| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Ron |
Posted - Jan 10 2015 : 5:17:00 PM
Harriet has been acting a little lack luster in this last cold snap and would not come for Her evening treat to be milked. It does not look like Shebis pooping as She should or should I say as much. She really is not drinking like She should be either.
Gets up moves around I heard Her burp some but the water is not going down like I think it should be. Looks a little bloated but She gets up and vests hay.
Thoughts? |
| 16 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Ron |
Posted - Jan 11 2015 : 09:42:28 AM
Maybe down to -17 tonight. Winter on the high plains. Yes seems like Harriet is coming around. I really think it is cold related and her lack of desire for the water. Drinking a little more and pooping a bit more like She ought to be.
How is Maizy doing? |
| maryjane |
Posted - Jan 11 2015 : 08:52:02 AM
Sounds like all is well enough then. Seems like you're supposed to get some bitter cold again. |
| Ron |
Posted - Jan 11 2015 : 06:34:48 AM
Update: Harriet was up chewing cud this morning and there seemed to be an acceptable a out of cow poop around. Not just right yet. Not drinking as much as I like but the water froze of course. Put out fresh water of course this morning. She seems to like the fresh baking soda.nwhen I left Her She was eating Her grass hay. I think this cow just don't like the cold. Might check the cobalt level in the mineral and consider a small amount of it as I know proper cobalt is important for cold stress. |
| Ron |
Posted - Jan 11 2015 : 05:28:43 AM
Thank you Vicky! That might just work better than anything. Thank you ! 😊 |
| chives |
Posted - Jan 10 2015 : 9:28:00 PM
I don't know that much about cows. I hope Ron and Maryjane all will be better soon. Sending good thoughts and love to both cows. |
| NellieBelle |
Posted - Jan 10 2015 : 9:04:19 PM
Yes, you too Ron. Have a good night if you can. |
| Ron |
Posted - Jan 10 2015 : 8:59:52 PM
Good night Mary Janevand thank you both MJ and Janet! I am sure the critters will be fine.
Hope to catch you over coffee Janet. |
| NellieBelle |
Posted - Jan 10 2015 : 8:17:49 PM
MaryJane and Ron. I keep hoping things turn around for your girls soon. Nothing is more upsetting than having our cows ill. I'm hoping by morning things are better for both Maizy and Harriet. Makes me think I need to be doing a bit more studying and learn a bit more about the metobolics and nutrition of my cows. Seems to be pretty important to keep things balanced. Makes me feel really inadequate and helpless. I'm thinking of you both and your cows. Try to get some rest. Good night. |
| maryjane |
Posted - Jan 10 2015 : 7:55:57 PM
Probably shouldn't give baking soda and vinegar at the same time or even within a couple of days I wouldn't think. It has a tendency to expand:) Harriet sounds like she's doing pretty good actually, in spite of the cold. Good to hear Betsy is so boop-y. |
| Ron |
Posted - Jan 10 2015 : 7:46:02 PM
Have not given the ACV in the water for a while being it freezes up fast but will hit her with some in the morning.
Just got back in from the rounds and Harriet was laying in Her nest chewing the cud. Put some fresh baking soda in front of Her and Shevtook a few licks and I got a couple of burps out of Her. Also found a small pile of fairly normal looking poop there and a couple or so gallons of water were gone also. I really think the brutal winds we have been having coupled with the cold just have slowed Her down some. This is the first winter She has lived in the dairy barn Her whole life so it is new to Her.
Betsy is an animal. Eating hay up and down and every where. She will be a good cow. |
| maryjane |
Posted - Jan 10 2015 : 6:56:34 PM
Also, I had a long, productive conversation with Michael Wicks from Wicks Livestock Nutrition in NE (where I get my minerals). He said 4-5 ounces of apple cider vinegar can do wonders towards getting a cow "balanced" again. He told me to pour it on her hay just before she eats it in the winter because when I set it out alone as free-choice it freezes. He also suggested I give her only grass hay once she starts eating again. Do you have some ACV on hand, Ron? It seems like you already give Harriet ACV in her water, right? |
| Ron |
Posted - Jan 10 2015 : 6:55:34 PM
Might have some milk replacer on hand in the calving kit. Just going out again. Not at the real worried part am at the concerned part. She is not bred so that is a relief and I think it has be a gradual thing since this past cold snap. Does not seem to drink much during the day and then sucked down about eight gallons last night when I went out and then a little more this morning. Not shaking or stumbling but not herself. Calf is actually thriving and as soon as the weather breaks I got to wean, just hate to add seperation anxiety also. It will work out. |
| maryjane |
Posted - Jan 10 2015 : 6:36:49 PM
I'm still processing everything Maizy is going through and seeking answers to a couple more questions but those were two of her symptoms, Ron, not drinking and not pooping.
She's still not drinking very much (she turned her nose up at the fake-flavored electrolyte water I tried) or pooping. What did come out was very dry and hard (the vet extracted some with a gloved arm). One of the things the vet and I did this morning was "tube" a gallon of mineral oil down her followed by a gallon of water to try to soften things up and move things along as well as hydrate her. She has good rumen contractions so it's not a probiotic thing or bloat.
The calcium thing is a whole 'nuther issue. We also gave her CMPK (calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium) intravenously (instant release) as well as SQ (subcutaneous) CMPK (sustained release). He's coming back Tuesday to help me give her a tube of CMPK gel in her mouth (using a caulking gun) that I'll continue every few days for a couple of weeks.
He's doesn't want her to eat anything for a couple of days (she's not interested anyway and still isn't pooping at all or drinking much).
When I was leading her into the milking parlor this morning after he arrived, her body shook with a couple of troublesome tremors. It's just heartbreaking the way she looks at me begging for relief. It came on so sudden, or so I think. I'm trying to replay everything the past month or two to try to figure out where we went wrong. There just has to be a explanation so I can guard against it going forward.
As far as Harriet is concerned, I'm afraid I can't be of much help Ron. I'm sorry. I know how worrisome it can be. I'm relying on my doctor at this point to show up and help lead me through it. I doubt you want to tube Harriet to give her some mineral oil and water. He did suggest that a dehydrated cow might be interested in some milk replacer mixed with warm water. Do you have any of that on hand?
When my vet was inside Maizy he said he felt an active baby and that nothing we're doing to her will harm it. |
| NellieBelle |
Posted - Jan 10 2015 : 6:29:44 PM
Well, hopefully it's just the extreme cold that has put her off and she will get back to herself. Nellie or Sienna wouldn't eat tonight but it was because I put some of the new feed in with their other and they wouldn't have no part of it. Soooooo. ? |
| Ron |
Posted - Jan 10 2015 : 6:26:51 PM
She seems to be moving around.mi been thinking maybe too much c too long coupled withnthe cold. Don't know. Warm water don't have but fresh water I keep bringing out. Got to go back out in about an hour or so. |
| NellieBelle |
Posted - Jan 10 2015 : 6:10:25 PM
Boy Ron, I wish I were more knowledgable. I think if it were Nellie I would make her move. Keep her moving for a while. Offer warm water. Maybe the Vit. C. again. This cold has been something, has to be hard on them. If they've been huddled down trying to keep warm, perhaps lack of exercise may have contributed. I hope MaryJane gives you some suggestions. I'm not much help. |
![[flourish]](/images/flourish-txt_mobius.png)
![Heritage Jersey Organization [logo]](/images/HJO-logo.png){kind=logo}
