Post by sasinpa on Apr 15, 2010 6:55:10 GMT -5
Hi, I'm the one with the first calf heifer, Daisy, who has no udder, and is bred to be due end of April/early May (I checked with Select Sires to make sure). The only confirmation I have is having been kicked by the calf quite vigorously when I bump her side. I'm certain she is pregnant, unless there is something else in there that could whack me good. She was difficult to breed which is why she is giving birth as a young 3 year old. She finally bred on her last chance before she was sent "down the road." She does seem to have some freemartin characteristics, although her reproductive tract was checked by a vet when she was 1 1/2, and said to be fine, and the hair on her vulva is fairly recent thing. I checked her for the pencil eraser nipples, flat udder area, and hairy vulva a few times as she was growing. I am wanting to be prepared in case she is able to give birth but doesn't make milk. I don't have any frozen colostrum and no access to any. Is there something I can buy to have on hand for just in case? I've heard the dried colostrum isn't good enough.
Also, if she has a heifer, is it only worth eating, or could it be fine to raise, if I confirm that Daisy's problem is that she is a freemartin?
I'm also wondering since she doesn't seem to be developing normally for late pregnancy, if she is at higher risk for trouble with calving.
Since she has made it this far, I'm planning on keeping her if she can make enough milk for the calf and the family, and giving her 2-3 tries to breed back. She's a sweet animal, but too expensive to keep for a pet.
Oh, and she is fat, she gets fat so easily since she turned 2, and I've been giving her about
1 1/2lbs of alfalfa cubes and 1 1/2 lbs/day 16% sweet feed for the last month to supplement her 1st cutting grass hay round bales and minerals because I was worried about her getting enough nutrition for late pregnancy. So should I just keep her on plain hay and minerals, with what grass she has in the corral, or let her out into the pasture, and just have plain pasture and minerals. I was thinking she would stay fatter on pasture, so was going to wait a few weeks.
Thanks!
Stephanie
Also, if she has a heifer, is it only worth eating, or could it be fine to raise, if I confirm that Daisy's problem is that she is a freemartin?
I'm also wondering since she doesn't seem to be developing normally for late pregnancy, if she is at higher risk for trouble with calving.
Since she has made it this far, I'm planning on keeping her if she can make enough milk for the calf and the family, and giving her 2-3 tries to breed back. She's a sweet animal, but too expensive to keep for a pet.
Oh, and she is fat, she gets fat so easily since she turned 2, and I've been giving her about
1 1/2lbs of alfalfa cubes and 1 1/2 lbs/day 16% sweet feed for the last month to supplement her 1st cutting grass hay round bales and minerals because I was worried about her getting enough nutrition for late pregnancy. So should I just keep her on plain hay and minerals, with what grass she has in the corral, or let her out into the pasture, and just have plain pasture and minerals. I was thinking she would stay fatter on pasture, so was going to wait a few weeks.
Thanks!
Stephanie