Momma and baby update. Cows.

[TheBurningRedRose]

Suddenly our calf is going downhill. We tried to get milk from momma, and couldn't get any, but her bags are full. They will take momma and calf to the vet today and then go from there. I fear though...sadly, that it may be too late for the calf, today is day three of it being in the world. I guess though that I should have in a sense seen this coming, she did not do well with her first calf. Did okay at first with the second one, cleaning it right away and everything. She cleans it, moos at it, and doesn't lift her leg unless the calf touches her two back teets, and I mean it makes sense, her bag is really big. I hope they can figure it out...but I'm not having my hopes up anymore.

 

[M.Magis]

I don't know the rest of the story, but if there's a question if the calf is getting milk, tube it. No sense in letting it die.

 

[Mrcopier]

If she has a history of bad calving habits. Time to go to town

 

[MurraysMutts]

I suspect you'll find the cow is giving no milk. (For reasons to be determined)
Any poop from the calf yet??
What goes in, must come out!

From the pic you posted in the other thread, that udder don't look nursed.

 

[Warren Allison]

Suddenly our calf is going downhill. We tried to get milk from momma, and couldn't get any, but her bags are full. They will take momma and calf to the vet today and then go from there. I fear though...sadly, that it may be too late for the calf, today is day three of it being in the world. I guess though that I should have in a sense seen this coming, she did not do well with her first calf. Did okay at first with the second one, cleaning it right away and everything. She cleans it, moos at it, and doesn't lift her leg unless the calf touches her two back teets, and I mean it makes sense, her bag is really big. I hope they can figure it out...but I'm not having my hopes up anymore.

If you would, please go back into your profile and add your location. You will get more and better answers if you will, and won't have to answer the "Where are you located?" question every time you post or comment.

 

[moses388]

@TheBurningRedRose -
Update?
After 3 days I'd expect a newborn to have a white cloudy eye from malnutrition. Might notice the calf eating dirt as well. I hope your pair is doing okay.

 

[Travlr]

Suddenly our calf is going downhill. We tried to get milk from momma, and couldn't get any, but her bags are full. They will take momma and calf to the vet today and then go from there. I fear though...sadly, that it may be too late for the calf, today is day three of it being in the world. I guess though that I should have in a sense seen this coming, she did not do well with her first calf. Did okay at first with the second one, cleaning it right away and everything. She cleans it, moos at it, and doesn't lift her leg unless the calf touches her two back teets, and I mean it makes sense, her bag is really big. I hope they can figure it out...but I'm not having my hopes up anymore.

Update?

I'm thinking the "full bags" are just an udder that is filled with unproductive tissue. I've heard of that in heifers/cows... and I think it can be from too much feed at some point as they mature. There may be other reasons. One of the dairy experts here my be helpful. @farmerjan ?

 

[TheBurningRedRose]

Update?

I'm thinking the "full bags" are just an udder that is filled with unproductive tissue. I've heard of that in heifers/cows... and I think it can be from too much feed at some point as they mature. There may be other reasons. One of the dairy experts here my be helpful. @farmerjan ?

We found out that she has infected udders. They took her to the vet yesterday, drained her out, and are taking her back tomorrow to do the same. She has not been all that cooperative when it comes to us trying to help her. But we are able to tube feed her baby, so everything is looking up so far. She has a infection that started with a M, I can't remember now. We are guessing this is what happened with her first calf as well.

 

[TheBurningRedRose]

I suspect you'll find the cow is giving no milk. (For reasons to be determined)
Any poop from the calf yet??
What goes in, must come out!

From the pic you posted in the other thread, that udder don't look nursed.

Yes the calf has pooped.

 

[TheBurningRedRose]

@TheBurningRedRose -
Update?
After 3 days I'd expect a newborn to have a white cloudy eye from malnutrition. Might notice the calf eating dirt as well. I hope your pair is doing okay.

Didn't notice cloudiness, but she was also "tasting" a ziptie to see if it was beneficial.

