Hard udder on beef cow

[Anonymous]

One of my cows udder looks like it is hard as a rock and has dimples in it. She has calfed now and the calf is getting milk and it looks like her bag is getting soft. CAN ANYONE HELP !

BRIAN

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

Have you actually felt the udder. A relatively hard udder at calving and shortly following isn't all that unusual. It could be either the quantity of milk (she's too full), edema which will normally work itself out, or mastitis. If you can get a little milk from each quarter, check and see if it is stringy or bloody. If the calf is getting enough groceries I wouldn't worry about it unless it is bothering the cow.

dunmovin farms

> One of my cows udder looks like it
> is hard as a rock and has dimples
> in it. She has calfed now and the
> calf is getting milk and it looks
> like her bag is getting soft. CAN
> ANYONE HELP !

> BRIAN

 

[Anonymous]

Was this a fat first calf heifer?

Sometimes a fat first calf heifer will develope large fat deposits in the udder, reducing the capacity to produce milk, but through lactation she should burn up the excess fat. However, do not assume it is HARD, feel of it and massage it to find any problems, as mastitis will also cause quarters of the udder to become hard, if this is the case treat it immediatly, consult your vet for treatment. You can treat with an inter-mammary infusion. You will know it is mastitis if you milk out a quarter to see if each quarter is producing normal looking, smooth creamy looking milk, not lumpy or foul smelling stuff.

Good luck!

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

Are you sure the fat will come off the udder? I had two unrelated sources tell me that once they were on, they were never going to go away. I would like it if it milked off by the calf, but..... of course, if what I was told is the truth, I have already wrecked three nice bags, hopefully to never repeat THAT error.

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

In my experience, once there is fat deposition in the udder of a heifer, there is less mammary tissue available. In other words, she will never milk as well as she would have done. Her EPD's may be great for milk but she'll never reach her potential. This has been well researched in Holsteins. I haven't had the experience of the ligaments giving way from this though.