Post by simplynaturalfarm on Feb 16, 2019 15:24:46 GMT -5
Ok Thursday DH hauled bulls a bale . I told him 1 St cutting and he brought over 2nd and dumped it in feeder while i waved like crazy to try to stop him. I told him too good and he said 1st and I said, no it has Sisal twine which means it is 2nd as 1st they use orange twine.
He asked is that a problem and I said last time a bull bloated. He groaned and said let's just watch him.
Fast forward today and I go out and same calf who bloated a couple months ago is puffed up, breathing hard and prolapsing rectum from straining. I called DH while racing to house for supplies - of course he's working. Thankfully he was right by the phone and told me don't treat, call a vet immediately. I said the bull will be dead shortly, so just quick tell me what all to do. He said don't even try it you'll get hurt as our headgate and pen are under 4 feet of snow but when I told him I was sure I could do it, he said don't try pumping him with anything just get air released.
Bull wouldn't move TIL I got speculum in and then he did a massively great job trying to kill me throwing himself around. I almost got the metal in my face when I tried to hold it, somehow my finger ended up in his mouth and chomped on ( those cows teeth are Soo sharp) and he got his leg under the gate first time he threw himself down. We did a tight rope, hed throw himself to ground, we'd loosen halter rope and he'd leap and throw himself down over and over. In between I made one attempt to get tube in and he took off with it... That's what happens with young helpers who are staying safe outside pen. Eventually after the more attempts, he stood still gasping like he was about to die and I was 3 seconds from stabbing him when I had 13 yr old feed tube in while I held his head up and speculum in place. We got it thankfully and he deflated immediately. At this point DH had a vet coming from an hour away (he would have died before this) and I was able to cancel that. I pulled everything out and THEN DH asked did I tube him with Magnalax for acidosis... Seriously!!! Last time we did this DH decided ten minutes later he should time so we had to re catch and fight all over again also.
I was resigned while racing around to get stuff, that he would most likely die.
I decided not to tube him because he feels too good right now for me to safely attempt. DH can do tonight in dark with me.
I'm working on barn cam that came yesterday to get set up for me to watch from house instead of from his pen in cold.
I'm so glad I was able to do it, even though I was freaking out at time - do not underestimate value of a usable headgate!! I've needed it five times this year and it's been buried every time. I'm making a hoophouse over it this year so this does not ever happen again.
Poor dude had a rough calving and got aspiration pneumonia and had to be treated, and im thinking it must have affected him to bloat like this twice now. He makes banding an easy decision!
His leg is all swollen and he's knocking it, so hopefully just sprain. Otherwise we will butcher him.
He asked is that a problem and I said last time a bull bloated. He groaned and said let's just watch him.
Fast forward today and I go out and same calf who bloated a couple months ago is puffed up, breathing hard and prolapsing rectum from straining. I called DH while racing to house for supplies - of course he's working. Thankfully he was right by the phone and told me don't treat, call a vet immediately. I said the bull will be dead shortly, so just quick tell me what all to do. He said don't even try it you'll get hurt as our headgate and pen are under 4 feet of snow but when I told him I was sure I could do it, he said don't try pumping him with anything just get air released.
Bull wouldn't move TIL I got speculum in and then he did a massively great job trying to kill me throwing himself around. I almost got the metal in my face when I tried to hold it, somehow my finger ended up in his mouth and chomped on ( those cows teeth are Soo sharp) and he got his leg under the gate first time he threw himself down. We did a tight rope, hed throw himself to ground, we'd loosen halter rope and he'd leap and throw himself down over and over. In between I made one attempt to get tube in and he took off with it... That's what happens with young helpers who are staying safe outside pen. Eventually after the more attempts, he stood still gasping like he was about to die and I was 3 seconds from stabbing him when I had 13 yr old feed tube in while I held his head up and speculum in place. We got it thankfully and he deflated immediately. At this point DH had a vet coming from an hour away (he would have died before this) and I was able to cancel that. I pulled everything out and THEN DH asked did I tube him with Magnalax for acidosis... Seriously!!! Last time we did this DH decided ten minutes later he should time so we had to re catch and fight all over again also.
I was resigned while racing around to get stuff, that he would most likely die.
I decided not to tube him because he feels too good right now for me to safely attempt. DH can do tonight in dark with me.
I'm working on barn cam that came yesterday to get set up for me to watch from house instead of from his pen in cold.
I'm so glad I was able to do it, even though I was freaking out at time - do not underestimate value of a usable headgate!! I've needed it five times this year and it's been buried every time. I'm making a hoophouse over it this year so this does not ever happen again.
Poor dude had a rough calving and got aspiration pneumonia and had to be treated, and im thinking it must have affected him to bloat like this twice now. He makes banding an easy decision!
His leg is all swollen and he's knocking it, so hopefully just sprain. Otherwise we will butcher him.