New Calf - Caesarian Section last night

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 8:42 am

Not the right time to mention 'lush grass' to people in the UK Inger although I know you qualified it with 'most places'. We are in that awful lull with the grass stuck on no grow, and each year you wonder if the fields will ever be lush again although commonsense tells us in about 4- 6 weeks it will be here in abundance. And as for hills, you should see this farm !!

Sylvia

600' - 800' in Carmarthenshire, Wales

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 7:48 pm

I have heard that our heifer Woodmagic Mallard 8th and her bull calf below are closely related to cow from Australia which also has a bull calf but unfortunately I cannot get its image to appear here!!! It will go onto photobucket but not from there to here.

Sorry Margaret I will have another try tomorrow!

Stephanie

http://s196.photobucket.com/albums/aa24 ... 0081-1.jpg

wagra dexters · Post by **wagra dexters** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:10 am

Thanks anyway, Stephanie. Sounds like the same trouble I had.
Margaret.

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 12:13 pm

At last Margaret - your cow Zantara is pictured below with her bull calf. I will leave it to you or Beryl to explain the relationship to my heifer and her calf.

I had to change the jpeg.

Stephanie :D Success at last!

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 12:25 pm

We are still getting Mallard and her calf in at night and putting them out every morning, although lately there has still been a frost on the ground when they go out.

Catching the calf to put the halter on to fetch them in is getting more difficult every day!

Stephanie

wagra dexters · Post by **wagra dexters** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 5:48 am

Thankyou for your perseverance, Stephanie.

The cow is sire-over-daughter Wm Hedgehog 3rd. The calf is by a bull bred entirely of Woodmagic exports to Canada, but being from a strain of earlier milking lines, quarter Doesmead, not typical of the usual dual purpose Wm type, more dairyish. The calf is chunky like the dam.

Margaret.

Edited By wagra dexters on 1207889417

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 9:35 am

OK well I know that Mallard has WM Hedgehog 3rd twice as Grandsire, so there is quite a close relationshsip there.

I can see a strong similarity in their faces.

Stephanie

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 12:21 pm

I have noticed that the calf has stopped suckling the one back quarter, unfortunately I only picked it up as I let them out this morning so I couldn't examine it properly, it is very full and quite hard but not hot - yet at least. She isn't kicking him off, so if I don't find any mastitis in there when I get them in this evening I assume he just can't take all her milk?

I REALLY hope it isn't mastitis and I assume if it is I shall have to inject because any tube could be immediately taken by the calf. If it is masititis will the vet require a sample?

Perhaps I shall have to get myself a milking stool!

Stephanie

Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 1:00 pm

Do check carefully for mastitis but this is probably as you say calf not able to take all the milk - her milk production will be increasing quite fast now if she is getting over the caesar well. You may need to draw off a little for a while if she is uncomfortable, then as the calf grows he will be able to take more and supply and demand will be more in balance.

It will be up to your own vet to decide if he is happy to prescribe without tests etc. Personally I would want to get antibiotics in fairly quickly if there was mastitis there which was severe enough to make the udder swollen and painful, but if there is justs a small clot or two and no swelling or hardness of udder drawing off the milk and the calf taking the remainder may clear it. Suckler cows probably have much more frequent episodes of minor mastitis than is realised, but it will be more likely to cure itself with a calf suckling vigourously than with a dairy cow being milked twice a day.

Duncan

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 7:40 pm

Thanks Duncan

Have just checked her udder -(only just finished work) and that back quarter was much smaller when we went to fetch her in, the calf had had a fair bit out of it. However the front quarter that side was fuller and harder than I had realised but neither had mastitis - a big relief.

She was very unimpressed with my sudden desire to check her though, her leg moved like lightening and I can move faster than I thought! :laugh:

Stephanie

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 11:21 am

It's amazing what relexes can be found at times of necessity. A few days ago I was tipping tightly squashed alfafa into a bin and as it finally fell out of the bag a great whoosh of bits flew up into my face. Never have my eyes closed as quickly as that before, and when I opened them hey presto no bits, I was quite pleased with myself :D

Martin · Post by **Martin** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 10:37 pm

Hi Saffy
I have an older cow that tends to have a touch of masitis every year, she just produces more milk than her calf can take for a while. My vet makes up a couple of syringes of antibiotic when I need it and I normally administer it whilst my friend holds her by a collar (its a good job she's a quiet old girl). She has always been fine after the treatment for the rest of the season, she also produces the biggest calf on the place.
Martin. Medway Valley Dexters.

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 6:02 pm

Our heifer and her bull calf this morning.

In the first she is just going to wake up the sheep! She is obviously recovery well from the caesarian and the calf is definately not taking all her milk as yet, her udder is sometimes very full, sometimes it is just the one front quarter. We will keep an eye on her.

The stitches will come out Tuesday which will be 3 weeks.

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 3:15 pm

When I noticed that the calfs eyes were partly closed yesterday I thought is he OK?

Then he lay down and his eyes got really heavy.

That was when as he collapsed into the grass, I realised he full of milk and really sleepy!

Doesn't he look cute, I haven't taken much notice of calves going to sleep before!!!

Stephanie :D

Edited By Saffy on 1208355922

Issy · Post by **Issy** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 7:13 pm

Gorgeous :D