Post by lilosbornefarm on Mar 20, 2016 20:24:41 GMT -5
First, this post is about one of our first time beef heifers but I figured you all would have the best advice or suggestions.
The heifer in question calved for the first time at about 26-27 months old on Friday. When we checked her, the baby was bellowing and she was too. She seemed confused and baby seemed hungry but he was warm and dry and had been up as reported by the neighbor. Anyway she was slightly kicking at him when he tried to nurse, more of just the shrugging off thing than an actual kick.
Anyway we caught her, thankfully she was a heifer we halter broke for my son to show, and got her and baby in the lot. My husband broke loose her teats, which actually were already loose but just to relieve some pressure and get the calf to nurse. Her left front quarter is totally dry. He could get nothing from it and this quarter has a short almost wrinkled or slightly shriveled teat. All her other quarters are lovely with long handles, she of course does have two extra teats but otherwise normal.
I thought her quarter and maybe that whole side seemed a little pink but she does have a white colored bag so some may just be the normal color. My husband said it wasn't hard, warm or anything just dry. I noticed when she first got up there were some flies around it and it really hasn't been warm here but maybe a week. And today it's back in the 40s so no major fly issues yet.
Anyway I didn't notice flies Saturday or today but today when I finally let them out back with the herd I tried that quarter. Sure enough, nothing. And it doesn't even feel full and the teat just feels like squeezing flesh nothing in there. Is it possible this is a mastitis or just a bad quarter?
She has a very large udder for a beef heifer but her mother is Simmental, Charlois and a bunch of mixed up breeds but a very good calf raiser with a good milk supply. We aren't going to cull her for this because she is my son's first heifer he ever halter broke and she is a sweet girl. I also think she will produce enough in the others to raise a calf fine. I am just stumped at what to do or what to think.
I haven't taken a temp but she's eating fine and has adjusted to being a mama after we got them separate for a day or two.
Just wondering if anyone has experienced something like this before that maybe wasn't mastitis related. Only other thing that comes to mind is another calf or herself sucking but not sure.
The heifer in question calved for the first time at about 26-27 months old on Friday. When we checked her, the baby was bellowing and she was too. She seemed confused and baby seemed hungry but he was warm and dry and had been up as reported by the neighbor. Anyway she was slightly kicking at him when he tried to nurse, more of just the shrugging off thing than an actual kick.
Anyway we caught her, thankfully she was a heifer we halter broke for my son to show, and got her and baby in the lot. My husband broke loose her teats, which actually were already loose but just to relieve some pressure and get the calf to nurse. Her left front quarter is totally dry. He could get nothing from it and this quarter has a short almost wrinkled or slightly shriveled teat. All her other quarters are lovely with long handles, she of course does have two extra teats but otherwise normal.
I thought her quarter and maybe that whole side seemed a little pink but she does have a white colored bag so some may just be the normal color. My husband said it wasn't hard, warm or anything just dry. I noticed when she first got up there were some flies around it and it really hasn't been warm here but maybe a week. And today it's back in the 40s so no major fly issues yet.
Anyway I didn't notice flies Saturday or today but today when I finally let them out back with the herd I tried that quarter. Sure enough, nothing. And it doesn't even feel full and the teat just feels like squeezing flesh nothing in there. Is it possible this is a mastitis or just a bad quarter?
She has a very large udder for a beef heifer but her mother is Simmental, Charlois and a bunch of mixed up breeds but a very good calf raiser with a good milk supply. We aren't going to cull her for this because she is my son's first heifer he ever halter broke and she is a sweet girl. I also think she will produce enough in the others to raise a calf fine. I am just stumped at what to do or what to think.
I haven't taken a temp but she's eating fine and has adjusted to being a mama after we got them separate for a day or two.
Just wondering if anyone has experienced something like this before that maybe wasn't mastitis related. Only other thing that comes to mind is another calf or herself sucking but not sure.