Maggie not herself this morning

[Karen in Alabam]

I went out to milk this morning and in the barn Maggie was waiting for me along with BJ a little bull calf that I also feed while milking. (he is still with his momma, but he was getting thin, so he comes in for a scoop and about a cup of milk in his pail)

Anyway. I got two scoops in Maggie's bucket before she came in for it and usually starts just eating. she took a bit and while I was trying to hook her up she puts up her head which she never does.

I started milking her and she seemed to move back and forth more than normal and she does a foot thing when she is irritated (I think, at least that is how I interpret it). She doesn't kick, but lifts up her foot and crosses her udder and puts it back down.

She did this a number of times, so that I was holding the bucket in one hand and milking one handed.

She usually devours everything very quickly. She always finishes her 4 scoops before BJ is done with his 1. Today he beat her.

Then after finishing, she did some stretch. I thought for sure she was going to go, but her tail never went up. She was doing some stomach stuff. Not labored breathing but seemed like she was gassy, because she burped a few times.

When I was done, I un-clipped her and she stayed put for a couple of minutes, which she never does.

She seems slow motion.

After I was done with her, I put some feed out for the other cows to share. She watched me do it and seemed slow on the trigger to stuff her face in with the rest as well.

I have only had her since just before Thanksgiving and this is the first I noticed this behavior.

Her regular feed is hay (which when we had a vet come out and check everyone because they were looking poor, he said the hay was cut late and not much value--he said to use it but to get a supplement) We just got a ton of a molasses lick that the vet said to get to correct the dietary problem. We had that stuff delivered this past Friday. (we went and got a solid molasses lick until this goop was delivered).

Everyone else seems fine.

Is this normal? Is this a sign of heat or something?

[linn]

I would keep an eye on her, she may have gotten some moldy hay or feed. If she starts to bloat, call the vet. Nervousness is a sign of oncoming heat. But with the lack of appetite, slowness and burping it sounds like a digestive problem.

[bigbluegrass]

Is her milk down or is she still milking about the same?

It might not be anything and it could be the start of something bigger.

If she has access to a protein tub with molasses in it, it is very possible she ate on that until she got so full that she just wasn't hungry for her grain anymore. She may be getting all her protein needs from the tub, so grain won't look quite as appealing. If this is the case, she should be milking heavier than she was before.

On the other hand, a cow going off feed is usually the first sign she is sick. Keep on eye on her for other things. If her milk supply drops, she is sick.

Hope that helps a little. Just throwing some ideas out there.

[Karen in Alabam]

When I got her she was milking about 1 1/2 gallons each milking. Then I was barely getting a gallon off her. I figured my inexperience. I tried really had to drain her. I since have found I can get more off her back half.

Recently, since we got the molasses tub, I was getting a gallon and a quart in the mornings, one day even a little more.

This morning I think i just barely made a gallon.

Last night was a little lighter than usual too, but I was late getting out there (had to help my husband get a shipment ready), so I was maybe 45 minutes late. I had remembered reading one saying that sometimes when they are late milking or milk them last, they sometimes get less. So I didn't think anything of it, she seemed normal last night.

The last 2 days have been in the 40s and drizzly. I leave the barn open (it isn't a very big one), but doesn't appear that they care to hang out there, they like to sleep in an old hay pile in the pasture.

Our pasture is in 3 sections (we are on an end section) and my husband saw her recently headed to the other end side of the pasture.

Will definitely keep an eye on her.

[Karen in Alabam]

I have another question:

Could her part of her problem be with her teeth?

All the other cows will eat a carrot or apple, but she doesn't. She is supposed to be 6-7 years old. (he guessed by looking at her teeth). I think the neighbor thought she might even be a little older.

