This one hurts

Gather App
I have to take exception about a comment you made about jerseys having holstein in them for the increased milk production... I used to test a herd that you could go back over 8 generations and there weren't any holstein blood in the "woodpile"... these cows were bred for increased milk production... through judicious use of jersey AI breeding.
Getting a holstein mixed in there would show up in the off spring for GENERATIONS...
Plus A2A2 milk is not unheard of in holsteins either... it is more common in breeds like jerseys and guernseys... and dutch belted and even some brown swiss... but disparaging holsteins for having A1A1 milk is not really fair. It is less digestible by some people, but the "masses" usually have little or no problem with it overall...
I have had several hol/jersey crosses and for the most part they are some of the worst crosses to have.. dispositions, center udder ligaments breaking down... I prefer to not have them if at all possible... Yes, I have had a few that were great... but more often they just have attitudes... You think your jersey has an attitude... you ought to have to deal with one of them, that does not want to be a "milk cow"....luckily, I have been able to get calves grafted on them over the years and just let them raise them... it's a fight for a few days, but them they decide they like their "calves" ....
 
TCRanch said:
Thanks for the support - I knew you'd understand. I was so giddy because my calves killed it at the sale!!! As in, for the first time, Creekstone got out-bid. This buyer has been doing business there for 50 years and when he wants a group of calves, he doesn't care how much it costs. Epic bidding war! And most of my calves will be going to Nebraska this year. But the next day . . . wham!!! Scanned the pasture first thing in the morning, as I always do, and no red cow. Fed that afternoon and no red cow. I haven't bought a cow since 2009 but I'm seriously considering buying either a red cow or bottle calf. It just isn't the same around here.
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This is the one u want! U can have her for exactly what I gave for her. She's bred to a Klusmeyer angus bull. Just sayin......
If u really really want a red one!
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Your story hits me. My Rocket (black cow I raised from a 400lb heifer) will be 13 this coming year. On her way with her 11th calf. I dread the thought of her ever leaving. My first cow!!
 
Daphne is my first cow also. I can afford to be sentimental. I know cattle are food animals but I will keep this one until she is suffering then put her down, as in a hole. The rest can leave standing upright as in a trailer.
 
Buried my first "beef cow"... bottle raised baby... char/hol cross... she was on her 11th or 12th calf... got down.... and I said good bye to her and shot her myself... and cried the whole time. Buried her on that farm.
Had my first guernsey family cow... only her 2nd owner... she was about 7 and I had her nearly 8 years... had arthritis, got down and put her to rest there on that farm too.
Most leave in the trailer when we make a decision that their time is done... but a few don't. And a few have made the decision for us and get buried there.
 
Mine is a loyalty deal more than emotional. I've had some good cows that were just a pleasure to handle and be araroundwe would be trying to pen cows or do some thing and you were like, if that cow will get up front she will take them in. They will be standing at the gate to the alley when it's time to work them... like I'm first, so I can get out of here.

I was in pasture and got by a spooky cow and we both met and locked eye to eye. She was POed. It was a bad deal because I had no where to go but run. I froze and kept my eyes on her and started calling like I do when I feed hoping she would relax. Another one of those good cows come over and hit that other cow a couple times and kind if chased her off. She stood there and looked around and then looked at me and looked at the other cows and back and forth like to say... go ahead now. I have zero doubt in my mind she saved my butt.

I've had some other deals like there when I'm very certain there was some communication and they helped me out.

Sadly there is now cow retirement. It usually ends up a worse ending. I have gotten real bad about jumping people's butt when working cows or at the auction barn when they handle the cows too rough, when it's not necessary.
 
Brute 23 said:
Mine is a loyalty deal more than emotional. I've had some good cows that were just a pleasure to handle and be araroundwe would be trying to pen cows or do some thing and you were like, if that cow will get up front she will take them in. They will be standing at the gate to the alley when it's time to work them... like I'm first, so I can get out of here.

I was in pasture and got by a spooky cow and we both met and locked eye to eye. She was POed. It was a bad deal because I had no where to go but run. I froze and kept my eyes on her and started calling like I do when I feed hoping she would relax. Another one of those good cows come over and hit that other cow a couple times and kind if chased her off. She stood there and looked around and then looked at me and looked at the other cows and back and forth like to say... go ahead now. I have zero doubt in my mind she saved my butt.

I've had some other deals like there when I'm very certain there was some communication and they helped me out.

