Sunny Citizen
Active member
Here's the background: Juliette is my only cow - a purebred Jersey that I bottle raised. She is 2 years old. She went to pasture with a Jersey bull this summer. Afterwards, I took her to the vet to be checked - she was short-bred. She's due at the end of March 2014. I try to get my hands on her as much as possible -- especially on her bag and brush her often. She occasionally has some "scabs" on the bottom of her teats that I just pick off. Last night while checking her (and picking off these "scabs", I thought I'd just give her udder a squeeze. I was amazed that I was able to milk a clear liquid from 2 teats.
Should I leave her alone or get this liquid out? If I should be trying to release the liquid, how often??? Daily? Twice daily?
Also, I have not vaccinated her for anything. What do you recommend? When? Is it safe to do while she's pregnant?
My plan is: after she calves, to buy a Jersey bull from a local dairy to put on her -- along with her calf -- and have her be my nurse cow. I really don't want to milk 2x per day -- maybe just on occasion. The bull (steer) would be for the freezer. (This is how I got Juliette - I raised 6 bottle calves - I was supposed to get 6 bulls -- they just happened to send along a heifer, too.)
Should I leave her alone or get this liquid out? If I should be trying to release the liquid, how often??? Daily? Twice daily?
Also, I have not vaccinated her for anything. What do you recommend? When? Is it safe to do while she's pregnant?
My plan is: after she calves, to buy a Jersey bull from a local dairy to put on her -- along with her calf -- and have her be my nurse cow. I really don't want to milk 2x per day -- maybe just on occasion. The bull (steer) would be for the freezer. (This is how I got Juliette - I raised 6 bottle calves - I was supposed to get 6 bulls -- they just happened to send along a heifer, too.)