Post by noturningback on Oct 15, 2009 7:43:42 GMT -5
Good morning! Just joined the group but have read it off and on over the past 7 years we have owned our Jersey, Penny. We bought her at 3 months old from a feed store and were told she was a jersey. She seems bigger than most jerseys from what I have read and is very dark in the face and neck so she may have something else in her. My husband was raised with a family milk cow and his brother and wife had a Holstein for several years. We started drinking milk from their cow but couldn't get enough for our family of seven. So when we heard about this calf we jumped at it and raised her for two years and then bred her. She just had her fifth calf. She calves very easily and is generally a very good tempered cow. Last calving, though, she nearly died of milk fever. If we had not had Joanne's book "Raising a Family Cow" we would not have known what was going on. That's a whole 'nother story, though. This calving we another problem and that is what prompted me to join. She calved two weeks ago and the heifer calf was small and weak. We had to help her stand and she nursed poorly. Ended up having he vet come when I found her respirations and heart rate to be very fast. No fever, though. He checked for pneumonia and cleft palate but found nothing. He tubed her to give her a good feeding and we have been able to bottle feed her since. But something is wrong and I can't quite figure it out. Googling online just leads me to info designed for large dairy or cattle operations - not home/family farm. I was hoping I could get some real practical help here. What forum should I ask about my questions? Thanks!
Susan
Susan