A milk Fever Case

[Up North]

I took these pitures to illustrate a milk fever case. Went to gather cows for evening milking and this Ayrshire was down with milk fever. All the classic signs, head down, cold body to the touch, unable to rise on her own.
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Second photo taken approximately 15 minutes after dosage of Radix Labs Oral Calcium Drench.Note long neck drench product bottle in foreground. Unfortunately I was alone and hence unable to photograph drenching technique. The change can allready be seen: Holding her head up, more alert, clear eyes, sitting in a more upright, normal position. Body temp warmer to the touch.
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VOILA! She's going to make it. Third photo taken approximately 40 minutes after drenching. I observed from a distance, letting the Calcium levels stabilize and she rose when she was confident and comfortable with her strength level. I would note that a Calcium IV would have produced a more rapid recovery, and is probably a better form of treatment- IF you have your tools on hand, where you can find them, and are experienced in IV application. If not, the oral product can be administered and will save a cow. Or if a vet can get there soon enough. At our location most milk fever cows would be dead before a vet could get here, so we treat our own cows.
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[Ronney]

I haven't had a milk fever case for years but have always done my own. IV isn't difficult and is much more rapid but as you say, you've got to know where to lay your hands on the gear when you need it

I must say, you appear to have good grass growth for the time of the year and it's all looking pretty good. In fact, the last photo could be somewhere in NZ.

Is 84 her herd number? I find it interesting that you have a tag on a collar.

Anyway, well done and I'm glad she made it, she looks to be a good cow and probably a bang on producer.

Cheers,
Ronnie

[Donna from Mo]

That brings back some bad memories. Over the years I lost two different Jersey cows to milk fever. One because I was away, and the other one I called the vet for three times; she'd get up each time, but with less energy, and finally died with her head in my lap. That's been years ago, but it still makes me sad to think about it. She was my first Jersey.

[tyusclan]

Great looking cow. Glad you were able to save her.

[Up North]

Originally Posted by Ronney

I haven't had a milk fever case for years but have always done my own. IV isn't difficult and is much more rapid but as you say, you've got to know where to lay your hands on the gear when you need it

I must say, you appear to have good grass growth for the time of the year and it's all looking pretty good. In fact, the last photo could be somewhere in NZ.

Is 84 her herd number? I find it interesting that you have a tag on a collar.

Anyway, well done and I'm glad she made it, she looks to be a good cow and probably a bang on producer.

Cheers,
Ronnie

Ronnie if you notice the date on the pic, this was taken in May. Ronnie for 6 months of the year our farm looks like it could be in New Zealand. This is what it looks like the other 6 months. (I took these pics today)





When calves are born they are given ear tags. When they enter the milking string we give them a barn number on their collar. 84 is a daughter of a New Zealand bull, SANROSA ROYAL PAUL. Great cows!...Can you find the pig in the second picture? :baby04:

[linn]

We keep a supply of calcium paste on hand for just such emergencies.

[Ronney]

Stupid me, I didn't even look at the date on the photo!!! The photo's that you posted today look more what I would imagine for this time of the year. BRRR, sorry but you can have your snow although I do have to admit it looks beautiful.

Thanks for explaining the barn number and interesting that your using bulls from the far flung antipodes.

Cheers,
Ronnie

[Sunraven]

I IV them, it's really not as difficult as many people think. We also have tubes of calcium paste to give them orally and a powder form to mix with water if they'll drink it. Generally use the paste as a follow up treatment. Give the powder mix to fresh cows.

[francismilker]

UpNorth,
Do you have a local supplier to get the calcium drench from? Or do you order it online? I have been using IV calcium for the past few cases, however, this drench would be practicle for the wife or kids to use while I am at work.

Also, I've heard numerous different wise tales about post-milk fever treatment. What is your preference? Do you immediately put the cow in the milk string? Or, do you give her a day or two to get on her feet and leave her with her calf? I've only had problems with my Jerseys within a few hours after calving.

Thanks for the pictures. I agree with Ronnie. I'd like to see some grass like that any time at my place. The recent drought we've been going through makes me wish I could see any sign of grass! My cows are on hay and feed ONLY and are standing around like vultures waiting on something to grow!

[Up North]

We normally leave the calf with the cow for a few days anyways. If a cow has a history of milk fever we skip milking her the first milking after calving. Then we milk her out partially until we think she is past any danger of getting milk fever. Same goes if she actually comes down with milk fever. Skip one milking and then partially milk out until danger is past. If it happens to be a really bad case of milk fever we may skip milking her more than once. Works for us.

