Hi, cousin of mine has a (pet) cow that had a calf 2 days ago, we had to give the calf Clostrum, (milk the cow out) because the teats were to big for the calf to nurse. Only 2 of the Quarters have milk in them. Will the cow produce enough milk for the calf to live on? With help the calf is sucking on the huge teats.
Cow with blown out teats.
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Buck Randall
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The calf will get enough milk.
WFfarm
Well-known member
We've had ones worst than that at calving time. If you can get the calf to nurse, they will eventually go down in about a week. A strong healthy calf will be persistent and figure it out. Calf can get enough milk from 2 cylinders. May not be the biggest calf in the herd, but it will grow.
faster horses
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And then cull her so you don't have a problem next year!
MurraysMutts
Well-known member
If a guy doesnt mind helping her every year, who are we to judge?
She loses another quarter and itll be all over tho.. guess ya could supplement with a bottle! Hehe
She loses another quarter and itll be all over tho.. guess ya could supplement with a bottle! Hehe
Hereford2
Well-known member
Oh I'm not judging the guy, I was just stating a fact. If she was mine I would sell her. But the owner won't. I got on this forum because. I was hoping the calf would be getting enough milk, so I wouldn't have to Bottle feed the calf long term. Because I am helping them with it.
I swore I'd never sell this cow because she was so easy, I'd get her calf latched on in the pasture, plus she was the head cow & my fave. Until I had to sell her. Yes, the calf will be fine (but maybe a dink) on 2 teats, but her bag will continue to get worse and will eventually become painful for her - all the time. Not judging, because I've been there, but at some point in time, logic & "doing the right thing" will most likely overrule your cousins' emotional attachment.
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Hereford2
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Yeah a person has to do what's in the cow's best interest. I didn't know that they get to where they're in pain all of the time. But it makes sense, it looks painful...for some reason one of this cow's huge teats had a trickle blood running down the side of it. I don't know if it had a crack)split in it it or what.
Their bag will get hard; the equivalent of carrying around a bowling ball between their legs.
The blood may be due to an abrasion, possibly the calfs' teeth. Re: aforementioned cow, I went out one morning and the skin around the bottom part of her teat was gone & her teat was bloody. Yowza! Took her to the vet and he said it was probably from the calf (appropriately named Big Mouth Bass) nursing aggressively but she also could have stepped on it & ripped it off, trying to get up. When the teats get that large, they're not soft & pliable; think of a tomato that's so ripe the skin splits.
Hereford2
Well-known member
Oh my Poor cow!...! That makes sense that they're not as pliable, they sure don't look soft... The calf is nursing by itself today, but after she drained the 2 quarters, she ran up to me and drank an entire 2 quart bottle, so the cow must not be giving much milk
Or quality milk. May have to continue to supplement with a bottle. At least the calf already knows you're the secondary source of nutrition. I wouldn't turn them out with the herd unless/until you're sure the calf will still come to you. And it's quite possible it will figure out how to rob off other cows.
D2Cat
Well-known member
Probably mastitis caused half the bag to be non productive. She can raise the calf on half her udder. I had an older Suffolk ewe that freshened with only half an udder and raised twins on that one usable teat. She was a gift, but I culled her after she weaned her lambs.
If they won't cull the cow, then don't bother to breed her again. If she is a pet just keep her that way without breeding her. If they have to breed her, she should be culled. Too much work, unless they need the genetics or something. If it is a heifer and they want to milk out the cow and bottle raise the calf they can raise another pet.
If they won't cull the cow, then don't bother to breed her again. If she is a pet just keep her that way without breeding her. If they have to breed her, she should be culled. Too much work, unless they need the genetics or something. If it is a heifer and they want to milk out the cow and bottle raise the calf they can raise another pet.
MurraysMutts
Well-known member
Those look like danged musk thistle. The devils spawn!TC, what is that flower by your left foot, and in front of the cow's nose??????
Devil weeds I call em
MurraysMutts
Well-known member
faster horses
Well-known member
Bags like those never get better, they only get worse.
