Post by brigitte on Apr 19, 2015 6:34:15 GMT -5
It's devastating when a heifer or cow gets properly raised, makes it through the long winter, raises anticipation and expectation, then fails to produce a calf. Then there is no calf, no milk, and a decision to be made regarding the economics of her future. Nine months is a long time to wait, and often more time to wait to avoid a winter calf.
It happens.
It happened to poor Firefly when she seemed to bag up a little, then failed to freshen. For a while it almost seemed like a phantom pregnancy. She seemed to nest, and still hasnt gone back into heat (due April 11) and is likely carrying a mummy. It would seem one of those "****" happens events, except that it also happened in December to the other heifer who lost her calf at five months and went back into heat. I found the squirrel sized fetus. It took three tries to get her bred again
The question is why. And are the cows pregnant for June births also at risk.
What are the possibilities. I've run through them all. There seems to be some common denominator.
No other animals have been introduced for years, except Puppy who she was a baby calf from a healthy herd tested for everything a year ago.
Neosporosis is my guess, but it could also be leptoirosis.....can't spell it, which is more common, maybe BVD, but I don't think so because no runs. The animals have all made it through the winter very healthy with no signs of illness of any kind, no mastitis.
Its a huge mystery.
Spoke with the vet by phone. He's coming out to palpate, probably give Lute to abort a mummy, and test the heck out of them (getting him physically out here is no small feat) One of those tests for one animal is $40, so its already an expensive question. We have to get to figure this out.
Neospora is on the rise, carried by dogs and coyotes, which these parts are infested with. A couple of farms had it in the Hudson Valley of NY, but Doc says its still rare. Triangle shots to prevent some of this, but there is no remedy for neospora. Infected cows are often culled. A vaccine offered some years ago was withdrawn because it doesn't work.
At least the lepto has a remedy.
But who knows what's up..maybe just a coincidence, or lyme's disease. I'll update with his thoughts, findings and testing.
Firefly is a beautiful, shy heifer. great genetics. I was looking forward to a great granddaughter to the first heifer I brought here. Now it's doubtfull I will be able to keep her
In any case it's caused the end of milk for May and most of June. Then fingers crossed. This is hard.
It happens.
It happened to poor Firefly when she seemed to bag up a little, then failed to freshen. For a while it almost seemed like a phantom pregnancy. She seemed to nest, and still hasnt gone back into heat (due April 11) and is likely carrying a mummy. It would seem one of those "****" happens events, except that it also happened in December to the other heifer who lost her calf at five months and went back into heat. I found the squirrel sized fetus. It took three tries to get her bred again
The question is why. And are the cows pregnant for June births also at risk.
What are the possibilities. I've run through them all. There seems to be some common denominator.
No other animals have been introduced for years, except Puppy who she was a baby calf from a healthy herd tested for everything a year ago.
Neosporosis is my guess, but it could also be leptoirosis.....can't spell it, which is more common, maybe BVD, but I don't think so because no runs. The animals have all made it through the winter very healthy with no signs of illness of any kind, no mastitis.
Its a huge mystery.
Spoke with the vet by phone. He's coming out to palpate, probably give Lute to abort a mummy, and test the heck out of them (getting him physically out here is no small feat) One of those tests for one animal is $40, so its already an expensive question. We have to get to figure this out.
Neospora is on the rise, carried by dogs and coyotes, which these parts are infested with. A couple of farms had it in the Hudson Valley of NY, but Doc says its still rare. Triangle shots to prevent some of this, but there is no remedy for neospora. Infected cows are often culled. A vaccine offered some years ago was withdrawn because it doesn't work.
At least the lepto has a remedy.
But who knows what's up..maybe just a coincidence, or lyme's disease. I'll update with his thoughts, findings and testing.
Firefly is a beautiful, shy heifer. great genetics. I was looking forward to a great granddaughter to the first heifer I brought here. Now it's doubtfull I will be able to keep her
In any case it's caused the end of milk for May and most of June. Then fingers crossed. This is hard.