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maryjane
7074 Posts
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 Posted - Jun 12 2014 : 12:53:04 PM
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Here's an awful injury my milk cow suffered the day before yesterday. More pics and what we did to help her coming soon. Stay tuned (she's healing nicely).
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MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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maryjane
7074 Posts
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Posted - Jun 12 2014 : 4:06:08 PM
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Here's the scene of the crime--a new field (looking west) that we opened up this spring using an electric fence and T-posts.
Facing east.
I knew it had dense brush in places so we scouted it before we put the animals in. When I saw the cut on Maizy's teat I thought "barbwire" so we went looking again. The cows had cleaned up the brushy areas dramatically--areas that you couldn't even see into before had been opened up in their quest for one-more-blade-of-grass.
Here's the culprit. My husband said, "My grandfather probably tossed that there thinking no one will ever use this area for animals."
I'm actually thinking I'll turn it into a Christmas wreath for the barn door.
Here's where we found it. It was mostly buried but Maizy managed to find some portion of it with her teat.
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MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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maryjane
7074 Posts
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Posted - Jun 12 2014 : 4:54:14 PM
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My vet said it couldn't be stitched (or glued using medical super glue) because if the injury was more than two hours old, the tissues wouldn't heal back together and the stitches (or glue) would only trap bacteria in the wound. I was sure it was more than two hours old because it wasn't bleeding at all by the time I found it.
So I'm bringing her into our milking parlor several times per day to disinfect it (betadine), milk that teat by hand (have to give her relief or I'll be fighting mastitis), and apply triple antibiotic ointment (bacitracin/neomycin/polymyxin--NOT one with a steroid like dexamethasone or cortisone). The first time I milked her, she really objected. I hobbled her foot such that she could only kick it backwards, but she worked it like a piston. (Maizy is one of those cows you can sit on a bucket in the field and milk.)
I wore a pair of surgical gloves and kept my thumb wet so that I could sorta slide my thumb down from top to bottom on the side of the teat that wasn't injured while my other fingers braced the back of the teat that was injured above the cut. It did get the milk out, slowly but surely. I'm sure it would have hampered her healing and hurt like crazy if I'd just grabbed it and milked it like I normally would. Fortunately, the cut wasn't through the teat cistern. I didn't think to ask my vet what happens in that scenario.
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MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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hudsonsinaf
56 Posts
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Posted - Jun 12 2014 : 5:31:10 PM
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| Oh bless her heart!!!!!!! Very thankful she is healing so nicely!!! I am intrigued at what you did use and looking forward to learning! My first instinct would be yarrow to help fight infection, but I'm not even sure you can use that on cows' teats! Lansinah is great for nursing momma's but again... would that work for a cow!?!? |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Jun 15 2014 : 10:04:28 PM
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| Ouch! How is Maizy doing now? Is she still kicking? You have your hands full with treating Maizy and keeping a watch out for a new birth. The culprit will indeed make a beautiful wreath...if you can stand to see it after all the time and effort you've spent on getting Maizy's teat to heal. |
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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maryjane
7074 Posts
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Posted - Jun 16 2014 : 10:51:06 AM
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| Maizy is doing very well (lots of Vit. C and love). I'm still milking that teat by hand (and discarding the milk) but I'm hoping that by this Wed. I can put her back on the machine. I'm going to use my Ultimate EZ Milker because I can see through the plastic and know how the teat is reacting to the suction. She will forever have a bit of a flap that I'm hoping doesn't cause the cut to tear more when under pressure. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Jun 16 2014 : 10:18:08 PM
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| Another positive for the Ultimate EZ Milker! Can I ask how much Vit. C are you giving her? Any other special supplements to help with healing now? |
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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maryjane
7074 Posts
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Posted - Jun 18 2014 : 5:38:59 PM
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| I add about a level T. or maybe one heaping tsp. 2x per day to their pellets when I'm fighting an infection (more details here: https://www.heritagejersey.org/chatroom/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=111. I only gave it to Maizy for about 4 days. She's in the clear now so I've stopped giving it to her. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Jun 18 2014 : 10:13:25 PM
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| Thank you! How is the cut looking now? |
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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maryjane
7074 Posts
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Posted - Jun 19 2014 : 06:57:23 AM
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Interestingly enough, she's quit sending any milk to that quarter of her udder, even though I milked it by hand every day until it was empty. Yesterday it was so empty, I couldn't even get it stripped. (And that was the teat my grandgirls liked best for hand milking.) Every day the milk she produced from it was less and less since her injury. How does a cow WILL that kind of change to her udder I want to know?! I hope it isn't permanent. I checked for mastitis in that teat every day also. None.
