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Barnyard Buddies:  cow went berserk!!  |
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eskimobirdlady
True Blue Farmgirl
700 Posts
connie
fairbanks
ak
USA
700 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 05 2010 : 01:35:11 AM
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| I dont know what happened but tonight our cow went totally berserk! she can not only cow kick but can kick straight forward, to the side and straight back! they even had one leg pulled up and she kicked twice with the other before she fell! she never was really fiendly but once you got her halter she was always sweet. the last couple of days she has been pawing the ground and tonight when we tried to milk she threw me against the wall, kicked hubby in the knee twice and kicked our son and our friend! there was no way to milk her!! they are gonna build a squeeze gate gate and if that doesnt work we will just have to let the calf nurse till fall and butcher her. i am heart broken. i just dont know what happened! she has been just fine with milking for the last 10 days. tonight she just was nuts! totally! right now she is walking around with a rope and bolt hanging from her halter cuz we couldnt get the rope off her halter so just had to unbolt the tie rope. i cant have people getting hurt! i have a huge lump on my arm and my back is bruised. i have never seen a cow that could kick in the manner that she does or as fast !looks like i am gonna have to find a good old milk cow that has already been milked and is gentle. . peace connie |
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farmmilkmama
True Blue Farmgirl
2027 Posts
Amy
Central MN
USA
2027 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2010 : 04:56:48 AM
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WOW! I'm glad everyone is ok. I know nothing about cows so I'm not sure what to offer...
Is it mastitis or some other infection? I know that made me pretty crabby when I was nursing...I wanted to kick someone, too!
I hope someone has a better suggestion than me! good luck!
--* FarmMilkMama *--
Farmgirl Sister #1086
Be yourself.
Everyone else is already taken.
-Oscar Wilde
www.wakeupstartlearning.blogspot.com
www.farmfoodmama.blogspot.com |
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Karrieann
True Blue Farmgirl
1900 Posts
Karrieann
Northeast
Georgia
USA
1900 Posts |
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eskimobirdlady
True Blue Farmgirl
700 Posts
connie
fairbanks
ak
USA
700 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2010 : 06:55:08 AM
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| her teats doont look red, cracked or unusually swollen. she doesnt mind the calf nursing. it just makes no sense at all. peace connie in alaska |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2010 : 07:10:04 AM
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to mama cow it makes perfect sense. she is keeping her milk for the calf. she is also prime for ketosis and milk fever and mastitus. when you milk her be sure to watch for chunks in milk that do not melt between your fingers. watch your strainer for lumps and confirm they are butterfat not lumps of mastutus tissues. maybe once you get her in a squeeze chute situation you will be able to examine her bag better. is she holding up milk? i thought i read a post connie saying she was holding up. cows are able to hold back the milk and most of the cream.she probably is getting wound up too when coming in to milk. i had to finally take the calf away before buttercup ever accepted her fate as a milker. when the calf was around her she saved all she could for her baby. she was soooo difficult. took calf away and she went right into milking mode. i remember i think you saying you wanted to keep calf and mom together. that is a hard one to make work. i also use a hollow bamboo pole to thump my cows on the head if they try to hurt me. still the calmer things are the better. i am thinking you know quite a bit about cows already. my other thought is if she is engorged and her bag and teats are tight from milk it hurts her when you first start milking. the calf will never drink all she has for milk. you gotta get the extra out. you sure dont want her to cut back production. i sure hope this helps a little. i am sorry you are going through this. i have my bruises too. heres hoping today goes better for you. these are only suggestions. you could go to keeping a family cow and ask for help too. they are very helpful. just a thought happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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eskimobirdlady
True Blue Farmgirl
700 Posts
connie
fairbanks
ak
USA
700 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2010 : 2:37:41 PM
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| thanks sherrye, i think what we have to do, because of scheduling, is to leave the calf with her for 3 days while we go otu of town. we have company from out of state. when we get back we will seperate them. i know that she will lose some production but no choice as i cant have son or friends getting hurt! her teats arent engorged. they arent hot or red. she doesnt have mastitus, tho at one point i thought she did but it was only inflamation. she will be pretty miserable so perhaps will act a bit nicer (yeah dream on connie!) it just makes no sense that she is giving us 1 1/2 gallons of very creamy milk with the calf on her all the time, she did fine for 10 days then BAM! SHE GOES NUTS! pawing the ground, kicking in ways cows arent supposed to be able to and just plain being nuts! i am off to valdez for hubby and his brother to go halibut fishing. will check back in when we get back and update you. peace connie in alaska |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2010 : 2:54:18 PM
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no chance of rabies, is there?
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2010 : 8:12:42 PM
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HORMONES LOL
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2010 : 9:07:16 PM
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I was thinking hormones too. I know it happens alot with new milk cows. I was warned that it would be a real rodeo when Mona first calved that first year., I got lucky and she never was any trouble...but I think it happens alot. Scary though! I am sure glad you are okay!! I agree that you may have to take the calf away from her. SAd but true. Good luck...I sure hope things get better soon!
meanwhile..have fun fishing!
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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eskimobirdlady
True Blue Farmgirl
700 Posts
connie
fairbanks
ak
USA
700 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2010 : 04:09:03 AM
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| i wondered about hormones but would that wait for 10 days to take effect? peace connie in alaska |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2010 : 05:31:41 AM
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After reading this I am going to be worried about Mazie or Roxie kicking me. I might just want to stick to milking goats.
I hope she settles down for you. I did read somewhere about a lady's cow that would do what yours is doing about every few days or so. She finally figured out that it was the alfalfa hay she was feeding her. It had been sprayed with chemicals while growing. Anyway, she started feeding organic alfalfa and she has not acted like that since. She was very crazy hyper and wouldn't let anyone near her. I'll see if I can find where I saw that. You might want to investigate your feed and hay too.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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eskimobirdlady
True Blue Farmgirl
700 Posts
connie
fairbanks
ak
USA
700 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2010 : 2:51:27 PM
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| thanks kris, our hay is organic timothy and brohme. we may try to take the calf off after hubby works his 4 nights and see if that helps. otherwise butter bucket will become beef steaks in the fall! i am broken hearted. the fresh raw milk would most lkely do wonders for my health. most likely you will not have problems milking mazie or roxie as they are tame, are they not? nshe was always kinda wild until those wonderrful two week of sweetness after she calved. i havent given up yet , just taking a bit to try to figure out what to do nexxt. peace connie in alaska |
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Barnyard Buddies: cow went berserk!! |
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cow went berserk!!
