giant udder

[JERSEY MAN]

any ideas about this cow, the owner says she is 7 years old, freshened a month ago, only gives four galon a day, but it just don't look right, any help, ideas would be appreciated. looks like a problem to me.

 

[milkmaid]

Udder size generally increases with each succeeding lactation. A cow can't give 90lbs+ a day with a tiny udder, but a big udder never means she gives a lot.

That cow would have been on my cull list last lactation.

 

[onecowfarms]

wow

 

[milkmaid]

Why are you interested in her, BTW? if you're thinking about a nurse cow... she ain't it.

 

[JERSEY MAN]

well i was cosidering her for a nurse cow, but had never seen her until they sent the pics today, i should clarify that they are not actually miking her, just using dialators and letting it run into a bucket, just kind of feel sorry for her now, wish i could help her out but that udder kind of scares me, have two other jerseys giving four to five, but they have small udders and will take any calf, gentle as dogs and come when i call there name, no need to tie or stanchion either one when i milk them either.

 

[milkmaid]

You'd have a really hard time putting calves on that cow because of how low the udder is... and that udder won't last another lactation. Tell 'em thanks but no thanks, and keep looking.

 

[TexasBred]

That ol' mama is worn out. Don't even think about buying her. Probably was a good cow at one time but worthless now except for some low grade hamburger.

 

[hillsdown]

Her udder has blown it happens , that pic should never have been posted and the rest of the story of what the owners are doing they should be have their heads knocked together. :roll:

If anyone has any sense that picture will disappear we have enough advocates against us as it is.

 

[iowafarmer]

She needs to be milked really bad and then ground for burgers. the owners should have their head beaten together so that they have common sense. First of all i wouldn't get a cow from that palce becasue their facilities are terrible and that usually means they don't take good care of their cattle. I see cows like that in the salebar nand every one of them is a pound cow headed for slaughter that hasn't been milked in overa day.

 

[Keren]

hillsdown, I am glad that picture was posted, because I have learnt a lot from this thread. I have never seen an udder on a dairy cow like that, and in my inexperience assumed that it would be a good thing. From this thread, from Milkmaid, yourself and others that responded, I now know better that she needs to be culled. If no one posts pictures of problems, then nobody will learn.

iowafarmer: re

First of all i wouldn't get a cow from that palce becasue their facilities are terrible and that usually means they don't take good care of their cattle.

do you mean to say that you only buy from people who have brand new state of the art cattle yards? My own facilities (I have very little) and the facilities at my work are cobbled together from whatever leftover gates and yard panels we found at clearing sales etc. Most of the old cockies around here have the same. So does that mean myself, my work and those old farmers all mistreat our animals?? And let me tell you, the cattle you get off those old buggers with the cobbled together yards are a sight better than the yuppy hobby farmers with their brand new undercover cattle yards.

 

[Keren]

Also just wanted to add that not many of us who are in this game for serious can afford great facilities. You make do with what you've got. It doesnt have to be pretty, it just has to work.

 

[TexasBred]

What you see in that picture is not working facilities. It's a junk yard with a cow in it.

 

[hillsdown]

Well since it is posted I will explain what has probably happened to her udder:

If you notice the rear and front attachments they have completely fallen apart they are non existent that udder is just hanging there.
Also when a cow blows an udder or it falls apart usually there is no indication in the previous lactation.This cow could have come in with an amazing looking udder and then after being milked a few days it could have completely fallen apart in between milkings.I have seen it happen before it was especially common in high producing younger (3rd 4th lactation) Park daughters.That is why you choose semen from bulls that are strong in the rear and front udder attachments.

If that cow is not culled asap she will probably die anyways on her own in a few days. It just gives all the good hard working dairy poeple a bad name.

 

[bigbull338]

thats just a bigg bagged jersey cow.her bagg is to big for milking or being a nurse cow.you need nurse cows with smaller baggs than that.

 

[JERSEY MAN]

thanks for all the comments, for those of you that where offended i apologize, but the reason i posted it was to get feedback, good or bad, that is the only way those of us new to the dairy cow will ever learn, hopefully we can prevent some other poor animal from enduring the same fate as this one, but now i and many others know what possibly happened and what to do about it when it does. thanks again for all the input

 

[Hippie Rancher]

I don't know anything about dairy cows but I want to comment on this paranoia about showing pictures. "They" have plenty and can always make more. We should not be afraid to show a picture that is useful for teaching others about problems, or to learn about problems we encounter.

As for the comments about the pens, nice if you can afford perfect pens and corrals - most of us can't. Now you may be right, but from what I can see in that picture the ground is clean - I don't see any twine or junk on the ground and the pile of parts and equipment is fenced off - it looks fairly safe and maintained to me. Granted we can't see the whole place but just because it isn't a painted up shiny new manufactured set of pens doesn't mean it isn't perfectly adequate. :tiphat:

 

[dun]

I don't know anything about dairy cows but I want to comment on this paranoia about showing pictures. "They" have plenty and can always make more. We should not be afraid to show a picture that is useful for teaching others about problems, or to learn about problems we encounter.

As for the comments about the pens, nice if you can afford perfect pens and corrals - most of us can't. Now you may be right, but from what I can see in that picture the ground is clean - I don't see any twine or junk on the ground and the pile of parts and equipment is fenced off - it looks fairly safe and maintained to me. Granted we can't see the whole place but just because it isn't a painted up shiny new manufactured set of pens doesn't mean it isn't perfectly adequate. :tiphat:

Looks to me like a side pen type of deal for a sick cow or one with some sort of problem. Not fancy, but it is functional.
One of the problems with pendulous udders or in this case a blown out udder, is the possibility that she may step on a teat whne getting up or may damage the udder even more from it dragging on something on the ground. It's burger time!

 

[Keren]

I agree entirely, Hippie and Dun.

Hillsdown, what causes an udder to blow out like that?

 

[dun]

Hillsdown, what causes an udder to blow out like that?

Weak attachment for the amount of weight (milk) they carry.

 

[TexasBred]

I don't know anything about dairy cows but I want to comment on this paranoia about showing pictures. "They" have plenty and can always make more. We should not be afraid to show a picture that is useful for teaching others about problems, or to learn about problems we encounter.

As for the comments about the pens, nice if you can afford perfect pens and corrals - most of us can't. Now you may be right, but from what I can see in that picture the ground is clean - I don't see any twine or junk on the ground and the pile of parts and equipment is fenced off - it looks fairly safe and maintained to me. Granted we can't see the whole place but just because it isn't a painted up shiny new manufactured set of pens doesn't mean it isn't perfectly adequate. :tiphat:

True but if you'll notice there's a black cow behind the jersey and the "gate". That pen she's in is made of tin, old pallets, worn out fences, pipe and who knows what else. It doesn't have to be shiny and fancy but you can do a better job with what you have. Mine is not the best but it's not dangerous to the cattle or "me" either.