Post by Shawn on Sept 9, 2020 21:07:58 GMT -5
This is in regards to Ellie, my Milking Shorthorn. She is 5 and a half years old, if I remember correctly.
I have noticed in the past year or so that she bumps into a lot of things and stumbles over things, too. Usually it's in the barn during daylight hours. And no, it's not just because she's come into a dark barn from bright sunshine. Sometimes she's been standing there, her eyes supposedly adjusting and another cow right in front of her goes around something and she runs into something or trips over a calf that's laying near a gate opening.
A couple nights ago it was getting dusk, almost dark and we ran the animals back across the road from our neighbor's to our place. We've done this many times. We set up a temp poly wire. I was not a bit surprised to see her put her nose on it (not electrified) and then jerk away as she realized what it was. It's almost like she's "feeling" her way along.
Tonight, it was getting pretty dark. The cattle came to the corral. I was feeding some, had called the rest back out to the pasture gate and was showing them we had put a bale out. (This was an unusual setup) My lead cow went right out there and saw the bale, headed straight towards it. The others followed. Ellie, stood in the corner and seemed frustrated like she couldn't find her way out. I called her until she came around, missed the first gate opening and tripped over a tree root. (gate's been in the same place for years) She finally found the opening and followed me out to the pasture. In the process she also stumbled over the water tank (small, low to the ground kind) and practically fell in. The water tank is in the same place ALL summer, every summer.
Once I got her out of the gate she seemed like she saw the others, and walked toward them. I went back to let another cow out of the barn. When I came back, she had come back up by the gate and seemed confused about where to go.
It seemed fairly obvious to me that she wanted to be in the corral, as she probably felt safe there, but was concerned why everybody left.
It makes me really sad. She's been such a good cow for me and is my fill in milker and has this past year been my mainstay milker. She's a terrific momma, smart as can be and very willing to do what I ask of her. I'm really hoping she has a heifer. Then I might be able to bell her calf when she's older and it might help her get around. But there are MANY hazards on our property and I'm not sure that would be the smartest thing if she were to go completely blind.
How do you tell if a cow is going blind? Does she have a cataract or something? I had a pony once that did.
Any thoughts. This is not making me very happy tonight, just another thing to add to the stack from today.
I have noticed in the past year or so that she bumps into a lot of things and stumbles over things, too. Usually it's in the barn during daylight hours. And no, it's not just because she's come into a dark barn from bright sunshine. Sometimes she's been standing there, her eyes supposedly adjusting and another cow right in front of her goes around something and she runs into something or trips over a calf that's laying near a gate opening.
A couple nights ago it was getting dusk, almost dark and we ran the animals back across the road from our neighbor's to our place. We've done this many times. We set up a temp poly wire. I was not a bit surprised to see her put her nose on it (not electrified) and then jerk away as she realized what it was. It's almost like she's "feeling" her way along.
Tonight, it was getting pretty dark. The cattle came to the corral. I was feeding some, had called the rest back out to the pasture gate and was showing them we had put a bale out. (This was an unusual setup) My lead cow went right out there and saw the bale, headed straight towards it. The others followed. Ellie, stood in the corner and seemed frustrated like she couldn't find her way out. I called her until she came around, missed the first gate opening and tripped over a tree root. (gate's been in the same place for years) She finally found the opening and followed me out to the pasture. In the process she also stumbled over the water tank (small, low to the ground kind) and practically fell in. The water tank is in the same place ALL summer, every summer.
Once I got her out of the gate she seemed like she saw the others, and walked toward them. I went back to let another cow out of the barn. When I came back, she had come back up by the gate and seemed confused about where to go.
It seemed fairly obvious to me that she wanted to be in the corral, as she probably felt safe there, but was concerned why everybody left.
It makes me really sad. She's been such a good cow for me and is my fill in milker and has this past year been my mainstay milker. She's a terrific momma, smart as can be and very willing to do what I ask of her. I'm really hoping she has a heifer. Then I might be able to bell her calf when she's older and it might help her get around. But there are MANY hazards on our property and I'm not sure that would be the smartest thing if she were to go completely blind.
How do you tell if a cow is going blind? Does she have a cataract or something? I had a pony once that did.
Any thoughts. This is not making me very happy tonight, just another thing to add to the stack from today.