Post by Leah Mack on Aug 21, 2010 7:59:51 GMT -5
Hi All,
I searched the archives as I'm sure this has been answered before but if there is a technical name for this, I don't know it and nothing came up under the heading I used above.
My red devon cross cow (whose mother was a good milker and whose father is from a line renowned for lots of milk) had her first calf on tuesday morning, uneventfully. She was a bit distracted by her need to drive every living critter out of the acre of pasture she was in the middle of and wouldn't stand still for the calf to feed. We had to halter her and help the calf, whose suckling reflex was weak. After doing this once, though, things picked up and calf was nursing regularly that first day. The next day, though, found calf weak and non responsive and out in the rain alone (other cows in barn) and again had to hold her up to the mama cow, pry open her mouth, and squirt colostrum in before she would nurse. Last night at 3.5 days post freshening, the mama had barely any milk at all. Calf alternates between vigorously nursing and giving up and laying around. I think she's getting just enough milk to keep her alive but not much more and not much reward for the calories it takes to get it. I'm going to stantion my other cow and let this calf nurse (tried a bottle last night to no avail). I want to know if anyone knows of remedies to help bring the milk in. My books didn't show anything for this, unless I just don't know the right name. Also going to call my midwife to find out what she would do for a human. The cows udders were somewhat full in the very beginning so I believe she made a decent amount of colostrum but that the regular milk is not being made for some reason. She has the same water, feed, etc as my other cow who gives plenty of milk. Thanks, Leah
Thanks, Leah
I searched the archives as I'm sure this has been answered before but if there is a technical name for this, I don't know it and nothing came up under the heading I used above.
My red devon cross cow (whose mother was a good milker and whose father is from a line renowned for lots of milk) had her first calf on tuesday morning, uneventfully. She was a bit distracted by her need to drive every living critter out of the acre of pasture she was in the middle of and wouldn't stand still for the calf to feed. We had to halter her and help the calf, whose suckling reflex was weak. After doing this once, though, things picked up and calf was nursing regularly that first day. The next day, though, found calf weak and non responsive and out in the rain alone (other cows in barn) and again had to hold her up to the mama cow, pry open her mouth, and squirt colostrum in before she would nurse. Last night at 3.5 days post freshening, the mama had barely any milk at all. Calf alternates between vigorously nursing and giving up and laying around. I think she's getting just enough milk to keep her alive but not much more and not much reward for the calories it takes to get it. I'm going to stantion my other cow and let this calf nurse (tried a bottle last night to no avail). I want to know if anyone knows of remedies to help bring the milk in. My books didn't show anything for this, unless I just don't know the right name. Also going to call my midwife to find out what she would do for a human. The cows udders were somewhat full in the very beginning so I believe she made a decent amount of colostrum but that the regular milk is not being made for some reason. She has the same water, feed, etc as my other cow who gives plenty of milk. Thanks, Leah
Thanks, Leah