Post by ashkapp on Jul 29, 2011 21:42:21 GMT -5
I didn't put this in the 911 section because now I feel like it's under control, but I would still like to share my experience and see if there is any insight any of you wise people have.
My cow has been grazing on decent pasture and keeping pretty good condition this summer. Average weight. This is her fifth calf, third with us. I've been giving her redmond's mineral/salt and kelp free choice. She is not a huge producer, maybe 5g at her peak, which does not last too long. I don't feed more than 5-6# grain a day during lactation.
Tuesday morning I was concerned about pending flash floods in our area - we've had enough of them to know what it feels like (like you WoodSpryte!) so I walked her home to our house where we have a nice barn and overgrown pasture as no one has been on it this year. Felt bad about that but I didn't want a calf born in a flash flood.
Tuesday afternoon, she had her calf on her own with no complications. I gave her 15g molasses water. Never done that before as her calves have always been born in a more distant pasture. Wednesday, perky eating the little grain I gave her, grazed, milked out a little colostrum to relieve pressure, maybe 2 qts. Thursday morning, milk fever. She wasnt' eating, drinking, pooping, swallowing, or caring about her calf. She was still standing thankfully.
Vet came, gave her calc, tested her ketones and found her in the purple range, gave her dextrose, propylene glyc. B complex, alfalfa meal, electrolytes. She perked up right away, and ate some, but plateaued there and languished all afternoon.
I finally, after tempting her with every food I could think of, just led the calf out of the pasture, Tulip followed, and I hoped she would find something that she wanted. I even let her go through the garden! And she did start nibbling, and then actively grazing for over an hour. It was a relief.
Ketones are normal, she's acting fine. I realize that she could relapse and would like further advice on that. I am also trying to understand why this happened. Did I interfere in the delicate balance by giving her the molasses water? Although lots of folks here do that. It's been very hot, and I've noticed that they had not been grazing as much as usual. Maybe she got in a negative energy situation then. Maybe moving her at that particular time was too upsetting, although she's used to that field, and seemed fine.
Thanks for sticking through this long post. I have read with such interest and concern all of your situations. And after having the vet come out and give IV's, tubing fluids, etc, I am in awe of all that some of you all do yourselves. It's a whole lot different than a horse.
Thanks -
Lisa
My cow has been grazing on decent pasture and keeping pretty good condition this summer. Average weight. This is her fifth calf, third with us. I've been giving her redmond's mineral/salt and kelp free choice. She is not a huge producer, maybe 5g at her peak, which does not last too long. I don't feed more than 5-6# grain a day during lactation.
Tuesday morning I was concerned about pending flash floods in our area - we've had enough of them to know what it feels like (like you WoodSpryte!) so I walked her home to our house where we have a nice barn and overgrown pasture as no one has been on it this year. Felt bad about that but I didn't want a calf born in a flash flood.
Tuesday afternoon, she had her calf on her own with no complications. I gave her 15g molasses water. Never done that before as her calves have always been born in a more distant pasture. Wednesday, perky eating the little grain I gave her, grazed, milked out a little colostrum to relieve pressure, maybe 2 qts. Thursday morning, milk fever. She wasnt' eating, drinking, pooping, swallowing, or caring about her calf. She was still standing thankfully.
Vet came, gave her calc, tested her ketones and found her in the purple range, gave her dextrose, propylene glyc. B complex, alfalfa meal, electrolytes. She perked up right away, and ate some, but plateaued there and languished all afternoon.
I finally, after tempting her with every food I could think of, just led the calf out of the pasture, Tulip followed, and I hoped she would find something that she wanted. I even let her go through the garden! And she did start nibbling, and then actively grazing for over an hour. It was a relief.
Ketones are normal, she's acting fine. I realize that she could relapse and would like further advice on that. I am also trying to understand why this happened. Did I interfere in the delicate balance by giving her the molasses water? Although lots of folks here do that. It's been very hot, and I've noticed that they had not been grazing as much as usual. Maybe she got in a negative energy situation then. Maybe moving her at that particular time was too upsetting, although she's used to that field, and seemed fine.
Thanks for sticking through this long post. I have read with such interest and concern all of your situations. And after having the vet come out and give IV's, tubing fluids, etc, I am in awe of all that some of you all do yourselves. It's a whole lot different than a horse.
Thanks -
Lisa