Cow milking blood

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sidney411

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Hello Everyone!

I had a 2nd calfer calf somewhere between wed and saturday. Found the calf laying flat on its side saturday noonish. I thought it was dead but it's not. Little guy weights between 50-55 lbs. I carried him into the pens and put momma in the chute to milk her. She has a small udder, not inflamed or 'tight' at all. Bright red blood comes out of all 4 teats. No clumps, I can tell there is milk coming out also, but it looks mostly like blood.

Went to the dairy down the street and bought some colustrum. He drank the whole bottle. Calf cannot stand on his own for more then a few seconds. I stand him up and he teeters and totters then falls down. He lays on his side and sits up. He scoots, rolls around in the pens but has not stood on his own. I have fed him 3 bottles now and he will nurse 1/4 and I have been tubing the other 3/4 of the bottle. He has urinated while I was feeding him and I saw this morning where he had pooped. I have been milking momma out and have given her 2 doses of penacillian, will give a 3rd and final dose tomorrow morning (per advice of the dairyman) He also said her milk should clear up in about a week and the calf should begin to nurse her then?

Have we done the correct things so far? Should I do anything else? Is there anything else I can do to get this calf going?
 
You sound like you are on the right track. I hope the calf makes it but if he didn't get colostrum in the 1st 24 hours odds are he won't. Good Luck.
 
For what it's worth, I'd give him some electrolytes for additional energy if he appears lack luster, but only if his eyes are sunken (dehydrated). Otherwise sounds like you're on the right track.

Re: the colostrum myth of needing it in the first 24 hrs, long story short had a calf that I thought was sucking and she wasn't ( cow was blind in the quarter that she was sucking - human error - didn't check her close enough and of course mental exhaustion 'cause as this point there were calves hitting the ground in droves).

She was three days old in minus -15 Celcius weather before she got her first bellyfull of milk, but that calf grew into a dandy heifer and never looked back....definately not an ideal situation, but taught me that the little boogers are tougher than I previously thought.

(No offense to txshowmom...hope none taken.)

Good luck with your calf. Take care.
 
CattleAnnie, I have to agree with you, as we've also had calves over the years that did not get colustrum within the first 24 hours, for various reasons.

It's not an ideal situation of course, but don't rule out the calf making it!

It sounds like you're doing a good job.. good luck!
 
I hope the calf makes it but if he didn't get colostrum in the 1st 24 hours odds are he won't. Good Luck.

I sais odds are, not it's going to die. No offence taken I just wanted to clarify myself.
 
Thanks for the replys -

Is there anything else I can do for the cow to help her clear up faster? I have been doing some research on the internet but all I can come up with is info on mastisits. I don't think she has mastitis though. The dairyman said that if they get hit in the udder or something it can break the blood vessels in the udder causing the bloody milk. She had only been with 2 other cows in a seperate pasture but they could have gotten in a shoving match. Thanks!
 
This may be a stupid question so please don't laugh. Is it possible for a mama cow to strain herself giving birth to burst vessels in the udder :?: Remember I am new at this,it was just a thought.
 
I'm not sure, it does sound possible. I don't think this would be the case here though, She is a large framed cow and it is a little tiny calf.
 
sidney411":2tghmw8u said:
Thanks for the replys -

Is there anything else I can do for the cow to help her clear up faster? I have been doing some research on the internet but all I can come up with is info on mastisits. I don't think she has mastitis though. The dairyman said that if they get hit in the udder or something it can break the blood vessels in the udder causing the bloody milk. She had only been with 2 other cows in a seperate pasture but they could have gotten in a shoving match. Thanks!

Blood vessels can break while just being nursed also. It doesn't generally affect all quarters, but stranger things have happened. Have you considered given a shot of selenium to tha calf? Surprises me what a difference it can make in an apparently healthy calf at times.

dun
 
M.P.R.

I'm not sure what you meant by that last comment, but sorry if I offended you in any way. I am just trying to see if there is anything I can do to speed up the process of getting this cow/calf out of my pens and back in the pasture. It is tough for me to drive 45 miles each way to milk out a cow and bottle a calf.
 
sidney411":2o533qp8 said:
M.P.R.

I'm not sure what you meant by that last comment, but sorry if I offended you in any way. I am just trying to see if there is anything I can do to speed up the process of getting this cow/calf out of my pens and back in the pasture. It is tough for me to drive 45 miles each way to milk out a cow and bottle a calf.
NO I was not offended in ANY way. I hope I didn't come across that way. I just meant I was glad I wasn't answered like I was some kind of village idiot. ( like one we know on here who I won't name but his initials are GP) :lol:
 
sidney411":1jz3a8qp said:
Dun,

I have never used selinum before, do you get it from a vet or feed store? What is the trade name for it?

You can get it at most feed stores (around here). Not sure of which it is, one is for adults and one is for calves. The feed store people will know which to use. Or you can get it from a vet and know for sure that it's the right stuff.
I just go got it from the dairy when I needed it, have no idea where they get it from, but it's in the medicine cabinet.

dun
 
MuSe is normally given to adults and BoSe to the calves. I've used both on calves. About 1/2 cc of MuSe or about 2 1/2 cc of BoSe is what I use. I seem to only be able to get it from a vet around here. I usually give calves a shot the day they are born. It is better to use the BoSe since it is not as concentrated (easier to measure and give correctly).
 
I would guess the calf's biggest problem is from lack of cholostrum. He prolly needed a little more than one bottle but keep feeding and working with him, he should be ok. I'd get the cow to the vet right away though in order make an attempt at preventing mastitis.
 
Sidney, It might help to clear out the blood faster if you had the facility to put the cow in the chute and strip her out twice a day. You will have to ask Vicky, but it seemed like on the dairy growing up it only lasted a few days when milked out competely.
 
certherfbeef

I am putting the cow in the chute and milking her out twice per day. She got her 3rd penacillian shot this morning for prevention of mastitis. The calf still cannot stand on its own, nor nurse a whole bottle. I called the feed store and they didnt have a selinium shot. Will it do any good to give it to the calf now, I will have to get it from the vet this afternoon. If the cow continues to give blood in her milk for ______ number of days I should be worried it is something other then broken blood vessels?
 
The selenium should still help, a vitamin shot wouldn't hurt either. Is the redness in the milk getting less or staying about the same?

dun
 
Dun

I will get the shot today then! The red tinge in the milk is getting a little lighter, but not much. When I milk her into the palm of my hand it looks more bloody, but it looks more whiteish when I look at the stream coming out when I am milking. She has white socks and when I am through they are totally red. Does that make any sence at all?
 

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