side separated by only a hot wire and field fencing.
When I stand behind her and look at her sides, her right side hangs down noticeably lower than her left side. I can't get a vet out until at least the morning to manually check her. What do you guys think? I'd never have been milking and graining if I'd thought she was pregnant or at least that far along. If I stop milking I run the risk of mastitis. I guess I just have to wait for the vet? She's about 6 years old. Do I need to worry about milk fever?
Sorry for all the questions. I feel like a first time cow owner all of a sudden.
Thanks for any advice, Linda
Tonight I came up on her and she was laying down, breathing kind of ragged and had a string of whitish mucous coming out of her vaginal area. All of a sudden I realized this is what my other cow looked like right before she calved. I've been graining Sugar at the milking stand and milking twice a day. Over the weekend I noticed that she was going off by herself but thought maybe the other cows were "bullying" her. And I'd been telling my husband that if I didn't know better I'd think she was pregnant because her sides have become so barreled. But here's the thing. I bought a bull November 1st and we saw him mounting her. So would the bull do that if she was pregnant? And if she was in heat right now, shouldn't the bull be getting pretty loud and interested? They are in the field side by side separated by only a hot wire and field fencing.
When I stand behind her and look at her sides, her right side hangs down noticeably lower than her left side. I can't get a vet out until at least the morning to manually check her. What do you guys think? I'd never have been milking and graining if I'd thought she was pregnant or at least that far along. If I stop milking I run the risk of mastitis. I guess I just have to wait for the vet? She's about 6 years old. Do I need to worry about milk fever?
Sorry for all the questions. I feel like a first time cow owner all of a sudden.
Thanks for any advice, Linda