 

[TheBurningRedRose]

I don't know the rest of the story, but if there's a question if the calf is getting milk, tube it. No sense in letting it die.

Yes, we are tube feeding it for now. She got fed last night, the night before they took them into vet, and this morning.

 

[mwj]

We found out that she has infected udders. They took her to the vet yesterday, drained her out, and are taking her back tomorrow to do the same. She has not been all that cooperative when it comes to us trying to help her. But we are able to tube feed her baby, so everything is looking up so far. She has a infection that started with a M, I can't remember now. We are guessing this is what happened with her first calf as well.

Mastitis is a tough one. You will have to be diligent with treatments or her milk production will be severely affected.

 

[Hpacres440p]

Didn't notice cloudiness, but she was also "tasting" a ziptie to see if it was beneficial.

I think that was some sarcasm-meaning "dead".
Where are you located BRR?

 

[farmerjan]

@TheBurningRedRose ; sounds like mastitis... since you said it began with an M...
Couple of things... from a "dairy perspective"... First off... a cow has AN UDDER.... ONE.... not udders. Each Teat is part of her QUARTER... each udder has 4 quarters... occasionally there will be an extra teat .... BUT... for the most part a cow has an udder with 4 quarters, 4 teats (tits)

Did the vet culture what kind of mastitis? There are several kinds... Staph and Strep are common, cause milk to be thick and more chunky sometimes... usually chronic.... both can come from environmental infection, and can be passed cow to cow in a milking parlor situation... AND from cows standing in ponds and other places that fluids can pass it... dirty bedding also in the barn.
If no milk, or little milk, and high fever, it could be Klebsiella... can kill the cow in 12 hours if not caught; if you save the cow, consider yourself lucky and you can plan on selling her...udder goes flat and flabby. Next lactation is usually not good.
Coliform is also from environment... fast to hit them, but they can recover well if caught and treated. Watery looking stuff, can smell sometimes... Fever and listless..

Word to the wise, if you manage to save her, and she can feed the calf eventually... do yourself a favor and sell her. Or get her spayed so she will not go get herself bred again..if she is a pet... Since you think this may have been the problem last year, and no one knew to check her udder or to make sure the calf was getting fed, under no circumstances should you be letting her have another calf. Totally unfair to a calf to be born with little hope of surviving and a cow that cannot take care of it.

 

[farmerjan]

@Travlr ... called fatty udder syndrome... from heifers being fed too much grain and getting too fat... the fat gets deposited in the udder and disrupts the proper development of the mammary system... they will have more instances of mastitis, but the biggest thing is they make little milk.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Thanks for the update @TheBurningRedRose

Now we know why she wasn't giving milk.

I hope the calf comes along for you. If it makes it a few more days you should be ok. She most likely didn't get colostrum in a timely manner, but sometimes they do ok anyway!!

 

[moses388]

Didn't notice cloudiness, but she was also "tasting" a ziptie to see if it was beneficial.

Thanks. I like the word tasting. It more accurately describes a hungry calf sampling various things in search of food.

 

[TheBurningRedRose]

Thanks. I like the word tasting. It more accurately describes a hungry calf sampling various things in search of food.

Yeah, baby is up and exploring with a full tummy(2000 ml tubed) noticed she is also butt high. She is growing! She also peed while getting fed and pooped after. All good signs. They are taking her and momma to vet on Friday

 

[MurraysMutts]

Yeah, baby is up and exploring with a full tummy(2000 ml tubed) noticed she is also butt high. She is growing! She also peed while getting fed and pooped after. All good signs. They are taking her and momma to vet on Friday

Very nice!
She looks a bit thrifty in that pic!

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

Thank you Farmerjan for the list of mastitis pathogens and symptoms.

Be careful of leaving any objects around that a calf can 'taste'. They are curious and have a one way mouth. They will eat baling twine in a New York minute that can clog them up and kill them. Is the bottle calf with the cow or separated now?