Post by penka78 on Jan 1, 2010 23:51:46 GMT -5
I always observe my cows. 2 days ago in the evening, Sioux was standing off on her own and not eating the hay. I thought that odd. The next day, she was doing it again, when I checked on her in the morning. I was alarmed. Sioux is very food oriented, she is the boss. So I stood by her side and watched. She seamed tired. She wasn't chewing cud, but I saw regular rumen movements. She walked slowly. Usually, she'll trot to the feed trough. As a measure of her "illness", I offered the herd some sweet grain. Sioux came up along with the rest, bullied her way in and got more than a fair share. She just wasn't as gusto about it, as usual. But, as long as she's eating, it's ok, right? - though I.
When I got home in the evening, I looked up the last time she calved - Dec. 31, 2008. I know that the bull was in with the cows by May3, but I can't quite remember when they first got together. So, technically, she could be very close to due date. Her udder doesn't fill up till calving time, so I can't judge according to it. But I can say that her vulva isn't loose enough yet, so a few weeks for sure. Sioux was stringing some, but it was clear mucous. And she always strings some, well ahead of calving - for months! So that wasn't unusual. So, I figured: a 17 y.o. cow close to calving - may be she just isn't feeling herself.
But when I came up to the pasture this morning, MuuMuu, the 2 y.o. heifer wasn't feeling well either. When I put feed in the trough, she didn't fight for it at all. And then at one point, she had "a fit" going on on her right side, flank area - things were jiggling, she was trying to kick at it with her hind foot, her muscles were twitching. She was bred in August-September, so she isn't anywhere close to calving...
We stayed around the pasture all day, taking care of a few things, so I got to observe the herd for a while. All cows were eating hay, even Sioux and MuuMuu. It's just these two weren't acting quite themselves in some minute ways. I really can't come up with an explanation for this. Neither had runny poops. In fact, I waited and waited, followed them around hoping to see the go #2 but never succeeded. It was a cold day and I didn't last past 20 minutes at a time.
I guess y'all know what I'm talking about... When we spend so mush time with our animals, we know right off when something isn't right - just like with our children.
Hope it all turns out ok. Hope, it's a coincidence. May be Sioux will have a baby soon, and MuuMuu just had a cold/upset stomach/baby was moving too much. Crossing my fingers.
I guess my biggest fear is that the "show" calf (about 600 lbs) that we bought a few weeks ago, has brought something with him. But he was vaccinated for everything a few months ago, and MuuMuu had her vaccinations in August. Sioux didn't though, and that scares me. Her last vaccinations were at least 2 years ago.
When I got home in the evening, I looked up the last time she calved - Dec. 31, 2008. I know that the bull was in with the cows by May3, but I can't quite remember when they first got together. So, technically, she could be very close to due date. Her udder doesn't fill up till calving time, so I can't judge according to it. But I can say that her vulva isn't loose enough yet, so a few weeks for sure. Sioux was stringing some, but it was clear mucous. And she always strings some, well ahead of calving - for months! So that wasn't unusual. So, I figured: a 17 y.o. cow close to calving - may be she just isn't feeling herself.
But when I came up to the pasture this morning, MuuMuu, the 2 y.o. heifer wasn't feeling well either. When I put feed in the trough, she didn't fight for it at all. And then at one point, she had "a fit" going on on her right side, flank area - things were jiggling, she was trying to kick at it with her hind foot, her muscles were twitching. She was bred in August-September, so she isn't anywhere close to calving...
We stayed around the pasture all day, taking care of a few things, so I got to observe the herd for a while. All cows were eating hay, even Sioux and MuuMuu. It's just these two weren't acting quite themselves in some minute ways. I really can't come up with an explanation for this. Neither had runny poops. In fact, I waited and waited, followed them around hoping to see the go #2 but never succeeded. It was a cold day and I didn't last past 20 minutes at a time.
I guess y'all know what I'm talking about... When we spend so mush time with our animals, we know right off when something isn't right - just like with our children.
Hope it all turns out ok. Hope, it's a coincidence. May be Sioux will have a baby soon, and MuuMuu just had a cold/upset stomach/baby was moving too much. Crossing my fingers.
I guess my biggest fear is that the "show" calf (about 600 lbs) that we bought a few weeks ago, has brought something with him. But he was vaccinated for everything a few months ago, and MuuMuu had her vaccinations in August. Sioux didn't though, and that scares me. Her last vaccinations were at least 2 years ago.