Sadly there is now cow retirement. It usually ends up a worse ending. I have gotten real bad about jumping people's butt when working cows or at the auction barn when they handle the cows too rough, when it's not necessary.
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Yeah Buddy... Those cows you describe are hard to part with. They are the ones I remember most.
 
bird dog said:
Loading them and taking them in doesn't bother me at all. Where I feel bad is when I go up on the catwalk and see the animal looking up at me with the question in her eyes that asked, " what did I do to deserve this"?
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Precisely why I bailed as soon as my calves sold and didn't even get out of the truck when we dropped Pink Tongue and another cull off the night before. "We", being my best friend's boyfriend, who stepped up to the plate. Leslie even asked if I wanted her to cut me two checks, but I was outta there. Plus, I actually enjoy picking up the check the next day because I get to spend quality time discussing the results with the owners of the sale barn.
 
I seached Dun and read his posts. He sure was or is an interesting person.

It appears that only 20% of aspirin is absorbed from the rumen although it makes the owners feel better.
I think I will go with meloxicam. The dose is 1mg/kg so a 1000lb cow dose would be 30 15mg pills. Cost- $36.50 for 1000 pill bottle. My vet can fax it the script. I can find out if this is safe for a pregnant cow because aspirin can cause bleeding.
 
TexasJerseyMilker said:
I seached Dun and read his posts. He sure was or is an interesting person.

It appears that only 20% of aspirin is absorbed from the rumen although it makes the owners feel better.
I think I will go with meloxicam. The dose is 1mg/kg so a 1000lb cow dose would be 30 15mg pills. Cost- $36.50 for 1000 pill bottle. My vet can fax it the script. I can find out if this is safe for a pregnant cow because aspirin can cause bleeding.
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Mobic is Meloxicam. It does good for me and the cattle.
 
@TexasJerseyMilker I've used aspirin before with "okay" results. And yes, I've hidden an aspirin bolus in a hot dog bun, even broke it in half and shoved it inside a Twinkie. But you have to do it 2-3 times a day for the best results and I'm not on board with that. There is apple and molasses flavored aspirin powder you can mix in with cubes or grain. But again, the amount you would have to use isn't worth it for a long-term fix. Same with Banamine Transdermal. And yes, even with Meloxicam. Is this something you're willing to do every day? For how long? You might want to talk to your vet about long term implications.

Do y'all remember when I had to give Johnson (my bull) Meloxicam? Vet was out and sent a RX to a grocery store pharmacy. They only had a partial amount available, and I had to go back and get more, but I was also giving him something ridiculous like 68 pills every day. Ah, good times!:ROFLMAO:

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I would be scared to give a lot of aspirin two or three times a day to my old pregnant cow. When people are in for elective surgery who have been taking one baby aspirin a day they are not supposed to take any for 10 days because it can cause clotting disorders. Meloxicam is something dairies use.

Meloxicam - Pain Relief in Cows and Calves
Using a pain reliever like Meloxicam should be a consideration for dairy producers.
Using a pain reliever like Meloxicam should be a consideration for dairy producers.
University News Release
June 15, 2015 07:12 PM

from the article https://www.dairyherd.com/news/meloxicam-pain-relief-cows-and-calves
" It seems that we may have a relatively new practical way to produce fairly long-acting analgesia for calves after dehorning and castration, and also for cows following surgery, dystocia, or sometimes to help with lameness or injuries. This is in the form of meloxicam, an NSAID that is available in 15 mg tablets. The tablets cost approximately 3 cents apiece. The dose is 1 mg/kg (0.45 mg/lb).

Meloxicam tablets inside gel capsules
A colleague told me that they use 4 tablets (60 mg, enough for up to 60 kg, 132 lb of body wt) inside a small gel capsule P.O. per calf. Some veterinarians administer local anesthesia as well at the time of dehorning, and as it wears off, the meloxicam takes effect. Sometimes the farm personnel give the calf another dose of 4 tablets either the next day or after two days. The same colleague also administers 40 tablets (600 mg, enough for up to 600 kg, 1320 lb of body wt) inside a large gel capsule P.O. per cow for pain relief following surgery, dystocia, etc. Again, sometimes this is repeated every one or two days by the farm personnel."

I'll see what my vet advises. He' actually a dear elderly stove up old dog vet who doesn't get around well enough to doctor cows and horses any more. Looks like these doses are for acute kinds of pain. Maybe my old cow would need less.
 
This old cow can't be milked anymore. She only has two quarters that work and has a staph a history. Her milk could infect calves. I'd just dry her up and feed colostrum and milk replacer. This would be a very precious heifer calf.
 

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