The cut still has a tiny scab that I'm sure will fall off soon. It's looking great but probably today when I bring her in, I won't have to milk it and can quit worrying about it until her next cycle (I hope her milk comes back in that quarter next year. Yikes!). |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Jun 19 2014 : 09:30:44 AM
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| I would be surprised if you'll quit worrying about it, MaryJane! :-) Our cows and farm critters tend to become part of the family. You just won't need to carefully and gently milk that one quarter the rest of this season. But you'll be wondering about it until next year when you find out the answer to whether or not she has milk in that particular quarter or not. Such an unexpected injury! Poor Maizy... |
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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NellieBelle
11217 Posts
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Posted - Jul 20 2014 : 08:43:36 AM
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| How heartbreaking. No one wants to see their cow get injured but it does happen. I've tried to go over this place with a fine tooth comb and we still find an occasional wire or hazard. Some objects just work there way to the surface after a time. Nice to know how to handle a situation like yours but I pray we can avoid it. |
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maryjane
7074 Posts
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Posted - Aug 13 2014 : 3:12:25 PM
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Here's an update on how the cut has healed. Almost good as new! After her injury, I milked her by hand just long enough to transition her to calf-only milking and then quit (it took about 2 weeks). She's such a productive cow that when I wean her calf next month, I'll start taking her milk again (and start shaving her udder in the area around her teats again--good sanitation procedure). She's my full-size Jersey.
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MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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NellieBelle
11217 Posts
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Posted - Aug 13 2014 : 3:34:31 PM
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| Maisy's teat healed nicely. It looked pretty nasty when you first posted the injury. So glad she has healed so quickly and you will be able to start milking her again once the calf is weaned. |
To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown |
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pamijc88
19 Posts
Pamela
Pierson
FL
United States
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Posted - Aug 27 2014 : 09:07:25 AM
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| So glad to see how nicely it healed up.. |
Loving farm life with my hubby of 35 years
My Mid size Jersey Bessie my just above mini Jersey Bit of Honey our two dogs Dora and Tilly and a yard full of chickens ... |
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Ron
4666 Posts
Ronnie
Peever
SD
USA
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Posted - Dec 13 2014 : 2:58:01 PM
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| Mary Jane how is Maizy doing? Any milk out of that quarter. I am going through a similar situation with Harriet and have a question or two about the injury in your cow and the cow not sending milk to that quarter . when you were milking the injured quarter and the milk got less and less did that quarter of the udder get tight and milk would just stop coming? |
With a moo moo here and a moo moo there, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo. |
Edited by - Ron on Dec 13 2014 2:58:37 PM |
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maryjane
7074 Posts
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Posted - Dec 13 2014 : 3:11:40 PM
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Once I started milking Maizy full-time and weaned her calf a few months ago (Sept.), neither of her front quarters gave as much as they usually do Ron but they milked fine, just lowered production, perhaps from the injury. I continued to get milk from the injured teat. So it figures that once her calf started milking on it, production came back somewhat.
(I dried Maizy up before I left last week. She is due in March and I didn't want everyone to have to deal with all that milk while I'm away.)
Her injured teat performed as usual other than her production wasn't up to snuff once I weaned her calf, but I won't know for sure until she freshens again if that makes sense. Can you tell me more about Harriet's injury? Perhaps calf related? |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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Ron
4666 Posts
Ronnie
Peever
SD
USA
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Posted - Dec 13 2014 : 3:44:48 PM
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Yes calf related. It was the calfs favorite teat and the end got a chunk out of it. The calf hit thst one all the time but last week it has moved to all the others. The bag in this one is much firmer than the others but the test is not swelled. Sort of like the milk is up there and she is not letting it down. I started her on the ester c and just milk what I can out of it. That's about it.
