cow with blood in her milk

[Hunny Do Ranch]

We had a cow calve on Sunday and I noticed that the calf wasn't sucking all the teats. So we brought her in and milked out the back right quarter and it had blood in it. Not a little bit either it had a lot. The quarter isn't overly hot -same as the rest of it. It was hard but I think hard as in full. No lumps came out. I got a little under a gallon out of it. Her calf is doing really good. Is this mastitis? and if it isn't what can I do to prevent it? I am going to milk her again this morning and most likely again tonight. I also gave her a shot of pen and have some mastitis treatment ready(in a syringe with a funny cap). I will take her temp this morning as well.

 

[3MR]

Mastitis can cause bloody milk.

 

[millstreaminn]

Often fresh cows will have bloody milk. Usually clears in a couple days. I'd keep an eye on it but not really worry about it.

 

[Hunny Do Ranch]

The other quarters on the other side have normal colored milk. I will put food colouring on her this morning to see if the calf is trying to suck on the other side.

 

[shorty]

I had a cow a few years ago that had bloody milk in both back quarters there was dried blood in the milk , the vet said she had bruised her udder and was bleeding inside , he gave vitamin k shots to give her to help stop the bleeding, after about four days she was just about cleared up and I put the calf back on her, before that I had another cow that calved the same day and she has enough milk for 3 calves , so I kept her in the barn and milked a bottle full out of her twice a day and fed it to the other calf. it was a lot of extra work but both calves turned out fine.

 

[Boldcat]

I had the same thing a couple weeks ago . It's just a broken blood vessel in the udder. It will clear up in a few days. The calf will eventually clean it out.

 

[Hunny Do Ranch]

I think part of the problem is that the calf is definitely only eating on her left side. I was thinking of milking out her left side and starting on the right and trying to put the calf on. This cow has A LOT of milk you would think she is part dairy or something.

 

[msscamp]

Mastitis can cause bloody milk.

So can just calving and freshening. It is not that uncommon to have blood in the milk the first few times a cow is milked - we had it happen on a fairly regular basis when cows were converted to milk cows upon losing a calf.

 

[msscamp]

I think part of the problem is that the calf is definitely only eating on her left side. I was thinking of milking out her left side and starting on the right and trying to put the calf on. This cow has A LOT of milk you would think she is part dairy or something.

Until the calf grows into the amount of milk his mother produces, one two or possibly even 3 quarters may remain very turgid. Calves tend to start out on one side, or just the front tits because it's easier for them. I wouldn't worry about it unless the mother gives you a reason to, the calf will eventually get to all of them.

 

[mdmdogs3]

Until the calf grows into the amount of milk his mother produces, one two or possibly even 3 quarters may remain very turgid. I wouldn't worry about it unless the mother gives you a reason to, the calf will eventually get to all of them.

that is putting it mildly - had 2 cows that a few days ago that looked like they were gonna explode! :shock:
today the babies have them milked down and they have very normal looking udders
I'm learning to not run out and try to fix everything all of the time - but it is really hard :roll: ;-)

 

[dun]

I'm learning to not run out and try to fix everything all of the time - but it is really hard :roll: ;-)

Too bad a lot more people haven't learned that lesson.

 

[msscamp]

Until the calf grows into the amount of milk his mother produces, one two or possibly even 3 quarters may remain very turgid. I wouldn't worry about it unless the mother gives you a reason to, the calf will eventually get to all of them.

that is putting it mildly - had 2 cows that a few days ago that looked like they were gonna explode! :shock:
today the babies have them milked down and they have very normal looking udders
I'm learning to not run out and try to fix everything all of the time - but it is really hard :roll: ;-)

I see some of those new, heavy milking mothers and I hurt just watching them! Good for you! Things have an amazing way of working out even without our intervention. ;-)

 

[rocking_S_Ranch]

I heard once that if you open the teats before the calf eats enough to get on all of them and it takes him a few days to cover them all, that it can increase the likelyhood of infection.
Anyone else heard this? Kinda goes along with the non-intervention idea!