EMERGENCY>>NEED HELP!!!

[God's Homestead]

Cow calved..calf is up..tried to get milk out of mom's teats but it won't come. Going to try putting a warm compress on .. what else can we do?

The weather is horrible for calving here...VERY cold so would like to get some milk flowing VERY soon.

This cow did not have a viable calf last season...this will be her first.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Limomike]

Are you sure the calf isnt getting milk? Some newborns dont drink much and it can look like they arent getting any, but they really are. Otherwise, if nothing is actually coming out, you may have to put the momma cow up, and milk her out, and bottle feed the calf. If the teats are plugged up, there is a device that you can use on them to unplug them (its like a huge needle). We have used it when a cow gets mastitis (sp).
And yes, the weather is horrible most everywhere, cold, wet, icy, rainy, muddy. Not great conditions to work in, but hey, it is winter after all.

 

[God's Homestead]

Thanks for the reply. Used a compress and ky jelly and got her milking..not the greatest stream..but milking. Now its trying to get her to stand long enough for the calf to get it figured out. We gave her a small shot of colostrum..but really want to see her on mom.

Again..thanks.

 

[novatech]

Give her all the colostrum . It is more important to get it early. If the calf gets more from mom larer thats ok . They need to get it during the first 6 hrs. I have herd conflecting reports. I don,t know about that ky. calf might not like it. Put your finger in calfs mouth to see if has sucking instinct. If it does it will suck on mom. Keep trying. Good luck

 

[Limomike]

I agree with Novatech, that calf needs all the colostrum it can get...
it helps them get a good start.
Glad you got some mile going... good luck with that pair.

 

[flaboy-]

Don't know if you have this setup or not but, I will take a mom like that and put her in a squeeze chute, drop the lower side down, drag the calf up to her and stick the teat in calfs mouth and squirt the milk in his mouth and face.

The last one I had to do it a couple times a day for two days before the calf really got the strength to do it on his own.

 

[Limomike]

flaboy, yep, I have done that a few times too, when it looked like the calf wasnt gonna suck. it works most of the time.

 

[God's Homestead]

All Praise to God...she is sucking momma! It's -22 here..so you gotta know how tickled we are to have her doing this well. Thank you so much for your responses.

She's a little Dexter heifer! Thanks again.

 

[MrGale]

congrads.....i agree with flaboy....if it is sucking on it's own now, you have most of the battle over....just make sure that the calf is getting enough. We had one we thought was nursing, but actually was getting nothing, and boy! what a problem that one is....

 

[MrGale]

Ain't Dexters great???? :cboy:
heifers are even better!!
Robert Seddon
ADCA Director
Region 9

 

[Susie David]

After twenty four hours the calf won't asorb the anitbodies from the colostrum, after about three hours this ability starts to decline and is gone in twenty four. Glad to see that you got the milk flowing...all four quaters? That calf needs all it can intake and probably more.
Just my two bits worth...asked for or not. Dmc

 

[AngusLimoX]

Good to hear you got her going! And good work being there and observing.

Anyone still freeze first milk for the next emergency or do we all use dry stuff now?

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Anyone still freeze first milk for the next emergency or do we all use dry stuff now?

Yes, I do. I take it from my Jersey, she has the most to spare. I usually put away a gallon in four 1 quart containers right into the deep-freeze.

It sure does beat having to run out and go the nearest dairy (for real stuff) or store for powdered. I'd rather have it on-hand and not need it than need it and not have it.

Every year what wasn't used, gets replaced by fresh.

Katherine

 

[dun]

Good to hear you got her going! And good work being there and observing.

Anyone still freeze first milk for the next emergency or do we all use dry stuff now?

We alwasy have a gallon or 2 in the freezer.

dun

 

[God's Homestead]

Thanks everyone. She is still doing okay. I won't feel like we are out of the woods until this weather breaks in a couple of days.

I will say I have never been around a breed that you could take ahold of the teats and start milking without any kind of restraints. This is the second one that we have just walked up and started milking..that truly blows me away with these Dexter mommas.

 

[AnnBledsoe]

Anyone still freeze first milk for the next emergency or do we all use dry stuff now?

Yes, I do. I take it from my Jersey, she has the most to spare. I usually put away a gallon in four 1 quart containers right into the deep-freeze.

It sure does beat having to run out and go the nearest dairy (for real stuff) or store for powdered. I'd rather have it on-hand and not need it than need it and not have it.

Every year what wasn't used, gets replaced by fresh.

Katherine

I save all the extra colostrum from my Jerseys from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd milking, marking it as such. 1st milking is the best, 2nd and 3rd milking are okay, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th milkings get fed to the chickens, or mixed half and half with the milk for older calves.
I have successfully used colostrum that had been frozen for over 2 years (I freeze in wide mouth pint jars)

Ann B

 

[Double R Ranch]

Anyone still freeze first milk for the next emergency or do we all use dry stuff now?

We bought an Udderly EZ milker. What a gift from God!!!! Now anytime we have a calver in the squeeze we milk a bit and throw it in Human milk storage bags and right into the freezer. Our stock seem to do much better on real milk than powdered stuff.
We also use the cows milk on Piglets having a hard time. It works great and we always have enough milk stocked up for future use.
Glad to hear that your calf is doing better! Keep a close watch on it and mom to make sure all is working well.
Best of luck
Double R

 

[ag teacher]

Freezing Colostrum: it will remain "good" for about a year. Someone posted that they get a gallon or so from a cow. If you are milking a gallon from one cow, most of that is not colostrum. It may have some of the antibodies in it, but will be very diluted. Most cows will only produce about a pint, maybe up to a quart of true colostrum. Anything more than that, you are wasting freezer space, and cheating the next calf.