Make the Hayden planetarium if you can !
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With a moo moo here and a moo moo there, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo. |
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maryjane
7074 Posts
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Posted - Dec 13 2014 : 3:52:20 PM
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I'm thinking that when they have a teat injury, they're perfectly capable of slowing production. For Maizy, that seemed to be both her front quarters, even though she had only one injured teat. I've just never had a calf injure a teat like you describe. Perhaps it's because Harriet's teats are so large and the calf's mouth so small. But you're confident the canal is intact?
Love the idea of the planetarium. I'm on it! Thanks. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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Ron
4666 Posts
Ronnie
Peever
SD
USA
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Posted - Dec 13 2014 : 4:21:50 PM
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I can milkmout some milk but the test is just not filling up like it used too. The bag is firm and all the others are not due to milking and nursing. Sort of like She is not letting down that quarter. The calf still nurses and gets some out and I milk and get some out but seems like there is more. Guess I will just give her a round of the c powder ( she gets a cow ball with grain, molasses and c powder ) milk what I can and hope for the best.
Planetarium next to museum of natrual history. Another totally awesome place. |
With a moo moo here and a moo moo there, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo. |
Edited by - Ron on Dec 13 2014 4:23:07 PM |
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maryjane
7074 Posts
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Posted - Dec 13 2014 : 4:31:49 PM
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| Well since letting down is psychological, it only stands to reason that a cow wouldn't let down into an injured teat. I know that if a woman is going through a lot of emotional trauma or hasn't prepped her tits for the rigors of nursing, she sometimes doesn't let down and her baby can start to starve. I've actually seen that happen, but she was so determined to nurse her baby that her doctor outfitted her with a bag that fit on her back filled with formula and a tube that came down and taped to her breast at her nipple so she could "nurse." Eventually with that set-up she started to let down and the baby started to get her milk. But when she first took her and her baby to the doctor, her baby looked like a starving baby magpie crying all the time. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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Ron
4666 Posts
Ronnie
Peever
SD
USA
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Posted - Dec 13 2014 : 4:51:12 PM
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Sshheessshhh. And I am missing all this stuff by being a guy? Lol...and just think I miss out on high heels too! Lol.. Feet sore you guys? ( grin )
Yeah I guess I just have to watch Her and keep fussing with it. You know how one tends to worry about the cows. No vets near by here so I got you guys, the Internet and try to listen to the cow? Piece of cake, right? Did some one say NYC cheesecake? |
With a moo moo here and a moo moo there, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo. |
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Jersey James
176 Posts
James
Central
FL
United States
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Posted - Dec 14 2014 : 10:35:05 AM
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| Best wishes for Harriet, Ron. I know we fret like crazy here over the littlest things with our cows. It's really like having a baby. MaryJane did you end up making a Christmas wreath out of that barbed wire? |
How many cows is enough? |
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Ron
4666 Posts
Ronnie
Peever
SD
USA
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Posted - Dec 14 2014 : 10:59:27 AM
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Thanks James, just het to have something turn into a big deal if it can be avoided. We are pretty much on our own out around here.
Last vet that tried to make it out this far they say got ate by coyotes we think. Have not seen one since. |
With a moo moo here and a moo moo there, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo. |
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Jersey James
176 Posts
James
Central
FL
United States
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Posted - Dec 14 2014 : 1:18:21 PM
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| Funny Ron. My favorite books as a kid were the James Herriot books so I love to play vet! One day early on with Lucy, we gave her a bunch of grass clippings. I mean a bunch. She got bloat and was in serious trouble. There wouldn't have been time for a vet IMO. I got a 5 gal bucket with a hose coming out of the bottom. Made a drench of water and several types of organic oils and put her in the stanchion. Hardest part was learning that the hose has to go in from the side - that took a few minutes. She was back out eating grass 5 minutes after I gave her the drench. It was a great feeling. She gave me a big thank you lick. |
How many cows is enough? |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Dec 14 2014 : 2:34:19 PM
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| James, would you share what types of organic oils and amounts of oils plus water that you used for your drench? It seems like that would be a good thing to tuck inside my Milk Cow Kitchen book for an emergency. Thanks! |
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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Teat Injury
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