Quick questions, please?
 

1. I've been told Bessie is too thin, she's on free choice organic grass hay, loose minerals, and loose red salt. "Pasture" is pretty much gone. I'd like to worm her, what should I use? (Something Jeffers carries, please, I'm going there today?) I'm also going to get a protein block.

2. I am hoping to start milking her today, I need an odd size drill bit to put the stall cock on my balance tank and then I should have my milker done. How much grain, and how much alfalfa cubes can/should I give her, assuming I need to up her weight some?

3. Does calf need ANYTHING right now? Vaccines? Worming? Probiotics? Selenium/VitE gel?

4. How do I test Bessie's milk to any wayward things?

How many of her ribs show? All dairy breeds look thin. It's just the way they are made. Their backbones show and a few ribs show sometimes, especially if the udder weighs down the body.

I would worm with ivermectin, but I am not a cow expert.

Who told you that she looks too thin? If it was someone who isn't familiar with dairy cows, I honestly wouldn't worry too much. They tend to look thin, especially for the first while after calving. They are putting all of their energy from their food into making milk, whereas beef breeds pump energy into making muscle and fat. Dairy cows should not look like beef cows. When did she calve?

Can you post a picture of her? If the calf appears healthy and alert, I wouldn't give it anything, just plenty of milk.

As for worming, I've always used ivomec injectible. I give it orally to goats, inject it for cows. Not sure what the best oral dewormer is for cows.

What is the protein content of the hay? The diet you described sounds pretty light for a lactating dairy cow.

A few photos would help, different angles.

We supplement all of our nursing mothers with 16% dairy pellets plus their regular 12% grain. Nursing places a BIG demand on them, especially going into winter and no pasture!

Dectomax pour-on is safe to use on the cow, but you may have to buy 250ml unless you can get a single dose from the vet. I would check with your vet on what, if anything, to give a newborn calf in your area. Don't just get any old whatever at Tractor Supply...please check with your vet.

If you are planning to milk her for your family, your vet can pull blood and send to the lab for testing. TB testing requires two vet visits to your cow.

You need to check with your agricultural extension agent about wormers to use in your area and how to use them.

The first thing you need to do before worming is to find out if she needs to be wormed. Every time you use a wormer, you increase the worms' resistance to the wormer you used.

So many worms have become resistant to the wormers that you may have to rotate which wormer you use.

Good luck. I hope she's a dairy breed and the person who told you she was too thin wasn't familiar with the normal appearance of dairy cows.

We have no vet, there are none in our area. (Seriously! I even checked with a local dairy to see who they use, and they don't because there aren't any. They have heard there is one about 2 hours away, we're trying to find her name to find out if she does do livestock and whether she will come to our town) Bessie is a Dexter, not specifically a dairy breed, I was told she's a little thin by someone who has been raising Dexters for many years. Haven't heard from vet yet, but I did take a fecal in, I should know about worms any time now.

*ETA: just called vet, she has haemonchus, stomach worm, they recommended Ivomec injectible*

Person who said she was thin recommended worming if needed, and adding a protein block, I'll pick one of those up today. The grain I plan to feed is a 14% all stock, plus the alfalfa cubes, just not sure how much to start with, or how much to work up to. I've no idea of the hay's protein content, but I buy it from a local organic dairy and it's what they feed their cows. I do not know if they supplement it with anything, I'll ask when I go pick up milk today.

(I know I ask tons of probably stupid questions, but I DON'T want to just pick something up at TSC, I'd rather learn to do it right, if that makes sense?)

Bessie calved Wednesday night (4-5 days ago)

Will get photos tonight and post them.

Ivomec injectible says not for use in dairy cattle of breeding age. Crap. I'll hit Jeffers tomorrow after you guys help me figure out what to use. I'll call the extension agent in the morning and see if they are any help, and ask at the dairy if they know of something (I know they are organic now, but they used to be a regular non-organic dairy)

I don't know what ivomec injectable says. But most people use plain ivermectin.

[QUOTE=Catalytic;5485833]We have no vet, there are none in our area. Haven't heard from vet yet, but I did take a fecal in, I should know about worms any time now.

*ETA: just called vet, she has haemonchus, stomach worm, they recommended Ivomec injectible*

(I know I ask tons of probably stupid questions, but I DON'T want to just pick something up at TSC, I'd rather learn to do it right, if that makes sense?)QUOTE]

I don't think my quote thing worked, but anyway:

I am confused -- you have no vet, but a vet did the fecal exam? Contact that vet and ask what the product recommendation and application would be. Have a written list of your questions to refer to so you don't forget anything. Can the ag agent recommend someone?

I think it's good that you "don't want to just pick something up at TSC," and that is why you need to have a conversation, at the very least, with a vet so that you're selecting the correct product and the correct dosage. Keep in mind that most vets will not dispense any meds without having seen the animal beforehand.

