How to tell age and a few other questions.

DJ in WA · #41 03/04/11, 11:19 PM

I would agree that she might be most lacking in protein. Alfalfa is good. If low in protein, they'll rob muscle to put protein in the milk.

However, she's not producing any more than a beef cow, so seems to me she ought to be doing better. Alot of possible reasons for being a poor doer.

Obviously someone didn't want her for a reason. Many beginners like me end up getting a 5 year old Jersey and find out later why they were available - with me it was untreatable chronic mastitis.

Your best hope is for a heifer calf. Jersey/angus is a good mix - enough milk, but more hardy and fewer problems than a pure dairy cow. Breed to a beef bull and get a beefy calf.

Tad · #42 03/05/11, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by topside1

Worming with safeguard is a joke in the goatworld....I'm not sure about the dairy cow world...I know I don't use it....Topside

ditto in the cow world....Cydectin

Tad · #43 03/05/11, 05:36 AM

You have me nervous now, I wish you had a good cow vet around to have her checked out. She is not as bad as you first made it sound but she is low on condition and often when a cow is low on condition they do not cycle. I hope she is bred for you and just not cycleing. I have seen other threads on here on a send away blood test for pregnancy if you don't jave a vet to preg check her.

agmantoo · #44 03/05/11, 09:12 AM

shop the internet for smaller quantity animal meds. Here is a place that you could have gotten the wormer.
http://www.jefferslivestock.com/sear...arch-submit=GO

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.h...in%20pour%20on

As to your animals age, I believe she is older. The width of her nose area below her eyes to her muzzle are a giveaway. IMO she is past her second 5th birthday.

wolffeathers · #45 03/07/11, 04:16 PM

Just wanted to check back in. Since being wormed Bess has lost that "ballooned, gonna drop a calf any minute" belly. Granted she's still a little pot bellied, but not near as much as she was. I know with many animals the loss of a potbelly means they "had" a worm load they are now losing. Is it the same with cows?

She seems to have gotten a bit more perky and bossy(yelling for me when I'm late to feeding).

southerngurl · #46 03/07/11, 07:56 PM

Sounds like it may have been just what she needed!