Post by barefootfarmer on Oct 23, 2014 0:22:17 GMT -5
I had a friend who needed to down size her livestock for financial reasons. So she traded me meat for her freezer and I got her Jersey cow in return. Hooray for me!
The Jersey is about 5-6 years old, looks to be in great shape. She calved last October of 2013. She's been milking her twice a day and getting less than 3 gallons. Usually closer to 2 or 2.5 gallons total. My friend said the cow had been AI'd for a mid November calf, but it didn't take and the cow continued to cycle. She never got around to breeding her back after that first AI...You might know where this is headed.
My plan was to take a milk sample, dry her off, give her a long rest and put her in with my bull. BUT- this morning I tasted her milk for the first time (I've been dumping it since I picked her up over the weekend) and all four quarters taste salty. Her milk filtered nice and easy, no clumps. Her CMT test has been clear each morning when I check it. THEN- I looked at her, I mean took a really good look at her. I think she's on track to calve soon! I tried pushing around to see if I could feel a calf, and I swear I did.
I really wasn't expecting a pregnant cow. So now my question- If the AI took and she might calve in the next 2 weeks or so...do I just milk her through? What about the salty taste? Is that mastitis hiding? Could it be colostrum or related to being near calving that is making it salty? I wasn't in a hurry to send out a milk sample for pregnancy because her owner said she was open. I just got her 3 days ago.
What would you do? I always give my girls a solid two months dried off before they calve. I don't want to set her and myself up for a bad time. I do have frozen colostrum, but I don't think she's milking out colostrum at this point. That stuff is usually really thick and won't filter. Like I said, her milk filters beautifully. Any advice?
The Jersey is about 5-6 years old, looks to be in great shape. She calved last October of 2013. She's been milking her twice a day and getting less than 3 gallons. Usually closer to 2 or 2.5 gallons total. My friend said the cow had been AI'd for a mid November calf, but it didn't take and the cow continued to cycle. She never got around to breeding her back after that first AI...You might know where this is headed.
My plan was to take a milk sample, dry her off, give her a long rest and put her in with my bull. BUT- this morning I tasted her milk for the first time (I've been dumping it since I picked her up over the weekend) and all four quarters taste salty. Her milk filtered nice and easy, no clumps. Her CMT test has been clear each morning when I check it. THEN- I looked at her, I mean took a really good look at her. I think she's on track to calve soon! I tried pushing around to see if I could feel a calf, and I swear I did.
I really wasn't expecting a pregnant cow. So now my question- If the AI took and she might calve in the next 2 weeks or so...do I just milk her through? What about the salty taste? Is that mastitis hiding? Could it be colostrum or related to being near calving that is making it salty? I wasn't in a hurry to send out a milk sample for pregnancy because her owner said she was open. I just got her 3 days ago.
What would you do? I always give my girls a solid two months dried off before they calve. I don't want to set her and myself up for a bad time. I do have frozen colostrum, but I don't think she's milking out colostrum at this point. That stuff is usually really thick and won't filter. Like I said, her milk filters beautifully. Any advice?