Post by berriesncream on Nov 25, 2009 8:40:17 GMT -5
Hi, all,
So we got a Jersey cow in August. She is small and had her first calf in April. Has always been on the skinny side; when we got her she was nursing 3 calves (too many for her, I think), We have two calves on her and milk some for ourselves every couple of days. She has definitely fattened up some.
Anyway, the truth is that I was somewhat impulsive when we bought her. Didn't know/realize we should have her tested for things. Did call the vet when we got her home to see if he should come check her out. He was nice, but kind of laughed and asked if there was anything wrong. There wasn't, that I could tell, so he didn't come out. ("I don't usually do 'well checks'", he said.) Told me we'd do her shot her when we dry her up.
So last week she started acting funny. She wouldn't eat her feed and gave us very little milk. We realized she was in heat and put her in the field with my dad's beef cattle (and the bull). He was very interested in her for 3 days. During that time, we brought her in and let the calves milk twice a day - she hardly ate any feed. This is the same feed we've always fed her and, with very few exceptions, she rarely leaves a morsel. But I chalked it up to being in heat. Well, she's out of heat now and still not really eating - maybe eats 1/3 to 1/2 of her feed. Also, and here's the BIG concern, I've noticed that she has diarrhea. I've noticed it on her legs a few times, but this morning when I went to get her, the top half of her tail was covered with it and I got to witness her pooping in the field. Definitely diarrhea.
I've read a bit on this board about Johnes disease and am freaked out. This is our (my husband's and my) only cow, but my dad has a herd of about 20 beef cattle. She has mostly been in a field with 3 of his yearling heifers, but has been with the whole herd twice (probably about 2 weeks total). There was another cow in the field with her that had gotten bad diarrhea a couple of months ago. My dad brought her into the barn lot and started giving her feed and she eventually seemed to clear up. I am concerned about my cow, but very concerned that I may have brought some disease into my dad's herd that would be devastating.
So, my questions are . . . do I just call the vet and have him test for Johnes? If she IS infected, does that mean the whole herd probably will be? Is is true that it lasts in the soil for several years so you can't have cattle on the land again for a while?
Ugh. Feeling sick about this. And, of course, I'm leaving today to visit my husband's family for Thanksgiving and won't be back for 5 days. (The calves are in the field with her while we're gone.)
Sorry for the rambling, but I needed to get it out!!
Thanks,
Amanda
So we got a Jersey cow in August. She is small and had her first calf in April. Has always been on the skinny side; when we got her she was nursing 3 calves (too many for her, I think), We have two calves on her and milk some for ourselves every couple of days. She has definitely fattened up some.
Anyway, the truth is that I was somewhat impulsive when we bought her. Didn't know/realize we should have her tested for things. Did call the vet when we got her home to see if he should come check her out. He was nice, but kind of laughed and asked if there was anything wrong. There wasn't, that I could tell, so he didn't come out. ("I don't usually do 'well checks'", he said.) Told me we'd do her shot her when we dry her up.
So last week she started acting funny. She wouldn't eat her feed and gave us very little milk. We realized she was in heat and put her in the field with my dad's beef cattle (and the bull). He was very interested in her for 3 days. During that time, we brought her in and let the calves milk twice a day - she hardly ate any feed. This is the same feed we've always fed her and, with very few exceptions, she rarely leaves a morsel. But I chalked it up to being in heat. Well, she's out of heat now and still not really eating - maybe eats 1/3 to 1/2 of her feed. Also, and here's the BIG concern, I've noticed that she has diarrhea. I've noticed it on her legs a few times, but this morning when I went to get her, the top half of her tail was covered with it and I got to witness her pooping in the field. Definitely diarrhea.
I've read a bit on this board about Johnes disease and am freaked out. This is our (my husband's and my) only cow, but my dad has a herd of about 20 beef cattle. She has mostly been in a field with 3 of his yearling heifers, but has been with the whole herd twice (probably about 2 weeks total). There was another cow in the field with her that had gotten bad diarrhea a couple of months ago. My dad brought her into the barn lot and started giving her feed and she eventually seemed to clear up. I am concerned about my cow, but very concerned that I may have brought some disease into my dad's herd that would be devastating.
So, my questions are . . . do I just call the vet and have him test for Johnes? If she IS infected, does that mean the whole herd probably will be? Is is true that it lasts in the soil for several years so you can't have cattle on the land again for a while?
Ugh. Feeling sick about this. And, of course, I'm leaving today to visit my husband's family for Thanksgiving and won't be back for 5 days. (The calves are in the field with her while we're gone.)
Sorry for the rambling, but I needed to get it out!!
Thanks,
Amanda