regolith":2lvx1k6q said:
It sounds like photosensitivity/eczema which can range from not much to worry about, to fatal. What we call Facial Eczema in NZ is caused by fungal toxins in the ryegrass, and the symptoms are due to liver damage. Photosensitivity can exist without liver damage.
http://cowcalfandvet.blogspot.co.nz/200 ... czema.html (photos of a Jersey cow with spring eczema)
Although our vet said fescue toxicity, I still have had a problem with that diagnosis. Our cow has not had any of the typical fescue toxicity symptoms. Sunday night I thought she was getting lame, but she had just walked across fresh limestone rock and favored the one foot. That foot was fine the next day. She's also 10, born & raised on this farm, grazed on the field 7 months of every year of her life.
I've continued researching and found information about photosensitivity, caused by fungal toxins damaging the liver. This site really comes closest to her symptoms,
http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/toxicagents/coumarin.html The combination of hot & dry, being replaced by cool & wet really got the fescue growing in that field. But, there are weeds & sweet clover growing under that fescue that's gotten to 18-24 inches high. The possibility of fungus is real high in that field, as well as other fields. Spots of lush sweet clover growth is also a likely culprit.
I've been wondering if our vets cow had 2 things wrong, fescue toxicity as well as photosensitivity, with our cow just the 1 thing.
No other cows have gotten sick, this cow is eating & drinking OK. I think she's drying up, so her udder isn't as swollen. Her teats are still dark.
I just clicked on your link... yep, that is pretty much like it. Our cows teats are a bit darker, but being a Herf with a nice pink udder I would expect the color to be different. That, plus our calf was nursing it probably brought the blood to the surface of the skin more than a milker would have.
I've been looking for more articles about spring eczema, seeing 'agitation' as a symptom makes it seem more likely, too. This cow is getting calmed down more as the week goes on and she's on hay. But Tuesday she was flipping crazy!