When will Honey calve?!

[farmerjan]

Agree that with her leaking, she would have lost some of the colostrum... BUT.... 1st calf heifers often do not have the same thickness or color to their colostrum as older cows. They do not have the age to have the same amount of antibodies in that colostrum. One of the dairies that I tested, and used to milk part-time on, had an arrangement with their vet... they supplied colostrum to the vet office... they then had it for clients that needed it sometimes.. They tested it's "strength" with a colostometer thing... and never kept colostrum from heifers as it never tested that strong . It is still way better than no colostrum, and is by no means useless... but just does not have the same quantity of antibodies that an older cow has.
I have seen some fairly white looking colostrum test pretty good, and some thick yellow stuff not test much...
But as a rule, on AVERAGE, a first calf heifer will not have the thickness or the yellow color that an older cow will have with her colostrum.

On average, dairies tend to keep a fresh cow out of the tank for 5-6 milkings... as the colostrum is completely gone... and any possibility of dry cow treatment is milked out... Most heifers are not dry treated since they have never previously been in milk... unless on occasion one had mastitis for some obscure reason while a heifer... and there are quite a few farms that will put milk from a fresh heifer, in the tank after 3 or 4 milkings because it is white and more flowing.

 

[simplejoyshomestead]

If she's been dripping a while, she's likely lost some colostrum.
After a couple days, should be nice white yummy milk for drinking. If you milk her out into a somewhat clear container and let it sit a bit, you should be able to discern a noticeable cream line. The cream will rise to the top.

Hehe. I totally forgot Seven wore a collar for a while. With a bell!! Mainly so I could find her if she wandered.
View attachment 55285

That’s so cute!! Now I need a bell for my calf, so I can feel like I’m in the Swiss alps

 

[simplejoyshomestead]

Agree that with her leaking, she would have lost some of the colostrum... BUT.... 1st calf heifers often do not have the same thickness or color to their colostrum as older cows. They do not have the age to have the same amount of antibodies in that colostrum. One of the dairies that I tested, and used to milk part-time on, had an arrangement with their vet... they supplied colostrum to the vet office... they then had it for clients that needed it sometimes.. They tested it's "strength" with a colostometer thing... and never kept colostrum from heifers as it never tested that strong . It is still way better than no colostrum, and is by no means useless... but just does not have the same quantity of antibodies that an older cow has.
I have seen some fairly white looking colostrum test pretty good, and some thick yellow stuff not test much...
But as a rule, on AVERAGE, a first calf heifer will not have the thickness or the yellow color that an older cow will have with her colostrum.

On average, dairies tend to keep a fresh cow out of the tank for 5-6 milkings... as the colostrum is completely gone... and any possibility of dry cow treatment is milked out... Most heifers are not dry treated since they have never previously been in milk... unless on occasion one had mastitis for some obscure reason while a heifer... and there are quite a few farms that will put milk from a fresh heifer, in the tank after 3 or 4 milkings because it is white and more flowing.

Thank you so much for the information! If her colostrum is white, how will I know when her milk has come in?

 

[farmerjan]

I'd discard 2-3 days milk at most... by the end of day 3 it ought to be good...chill it and taste it...
Colostrum is not going to kill you.... some cultures actually want it to make some of their ethnic drinks and dishes.... That is why many dairies will put the heifers in the milk tank after 2 days, it is just not much colostrum in it....
And start out drinking a little yourself for a day or so... different "composition" and all in raw milk... like drinking the water in Mexico and getting the trots if you are not used to it... different raw milk will take a little bit for your stomach to have the microbes to digest it... Like drink a glass, not a half gallon, for a time or 2 a few hours apart...

 

[simplejoyshomestead]

I'd discard 2-3 days milk at most... by the end of day 3 it ought to be good...chill it and taste it...
Colostrum is not going to kill you.... some cultures actually want it to make some of their ethnic drinks and dishes.... That is why many dairies will put the heifers in the milk tank after 2 days, it is just not much colostrum in it....
And start out drinking a little yourself for a day or so... different "composition" and all in raw milk... like drinking the water in Mexico and getting the trots if you are not used to it... different raw milk will take a little bit for your stomach to have the microbes to digest it... Like drink a glass, not a half gallon, for a time or 2 a few hours apart...

We’ve had a milk cow before, and have drank raw milk for a long time so it’s normal for us! But I’ve never had a cow freshen here on our farm so it’s the transition time that is new to us. I’m thinking her milk has already come in. I took an extra gallon after feeding the calf this morning, and it tastes fine! And the cream separated from the milk so I’m assuming the transition must have happened.

 

[Double R Ranch]

That's so cute!! Now I need a bell for my calf, so I can feel like I'm in the Swiss alps

Better get a small one for a jersey heifer! If you turn your pair out to pasture it will help you find her. Those little stinkers sure can blend in.

I only milk out for 2-3 days before we start drinking the milk depending on the cow. I put up the first few days for future use. Used to be in the freezer labeled as to which day/milking it is so it's given in order as nature provides to a needy calf. Now we freeze dry it labeling the same way. When we have an abundance of it we use it for other things keeping the newest for newborns.
At the dairy I work at we do the same as farmerjan's.

