Post by treatlisa on Jun 10, 2011 0:04:55 GMT -5
Hi all - Just checking in about my Jersey's pre-calving edema. (3rd calving, 1st w/me) I thought she was due May 29th but has just started making obvious advances for the last few days. (12 days over now) It is possible she settled on the 2nd cycle she was with the bull, which would then put the due date at about June 19. (??!! I really thought it was the first cycle, lots of activity - nothing seen on the 2nd cycle) Anyway...
I have read through the threads in TOK and I found a lot of info, however, one of my questions is about the raspberry leaf tea. I have red raspberries growing here and have plenty of the fresh leaves. I think I remember reading where you can give them fresh leaves instead of the raspberry tea.... Right? A couple of handfuls each day? Is this a problem to do pre-calving? Someone mentioned a possible problem with causing contractions??
She gets free choice bermuda hay with small flake of alfalfa 2x per day. I am up to about 3 lbs sweet cob 1x per day, loose mineral salt, kelp free choice. After reading TOK about the edema - maybe I should cut back on the alfalfa and I wonder about the grain? I have been adding it to prepare her rumen for it to avoid the ketosis scenario as her milk comes in. I know this is a balancing act, so I am up for suggestions. She is in good condition...(hopefully not over-conditioned!) The edema caught me off guard, as I was thinking it was more of a 1st, 2nd freshener thing.
I am thinking I will add some molasses water, as Jenn suggested, cut back to 1/2 flake alfalfa 2x per day, and 1 1/2 lbs grain with a handful or so of fresh raspberry leaves... Does this sound reasonable? Other suggestions? Thanks, Lisa
This is last week:
This one was yesterday:
I have read through the threads in TOK and I found a lot of info, however, one of my questions is about the raspberry leaf tea. I have red raspberries growing here and have plenty of the fresh leaves. I think I remember reading where you can give them fresh leaves instead of the raspberry tea.... Right? A couple of handfuls each day? Is this a problem to do pre-calving? Someone mentioned a possible problem with causing contractions??
She gets free choice bermuda hay with small flake of alfalfa 2x per day. I am up to about 3 lbs sweet cob 1x per day, loose mineral salt, kelp free choice. After reading TOK about the edema - maybe I should cut back on the alfalfa and I wonder about the grain? I have been adding it to prepare her rumen for it to avoid the ketosis scenario as her milk comes in. I know this is a balancing act, so I am up for suggestions. She is in good condition...(hopefully not over-conditioned!) The edema caught me off guard, as I was thinking it was more of a 1st, 2nd freshener thing.
I am thinking I will add some molasses water, as Jenn suggested, cut back to 1/2 flake alfalfa 2x per day, and 1 1/2 lbs grain with a handful or so of fresh raspberry leaves... Does this sound reasonable? Other suggestions? Thanks, Lisa
This is last week:
This one was yesterday: