Post by DostThouHaveMilk on May 2, 2005 6:45:30 GMT -5
I work at another Jersey dairy on the weekend (both that herd and our herd go back to the same herd).
They have been having a hard time wioth their dry cows coming down with milk fever cases after calving. The last five or six have had to be treated. They kept them on the lot and so they were getting the milking ration and it was too much.
So the vet has been out to treat the last few and it hasn't been easy. Sue's heart stopped twice during the treatments, but she is doing fine now (except for her attitude), and 902 relapsed more than once, but that wasn't the worse.
834 calved five days overdue with a bull calf last Wednesday. They treated her that evening for milk fever because she wasn't looking good even before she calved. She was fine when they left Friday night. When Don and i got there Saturday mornign she was laid out flat and bloated.
So we worked on keeping propped up during milking. Had the vet out and he put two bottles into her. She was not responding at all. Not even much of a shake and he put them in IV. She was cold and stiff legged.
He said call in four hours if she isn't up. Went back that afternoon to work again and she was laid out again. The younger vet had been out and put *two* more bottles in her earlier. Four bottles and nothing!
She was looking better that evening though, holding her head and looking around with her one good eye (she had been banging her head on the concrete and hurt her eye).
Next morning when we arrived she was flat out again. Got her propped up, gave her the paste (she had received the paste Wednesday before she calved as well).
Don called the vet around ten. Well if she didn't respond to the treatments yesterday it isn't likely she will respond this time. There must be something wrong internally, but I can come out and treat her if you want.
Don saw her alive last at noon. She was dead when i arrived at around four PM. Had been gone awhile.
I have never seen a cow die of milk fever. We treat our own and dad has maybe lost one in twenty years. I've seen them come close. Hale Bopp tries to kill herself every year she calves. She actually had stomach contents coming out her nose her second time calving and she pulled through.
I did hold one uphill six or so years ago at the school only to find out that she died anyways, but I just have never seen an animal not respond in any way to treatments...especially the IV.
Why am I sharing? I have no clue.
Just remember to be careful with your levels when you are feeding dry cows...it is important.
They have been having a hard time wioth their dry cows coming down with milk fever cases after calving. The last five or six have had to be treated. They kept them on the lot and so they were getting the milking ration and it was too much.
So the vet has been out to treat the last few and it hasn't been easy. Sue's heart stopped twice during the treatments, but she is doing fine now (except for her attitude), and 902 relapsed more than once, but that wasn't the worse.
834 calved five days overdue with a bull calf last Wednesday. They treated her that evening for milk fever because she wasn't looking good even before she calved. She was fine when they left Friday night. When Don and i got there Saturday mornign she was laid out flat and bloated.
So we worked on keeping propped up during milking. Had the vet out and he put two bottles into her. She was not responding at all. Not even much of a shake and he put them in IV. She was cold and stiff legged.
He said call in four hours if she isn't up. Went back that afternoon to work again and she was laid out again. The younger vet had been out and put *two* more bottles in her earlier. Four bottles and nothing!
She was looking better that evening though, holding her head and looking around with her one good eye (she had been banging her head on the concrete and hurt her eye).
Next morning when we arrived she was flat out again. Got her propped up, gave her the paste (she had received the paste Wednesday before she calved as well).
Don called the vet around ten. Well if she didn't respond to the treatments yesterday it isn't likely she will respond this time. There must be something wrong internally, but I can come out and treat her if you want.
Don saw her alive last at noon. She was dead when i arrived at around four PM. Had been gone awhile.
I have never seen a cow die of milk fever. We treat our own and dad has maybe lost one in twenty years. I've seen them come close. Hale Bopp tries to kill herself every year she calves. She actually had stomach contents coming out her nose her second time calving and she pulled through.
I did hold one uphill six or so years ago at the school only to find out that she died anyways, but I just have never seen an animal not respond in any way to treatments...especially the IV.
Why am I sharing? I have no clue.
Just remember to be careful with your levels when you are feeding dry cows...it is important.