OK, to clarify about the vet. I do not have a large animal vet, none are in my area. I have called pretty much EVERY vet in this area, and not only do they not see livestock, they don't know of any vets that do. I have spoken with county extension agents in the 3 counties around me, and they do not know of any livestock vets. My tenant has horses, he has a vet that will care for horses, but that is the only large animals he will deal with and ONLY if the horses are brought to him. He will not see goats or cows (which are the large livestock I have, and pigs, but I didn't ask about whether he would see pigs). I have checked with the only dairy I know of, and they do not know of any vets, but they recently heard there is a new female vet about 2 hours away. (I only mentioned her gender because I hope that will make it easier for me to figure out who she is)

I participate in a local group for goats, and none of the folks on there know of any vets nearby.

I have found ONE small animal vet that will do fecals for me, they've done my goats in the past (and told me my goats were their first goats), today they did my Dexter cow...and told me that was the first cow fecal they have EVER done. They do not, however, treat cows or goats. They told me what worm the cow has, and said the vet said Ivomec injectable, however, they did not inquire as to whether I milk the cow, and I didn't think to mention it.

I found another vet in a different town that will do a blood draw on my goats if I take them to her office. I haven't yet called to see if she will do one on my cow because I definitely don't have a way of getting the cow to her...if I have to, I can put the goats in my SUV/van/put the topper on my truck and bribe them to climb up.

I know that lots of areas are faced with a serious lack of large animal vets.

It is heartbreaking really.
A degree here costs about $80,000.
Then the equipment costs, lab stuff, facilities.
It is hard for a new young vet to get established in this day and age.

The young folks are choosing to work with smaller pets, where they can maybe make a profit at it.

I looked at vetting as a career when I was a teen. Decided I dont have good enough people skills.
I LOVE my vet! Both of the closest large animal vets are women.

According to articles I've read, vets graduating from Auburn start out with $100k in loans, and few are becoming large animal vets. I read an article a while back talking about the decline of dairy farms in Alabama, and one of the reasons cited is the lack of veterinary care. Funnily enough, we're not on the USDA urgent list for vets to get grants and help with establishing a practice, even though in 2008 our state vet sent in multiple counties in trouble.

I forgot to mention I've also checked with the state vet about livestock veterinarians, and the only one they knew about happened to be the husband of one of my college instructors, and he is actually listed as a vet at the practice that does my fecals. He is no longer practicing, however.

But, you guys reminded me about the state vet, I haven't had to call them recently and didn't think about them! My closest state vet lab is FANTASTIC and I bet they can guide me to the right wormer to use for Bessie. I did pick up Ivomec Eprinex from TSC today, after talking with the assistant manager for a while, he said that is what he is selling the most of lately. (He did let me know he isn't knowledgeable about meds, but I read the insert and it is good for haemonchus.)

Since I've thought about the state vet now, I'll call them tomorrow to see what they think before I do any treatment. I bought a beef cattle measuring tape, because I have no clue how much Bessie weighs, hoping it will give me a close enough estimate to be able to figure dosage for whatever I end up using?????

I was thinking that the reason listed to not use Ivomec on dairy animals is because of the milk withdraw. But to be honest...in third world countries they give it to people and some even use it in this country for one thing or another. But I could be wrong, but I am sure someone mentioned that on here before.

Oh and I think the milk withdraw is either 4 or 7 days.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1914318/ is some Canadian info on Ivomec pour on I found on KAFC.

I bought dairy safe wormer that I linked above, but I'll double check with the state vet about whether it's good in our area.

Thankfully we have a large animal vet less than a mile away and he and his wife used to run dairies. Also thankfully he likes Jerseys and is very good to me. He does not however do house calls. The one vet that will, doesn't know squat about dairy cows only beef cows and I don't like him. He thinks organic food is a conspiracy to control the world's food. And irradiated beef is a good thing. He is only 30 or 40 years old too.

There used to be a lot of dairies in my area, but now the closest one is in Anniston about an hour away.

Sorry had to rant a little

Each of the cattle associations should have a scholarship program to help new cow vets get started. I think I'll write to my associations today.

OK, I still haven't made it out to the barn with the good camera, but here are a couple of side shots from about 12 hours after she gave birth. Keep in mind, she is a Dexter, not a straight dairy breed.

http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...-27-01_978.jpg

http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/...-27-24_725.jpg

Catalytic, here are two websites on BCS (Body Condition Scoring) that will help you determine if your cow is too thin. There's a lot of information on these sites. You can also google Cattle Body Condition Scoring to find more.

Beef Cattle Production (University of Nebraska, Lincoln)
http://beef.unl.edu/learning/condition2.shtml

Beef Cattle Body Condition Scoring (Univ. of Georgia College of Vet. Medicine)
http://www.vet.uga.edu/VPP/animaldoc/cattle/index.php

The pictures aren't the greatest, but in my opinion, she needs supplementation.

She also just calved. It seems all my dairy animals just look horrible right after they calve or kid. I like rice bran or beet pulp to help with weight gain.