We get our supply of calcium from our vets office.

Heather

[dosthouhavemilk]

Very good series. Shows the droopy very well!

We treat our milk fever cases with *one* bottle of Calcium Gluconate (or Calcium Dextrose) sub-Q, just in front of the shoulders. One half bottle on each side.
This is for our Jerseys and our Jersey/Norwegian Red crosses.

I've been meaning to get a series showing dad treating a cow, but we haven't had a milk fever case since January of 2005. About when I had planned on doing the series...lol

Dad and granddad started treating their own milk fever cases over a couple of decades ago. Treating them Sub-Q. Haven't lost a cow they got to in time.
This includes Hale Bopp, who went down with milk fever and laid with her head downhill long enough to have stomach contents show up. She lived three more years and would go down with milk fever twice after every freshning (freshening every two years). Never failed! She even broke down a door one year to find a spot where shecould put her head lower than her heart. Cow had a death wish!

Sub-Q is a slower release, just like the paste and the drench. Which is preferred in my opnion. The cow gathers her strength before trying to get up.
I watched too many cows treated by the vet IV that would get up and then plummet down even harder than the first time over at the school and most never got back up again.

Adeleine was acting off after milking one day 6 months into her lactation. She was my cow so dad went ahead and called the vet. Well, he figured out it was milk fever just before the vet showed up. Young guy, ended up killing another one of our cows...anyways. This guy tried to put two bottles in her neck with her still standing. Dad put his foot down and so the vet put the second bottle sub-Q. Not surprisingly it was too much calcium at once and her body flushed it out of the system and she was right back where she started but worse off. The vet had left lumps on her (hadn't done much sub-Qing yet apparently). Dad treated her himself and she was up in a few hours and nary a lump from his treatment!

With sub-Q you have to make sure you make it through all the layers of the skin! Freedom went down with milk fever when she was 12. Dad knew she was gonna go down, but he figured he had more time. He went out on the tractor to work. I looked down and she was laid out flat so I went and propped her up with my body while mom got the milk fever bag. She's a nurse, but she hadn't done much treatment on cows. That tough Jersey hide. We treated Freedom and she ended up sloughing off some muscle and skin from it not making it all the way through the layers. The cow survived so it was a toss up. Dad had planned to treat her a few hours later, but she went down faster than expected.

[jerzeygurl]

our oldest milker came down with it before calving, but not severe, i had to convince every one that that is what it was,after treating her several days with paste she was much better. she was just having troubles getting arround, getting up, stumbling and her eyes were just not right. I watched her like a hawk untill she calved but she has not had any problems, i am still watching her, as she now has edema ( which seems to be normal for her now)

[Up North]

Thanks for all the insights. This is our Miss Piggy, who is 11 years old. The last two times she calved she tried to die of the milk fever. Came down with milk fever 6 hours prior to calving and couldn't get off the floor. Treated her with Calcium, she got up and drank water, ate hay, then laid down and had her calf. Had to treat her a second time post calving.
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She is alive today and in the milking string.

I'm not saying the oral Drench is "the ' way to go, I'm saying it's "a" way to go. IV, SubQ, Drench, Paste - use whatever works for you. Main thing is to have products on farm(where you can find them), recognize symptoms and treat immediately.

[jerzeygurl]

yes i plan on it, that and the diuretic for the caked bag it was awful this time and i couldnt get into town because of the snow.

she is not one i milk any more, just breed her for her calves. I am drying up her back quarters ( when i got her she was blind there and has since recovered but teats are too small to milk and her bag is so big that the calves cant find them) but she is a good mamma and produces pretty calves, and none of them have shown any signs of having her problems. Must be lucky bull choice.

[65284]

Thanks for sharing the pics and getting this interesting thread started. To me, there are few things more gratifying, cattle wise, than seeing a cow up and moving that just an hour or two previous was down flat and apparently, even probably, beating on death's door.

[ozark_jewels]

Originally Posted by 65284

Thanks for sharing the pics and getting this interesting thread started. To me, there are few things more gratifying, cattle wise, than seeing a cow up and moving that just an hour or two previous was down flat and apparently, even probably, beating on death's door.

I agree. Milk fever is a very rewarding thing to cure.