| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| tracylea.henrie |
Posted - Oct 27 2016 : 2:33:41 PM
Hello everyone!
I am trying to prep for new baby #1!! So excited and extremely nervous. I have only had Anna for 3 months now and she will be calving for the first time. December 23ish. I was hoping that she would be looking a little better than she does. She does not seem to be very big. I guess what I need to know is what she should be looking like? Weight?, Udders? I know she was well taken care of prior to coming to me, and she has been grazing on really good pasture since I have had her and as of this month I have been giving alfalfa, 1 flake morning and night, grass hay, just kept in the feeder for her to eat freely (she is also still in pasture) and grain. Am I missing something that may help her to "beef" up a little more before baby? Or maybe its just me. Please and Thank you for any and all info!! |
| 18 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| NellieBelle |
Posted - Jan 12 2017 : 1:37:20 PM
I know this is sounding like a broken record, but dousing the umbilical cord with betadine a couple times a day to keep infection from setting in. I'm sure you all remember but it's something that can go horribly wrong if not addressed. I feel like Red Green, "we're all in this together, keep your stick on the ice." |
| farmlife |
Posted - Jan 12 2017 : 12:01:39 PM
You'll get it worked out. Don't give up! I have a milking bag that has the basic necessities in it. I prep it each time as far as checking to see if I need to add gloves or refill something, but it's nice to know I already have most of what I need each time for your trips back and forth to the cow. Teat maintenance is a big part of all that you will do. If you are trying to get the calf to nurse and also take care of the cow, the Dynamint lotion and Teat-Kote dip are good choices. I love the Dr. Sarah products for their healing properties and protection against the cold, but I would NOT recommend that a calf nurse after you put them on. Our calf got scours. |
| tracylea.henrie |
Posted - Jan 12 2017 : 11:43:50 AM
Thank You, Thank You! The barn is not 100% finished yet so I can easily add to the milking area. I noticed today that he is following her around a little more. This morning I noticed her teats were dry and starting to crack. So I whipped up some stuff for that. It was one of those details I over looked and could be the cause of a lot of our problems. I'm going to try the flank strap tonight and see how that works. I seriously feel, the same way I felt when I brought home my first baby! Running out or sending someone out to check on him. Trying to remember to gather everything before I go in with them. I was even so tired yesterday that my head was bobbing while doing school with my kids!! |
| txbikergirl |
Posted - Jan 12 2017 : 05:50:16 AM
i am going to high five the side rail as well. we use it for all our vet work now, and they are happy with it for AI this month also. and we have found it is the only way for lover boy and i to give shots ourselves with absolute success. head stanchion + side rail = farmstead happiness
the only thing the vet mentioned about our setup is that one time, and only one time in his entire career, he had a cow go down in a head stanchion and the weight of the cow totally blocked getting it opened (and there were small horns) and that cow strangled/suffocated before they could get it out. literally the vet and 2-3 ranch hands were struggling for 1-2 minutes and the cow died. grown men and they couldn't do a darn thing, and they were all familiar with cows and weird situations. so the difference is the regular chute opens easier, and the milking stanchion doesn't go down to the ground so the cows head can get caught in a weird angle. this has nothing to do with the siderail itself of course, but since we all use a similar setup thought i would mention it.
the only thing i didn't think of enough in advance was to bring non-milking cows up into the milking parlor and get them totally locked in with head too so they don't associate it with vet work only ;> elsa is the youngest, and although she has plenty of milking parlor experience she is my "hang out" cow - she is so gentle and interested that most of her milking parlor time has just been milling around in there with me and getting a treat and getting cleaned up without her head locked in... so after the last vet session i had her concerned about getting vet treatment in the milking parlor so now i am locking her fully in more often so she sees it is much more than vet work. sally being milked has no such association, and bea being a show cow has been paraded around so much she just doesn't mind anything... |
| maryjane |
Posted - Jan 12 2017 : 01:59:13 AM
Congratulations!!! Yes, a flank rope like Janet suggested, page 221 in my book. And I always recommend a side rail and hobble, https://heritagejersey.org/chatroom/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=189
I'm liking my side rail these days for AI and just about any vet work I have to do. And I know my vets appreciate it also.
|
| NellieBelle |
Posted - Jan 11 2017 : 6:08:32 PM
Congratulations on your new calf Tracy. The first calf Nellie had, didn't have a clue to nursing, even going to her neck trying to nurse. After about a week he finally caught on, but we had to bottle feed up to that point. I was thrilled when he finally caught on. Also MaryJane suggested a flank rope for Sienna when first starting to milk her as she didn't want milked, but that helped tremendously. Plus the side rail of course. Hope you get all worked out and again so happy for you and your new calf. Any names picked yet? |
| tracylea.henrie |
Posted - Jan 11 2017 : 5:21:30 PM
And it's a boy!