 

[simplejoyshomestead]

Ok guys I need some advice! I’m so disappointed with Honeys production! I’m milking her completely dry, and we are getting around 2 gallons per milking. She isn’t eating nearly all the feed I give her, and I haven’t seen her on the hay bale once since giving birth. I feed her every milking and she will eat some alfalfa and about half of the grain (only coming to maybe a gallon). She was eating so much more than this up until she gave birth. I don’t know how I can maintain what little production she has, much less help her gain weight, when she isn’t very interested in feed. Is this just a normal thing in the days after birth? Will her appetite come back? Will her production increase? Her milk has already come in, and I was hoping that would resolve things, but it hasnt

 

[simplejoyshomestead]

Ok guys I need some advice! I'm so disappointed with Honeys production! I'm milking her completely dry, and we are getting around 2 gallons per milking. She isn't eating nearly all the feed I give her, and I haven't seen her on the hay bale once since giving birth. I feed her every milking and she will eat some alfalfa and about half of the grain (only coming to maybe a gallon). She was eating so much more than this up until she gave birth. I don't know how I can maintain what little production she has, much less help her gain weight, when she isn't very interested in feed. Is this just a normal thing in the days after birth? Will her appetite come back? Will her production increase? Her milk has already come in, and I was hoping that would resolve things, but it hasnt

Correction- this morning we only got a gallon and a half total. The calf drank half of that

 

[farmerjan]

Couple things.... do you have a vet nearby? Possible LDA.... that will curb their appetite and not kill them right off and milk production will be off... A RDA can kill them in 12 hours... (Left displaced abomasum)
Did she clean good?
You are also expecting alot from a first calf heifer right off the bat. Most will milk 2-3 gal a milking for several weeks in the beginning... A heifer often does not "come into production" fully for 30-45 days......peak production is considered 45-120 days..... and 1st lactation milking production is often less than half of a 2nd or 3rd lactation cow.
The 3 farms that I test that have jerseys, figures that 35-45 lbs milk average for first calf heifers in the first 30 days is pretty decent...so 15-20 lbs or 2-3 gal..... and most do not average more than 40-50 lbs overall for their 1st lactation average.
Her lack of appetite suggests uterine infection, out of balance hormones, or LDA.....

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

FarmerJan should answer this I hope she shows up. Meanwhile, smell Honeys breath. Does it smell faintly of acetone (nail polish remover)? That could be because she is burning her body fat and not eating and is getting ketotic also known as ketosis. You can buy ketone strips at pharmacies to dip in her urine. You can get her to pee buy gently but firmly stroking the area below her vulva while you hold a jar.

Take her temperature. Does she have a fever?

Another thing could be milk fever. You can get tubes of CMPK (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium at the feed store. You will need at least 2 tubes. You also need to buy the special calking gun that is needed to give it. We haltered my cow and cross tied her tightly like a horse to hold her head still. You insert the tube in their mouth and keep pulling back the trigger on the gun to put all the paste past their tongue and they swallow it. If she smells like nail polish remover you can get ketosis tubes at the feed store also. These things are considered to be emergencies. Can you get a vet to come out and they can diagnose and treat?

My old cow calved 5 days ago and she needed CMPK to prevent her from going down. She had had milk fever before. Her appetite was not great after giving birth the next day or two. I offered fresh flakes of alfalfa several time a day and pulled it apart and fluffed it up so it was easy for her to eat. Cows like FRESH hay. I also cut buckets full of green grass with scissors and this excited her appetite. Then I hand grazed her on grass that had never been grazed. Offer smaller feeding of grain at a time.

edit : Oh, I see Farmerjan is here, yay!

 

[farmerjan]

Also, her very thin poor condition pre calving is going to contribute greatly to her poor production. This has taken a terrible toll on her body.
Did you worm her? Worm her ASAP with a pour on cydectin... she is fighting a losing battle of trying to produce milk on top of everything else. In goats and sheep there is often a "worm bloom" that is associated with birthing lambs and kids... I think that this is very possible in her also...
Milk is fine to drink .... and any "mectin" that passes through is more good than bad for people...
I am thinking possible acidosis also from mostly grain and not consuming much hay... handful of plain baking soda on her grain won't hurt her and might help to neutralize any excess acidic conditions in her rumen...

 

[farmerjan]

@TexasJerseyMilker is right... could be ketosis and could be needing the CMPK .... I would try the CMPK as it won't hurt her either at this point... Ketosis is usually not a factor in a young cow... but she was way too thin to start with...

I really think a vet diagnosis is your best spent money at this point... with her condition starting out poor, you are fighting a very uphill steep battle.

 

[farmerjan]

Vit B complex or just Vit B 12 shots are appetite stimulants.. Had to give 5 cc daily for a week to a cow that had gone off feed and could not find anything wrong... she hated me at the end of the week, but she did start eating... Sometimes one or 2 shots a couple days apart will solve it...
Again, this is the body being out of whack. hormones throwing the utilization of their available body stores off.... and not enough body condition for them to draw upon that to recover from the birth...

 

[simplejoyshomestead]

I think you all are right. I’m going to call and consult with our vet. I think she needs more than just good feeding!

I didn’t realize her production wouldn’t go up for a month or so! It’s so different from my last cow, who was established in production when I got her

 

[MurraysMutts]

I was thinking acidosis or ketosis as well.

For sure have the vet out. Show exactly what and amounts you've been feeding.

There's also a possibility she might just be a bit depressed.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

Women get post partum depression but in cows it's something else :)