Do you think they froze?

[TB-Herefords]

What do you think? Have another cow that has one teat that is all black but not normally black.

 

[Ned Jr.]

They look froze to me. I had that happen to one of mine before and she ended up losing the tips that turned black. She healed up fine and just had shorter teats but when she calved the milk ran out of them. Your cows teats don't look as solid black as mine did yet so they may heal.

 

[milkmaid]

That's really bad frostbite. Yowch. They look like dry cows? If they're dry cows with a few months to calving they may be okay, if they're lactating they'll probably lose all affected quarters to mastitis. You ought to consider changing your winter managment (ie bedding/shelter area) since I've only rarely seen frostbitten teats on mature cows, and it gets down to -20'F here not including windchill. Most of the time I see frostbite on fresh heifers; when it's mature cows they're always heavy milking, currently lactating cows.

Nice pics though, I'm adding them to my problems folder. ;-)

 

[Nesikep]

yep, that's frozen alright... tell your cat to tuck his ears back too, well, that goes for cattle too..

invest in woollen braziers for the cows, as well as toques!

must be darned cold there!

 

[ollie?]

I just unbuttoned my shirt and mine look the same way after feeding hay tonight...brrrrrr.

 

[Bez+]

I just unbuttoned my shirt and mine look the same way after feeding hay tonight...brrrrrr.

A visual thought I could certainly have done without this fine morning. :shock:

Merry Christmas to you and your wonderful family.

Bez+

 

[grannysoo]

Sure look frozen to me. I'm glad we don't have that kind of weather.

 

[dun]

That is one of the primary reasons we don;t want calves nursing in the winter.

 

[mnmtranching]

Frozen, bad case. I don't know why, but I haven't a problem with the cows freezing teats. Mine all Winter outside with only windbreaks. My brother down the road had a couple cases last Winter. He saved the cows and they finally healed up, calved. The problem was, milk ran out, calves didn't grow and he was forced to sell the cows. His were dry cows to, I think lactating cows have much more blood flow down there.

 

[dun]

Friend of mine at a dairy ran out of his winter teat dip so decided to use the regular stuff for just one milking. H ended up losing around a dozen cows to frozen teats. Now at the dairy even when we use the winter stuff we hold the cows in the barn long enough for the dip to pretty much dry before turning them out. 20 degrees or so isn;t a real problem but it's 20 with winds to match or much colder and we have problems.

 

[milkmaid]

Friend of mine at a dairy ran out of his winter teat dip so decided to use the regular stuff for just one milking. H ended up losing around a dozen cows to frozen teats. Now at the dairy even when we use the winter stuff we hold the cows in the barn long enough for the dip to pretty much dry before turning them out. 20 degrees or so isn;t a real problem but it's 20 with winds to match or much colder and we have problems.

How much time does that add to milking by holding cows until the dip dries?

My boss has a winter teat dip he uses down to around 0'F, then a powdered teat dip for down to -20'F. Been working pretty good so far.

 

[dun]

Friend of mine at a dairy ran out of his winter teat dip so decided to use the regular stuff for just one milking. H ended up losing around a dozen cows to frozen teats. Now at the dairy even when we use the winter stuff we hold the cows in the barn long enough for the dip to pretty much dry before turning them out. 20 degrees or so isn;t a real problem but it's 20 with winds to match or much colder and we have problems.

How much time does that add to milking by holding cows until the dip dries?

My boss has a winter teat dip he uses down to around 0'F, then a powdered teat dip for down to -20'F. Been working pretty good so far.

Only adds about 5 minutes or so for each parlor full. The glycerin in the stuff sets up really quickly

 

[Nesikep]

My cousins in Westlock had problems with their dairy herd as well, though I think with some of the extreme cold they got there, the cows were just kept inside,... they said they've seen -53C, which is roughly -65-70F... I'd hate to have to try and water that many dairy cows in that weather

I guess there's something to be said for itty bitty titties :roll:

 

[hillsdown]

That definitely does not look good. What are you using for protection against wind for your cows. It looks like they are going to need bedding and shelters to stop their teats from freezing.

You might want to put a call into your vet to see what you can do to save those teats. I have only seen it once and that was with a heifer with very bad edema the week before she calved, did all I could to save it but lost that quarter .She actually had a hole in her rear quarter from where it froze. It was bad but she is still here/bred back and has plenty of milk with three quarters ,she never did develop mastitis.

 

[TB-Herefords]

Well they have really good wind breaks in the coralls. They've been in the coralls for about two three weeks now. I havn't put any down any straw because this is the first time I've has issues with this. But of course a little straw never hurt and in this situation might have prevented. Tough lesson learned. Will have to see how she bags up. She is due around the end of January. She has a small tight bag when she is full; but longer teats. One way to cull for smaller teats. :roll:

 

[DOC HARRIS]

Give this some thought. If you haven't laid down bedding in three weeks in sub zero weather ( :!: ) in an outdoor lot with multiple cows milling around and lying down in wet urine and manure - the teats freeze, AND freeze TO the mud and manure, and therefore you can expect epidermal tissue (skin) to freeze - absolutely. Bedding (grain straw or corn stalk straw) provides not only a drying factor to the urine and mud and manure, but an insulating factor to help prevent the teats from freezing. As you know, cattle can tolerate a lot of cold IF they can keep dry and out of the wind!

DOC HARRIS

 

[I luv herfrds]

Good point Doc.
Husband and I rolled 2 round bales of straw into the corrals holding our bulls and the replacement calves.
Normally could just back in with the feed truck, but a drift is in the way. They were light enough we could roll them by hand.
Very happy stock.

 

[bigbull338]

all the pics have frozen teats in them.an by the looks an color of the teats.they will prolly fall off.an end up being 2 teated cows.but most likely they need tobe culled.

 

[ollie?]

Merry Christmas to you and your wonderful family.

Bez+

Same to you Bez+.

 

[TB-Herefords]

Aint no mud in these corrals. Most the urin is froze on the way out; and the cow pies are like rocks. Just too much wind chill. But; Your most definitely right about the straw.