After chores, I was typing the above comment, while making dinner. My husband comes in and says..... "looks like it won't be long, she is finally starting to show a mucus leak". This was maybe 5:30 p.m. By 7 we see hooves! By 7:30 we have a baby!
Mama did wonderfully. But then it all went not so good. She would and still will not let him nurse from her, and he does not seems to get "how". So we went the bottle route (reluctantly). We have tried for the past 24 hours to make it work for them. But to no avail. Funny thing is he will take the bottle no problem. But when it comes to mom, he nudges around a little and then goes away. I'm keeping them together with the hope they get it at some point. She has also turned into the biggest kicker that ever was. So getting the milk for him has been rough to say the least. Any suggestions are so very appreciated. |
| farmlife |
Posted - Jan 11 2017 : 2:28:42 PM
The anticipation is so hard to live with! It's worth it in the end though. Keep in mind that unless her udder looks like it is going to explode you could have a few weeks yet. |
| NellieBelle |
Posted - Jan 11 2017 : 10:24:51 AM
Hello Tracy. Excited about your news. Anna's first calf. Can't wait to hear how it goes. Photos when you can. |
| maryjane |
Posted - Jan 10 2017 : 9:55:56 PM
Hope it isn't long now. Make sure you let us know what you get. Alfalfa seems most important when our girls are producing milk on a daily basis. I'm sure she's fine on grass hay. It's her job to grow a calf and it's our job to worry. Sounds like you're doing your job very well:) |
| tracylea.henrie |
Posted - Jan 10 2017 : 4:17:07 PM
Hello All, Time to catch up again!! So when I bought Anna, I was given the due date of December 23ish, I was told this was according to a vet who did an ultra sound. So the 23rd rolled around......no baby. (This was about mid 279-290 days.) It is now January 10th still no baby! But the good news is she definitely looks pregnant now!! And now I can actually say it won't be long. However I feel bad because she has gone all this time with out her alfalfa, poor mama is probably wondering what I am doing to her. Aww first timers, what better way to learn! |
| tracylea.henrie |
Posted - Oct 29 2016 : 5:48:10 PM
Thanks Mary Jane, I did read that a while ago, and that is when I started thinking it could not happen to a first time mama. In point #1 he says "have calved once or twice". But I will take the precaution and pull her off the alfalfa.
As for the pics of Anna, I can not get them to load. I don't believe its the site, because I read over the how to post pic thread, and followed them but nothing. I think it is just my computer.
So I thank you all again for your informative input and will let you know how it turns out. |
| maryjane |
Posted - Oct 29 2016 : 01:13:28 AM
I've never heard about not having to worry with a first calf. Holding back high calcium foods like alfalfa seems easy enough. If it were me, I'd probably do it just to be on the safe side.
Here's an article that might be of use:
https://www.heritagejersey.org/chatroom/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5222 |
| tracylea.henrie |
Posted - Oct 28 2016 : 2:29:06 PM
So I looked at the photos on here, and maybe she does not look to bad. I will try to get some photos loaded on here today. If internet holds up for me. We have the worst service out here. Thank you all for your input. One more question....do I need to worry about milk fever with a first time mama? I thought it only happened after the first birth. |
| maryjane |
Posted - Oct 28 2016 : 06:15:55 AM
Here's a link with some photos:
https://www.heritagejersey.org/chatroom/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=838 |
| farmlife |
Posted - Oct 27 2016 : 9:03:28 PM
Please post us a photo if you can and then we can "weigh" in on the issue. :) I have learned that dairy cows are in no way similar to beef cows in how they look and carry a calf. They are on polar opposite ends of the spectrum. |
| NellieBelle |
Posted - Oct 27 2016 : 3:22:29 PM
Tracy, I think I've posted this somewhere before but it gives you a guide on diet prior to delivery, especially a month prior to calving that you may find beneficial. My vet instructed me to cut the alfalfa out of the diet a few weeks prior delivery to help prevent Milk Fever. Here is the link: http://extensionpublications.unl.edu/assets/pdf/g1743.pdf I personally don't change my cows' diets much at all except the last few weeks before delivery, and I just let them have grass hay, a little feed, but stopped the alfalfa pellets. |
| NellieBelle |
Posted - Oct 27 2016 : 2:43:29 PM
Congratulations on your upcoming calf. Every cow will look different at the time of calving. It would be helpful to see a photo of your Anna, but it sounds as if you are giving her plenty of food and nourishment. In what way do you think she isn't looking good? Does she appear thin? It's not actually good to get a pregnant cow "heavy or overweight" as this can cause it's own problems. Perhaps MaryJane and the others give you some better idea. So happy for you and can't wait to see your new calf. We have threads, (posts,photos) showing cows during the last few stages of pregnancy. Perhaps if you look at those, this too may help give you added help. |
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