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maryjane
7074 Posts
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 Posted - Feb 11 2016 : 9:29:38 PM
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Yes, fingers crossed! I learned some cool things today about cattle reproduction. A woman from N. Idaho called to buy 3-4 straws of Samson's semen, but she said what she really might be needing is a new cow because their family cow (from a former dairy) was with a bull for a couple of months while they were milking her. They continued to milk her thinking she was pregnant. 60 days out, they dried her up. As it turns out she's not pregnant but wasn't showing signs of heat after being with the bull so she's thinking her beloved cow is infertile.
Luckily for me I had someone handy who could provide her with some hope. Dr. Lisa Pearson, DVM, in WSU's Theriogenology Department decided at the end of Dec. not to continue on at WSU. Seeking a career change and loving photography and editing, she's here one day/week as an apprentice in our design studio. She can't work on my animals because she isn't licensed in Idaho but I was more than happy to have her explain cattle reproduction to me today.
She said an ultrasound (hand-held/portable) will tell if the cow is cycling and whether or not her ovaries are producing and whether or not her uterus is healthy. Sometimes, high-producing dairy cows don't show signs of heat because all their energy is going into milk production. They actually metabolize the hormones needed to bring them into heat, making it difficult for them to get pregnant. Now that she's dried up, she might be more likely to get pregnant. An ultrasound would help determine whether or not to try hormone protocol or let her rest a bit more. Based on whether or not her ovaries and uterus looked healthy, there's still hope. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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Sydney2015
1156 Posts
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Posted - Feb 12 2016 : 06:14:47 AM
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| Interesting MaryJane, I'll have to remember this for when I breed AppleButter. Charlene, Lets hope! |
A good laugh overcomes more difficulties and dissipates more dark clouds than any other one thing - Laura Ingalls Wilder
I live on a small farm of seventy acres called Green Forest Farm, with 10 horses, a donkey, 5 beef cows, 2 beef heifers, 3 Hereford heifers, around 60 chickens, 8 dogs, my amazing cow, AppleButter, and her little Jersey calf HoneyButter! |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Feb 12 2016 : 09:54:42 AM
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Well, since Betsy isn't giving milk at this time I'm hopeful that she is bred and it isn't a hormonal problem!
What a nice resource Lisa can be for you, MaryJane. Fantastic! |
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Jul 19 2016 : 09:11:55 AM
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I thought I'd update this thread ... Betsy is doing really well with her calf and she's milking great! The first day required a flank rope, more for reassurance for us than for Betsy. And yesterday she milked without any flank rope at all!!!!
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Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
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farmlife
1413 Posts
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Posted - Jul 21 2016 : 11:21:19 AM
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| How much milk is she giving, Charlene? |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Jul 21 2016 : 8:03:59 PM
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At the moment with once a day milking, we are getting around a gallon. Mabel is not shy with her consumption of milk and we are not separating her from Betsy at all. And, unlike Humble, Mabel does not have a favorite teat. :) She eats from all four.
I don't know if it will dramatically increase with time since Mabel isn't even a week old. But after Mabel is weaned, it will be interesting to see what Betsy's production is. I know Betsy's mama was a fantastic milk producing cow ... sure hope Betsy takes after her. |
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
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![[flourish]](/images/flourish-txt_mobius.png)
Betsy
![Heritage Jersey Organization [logo]](/images/HJO-logo.png){kind=logo}