I have not looked at her teeth, but am wondering if she could have a tooth problem? (that doesn't explain the burping)

[bigbluegrass]

To me it sounds like she is sick or is getting sick. If her teeth are bothering her or she recently lost one, it could make it difficult for her to chew. Open her mouth if you can and check her teeth. I don't think that fits all the other symptons you listed. Burping is normal for cows when they chew their cud - if that is what you mean by burping. Does she chew her cud after a big burp or just burp? Might be something she ate. Maybe that hay is worse than you thought. Might want to get her some good hay and keep her by herself to see if it will clear up.

If she headed off by herself, that is usually another sign that a cow is not feeling good. All the signs point toward a sick cow, figuring out what is causing it is more difficult.

Might be best to call your vet. He can take temperature and check all the vitals and probably get a better feel for what is going on. He will notice other things that seem "off" that are hard to tell without actually seeing the animal. Does she have access to loose mineral?

[Karen in Alabam]

1) I don't know if she went off by herself. I will have to go out and check that. They all will go to the other end of the pasture. They go through the woods, over a creek and to another pasture.

2)I do have loose mineral salt in the barn that all have access to. They don't seem to avail themselves too much of it.

I am going out now to check on her

[Karen in Alabam]

Maggie was laying down with the rest of them.

We checked the hay and it was pretty sticky. We decided to untwine all the hay rolls and let them at them all. That way they can take the good and leave the junk. Seemed each roll looked worse than the next. The first batch we bought from the guy didn't look that bad, these have a lot more junk it in. Found some thorn vines in the one we had in the pasture.

She seemed to perk up when we let them in to all the hay.

[myersfarm]

I would take her temp.. see what that is if not 101.3 with in a degree she is sick...if not might be in heat walking to find a bull...do you see her walking and bawling

[Karen in Alabam]

We have a bull. No walking or bawling.

I will have to get a thermometer, don't have one.

[Karen in Alabam]

I went and got a thermometer.

if she does have a temperature, is her milk still good? Or should I just give it to the dog? Also, I am feeding a calf on her milk, should I use older milk?

[linn]

Unless she has mastitis or is being treated with a medication her milk should be OK. Why not get her some small bales of good, leafy alfalfa. I bet that would pique her appetite.

[Karen in Alabam]

I was just in Tractor Supply and they had 50lb bales of alfafa, I was tempted to get it (can't get alfalfa hay around here), but it was so compact. I saw a bag of pellets, but it looks like it is for horses.

Can you feed that stuff to the cows?

[linn]

You would have to read the label, but many people feed alfalfa pellets to cows. The compressed alfalfa would probably do great to get her back on her feet. A tube of probiotics might also help to get the good digestive juices going.

[Karen in Alabam]

Temp: 98.6
I did the temp thing twice (actually more but with the dancing we had to do i couldn't get it stay in)

milk: little less than 3 quarts
Normal for evening milking is about a gallon or a little less

she seemed better, ate normal, was not fidgety at all. Seemed like herself.

[myersfarm]

should be 101.3 a cow with 98 I would call a vet she not maintaining her heat......or i would call a vet for advice with that temp.....would get her tied some how and get a better temp one I knew was right

[bigbluegrass]

Originally Posted by Karen in Alabam

1) I don't know if she went off by herself. I will have to go out and check that. They all will go to the other end of the pasture. They go through the woods, over a creek and to another pasture.

2)I do have loose mineral salt in the barn that all have access to. They don't seem to avail themselves too much of it.

I am going out now to check on her

When you say loose mineral salt, do you mean the trace mineral salt - like the red stuff you get at Tractor Supply? If so, that stuff is pretty much straight salt. I always use a loose mineral mix. It has some salt in it, but more minerals than a trace mineral salt. I vary it with time of year. Some people say it isn't needed. It costs around twenty bucks a fifty pound bag at least here. The straight salt is a lot less.

She sounds like she is doing better or acting more normal. The temperature seems oddly low. It does concern me. Can you tell if her rumen is full? It is on the left side of the cow towards the back. Look in front of the hip bone. You can push on it (lightly) and if it is full of hay and grass and good stuff it should feel like a sponge. If the area is sunken in, it means her rumen is not full and she needs roughage - which means your hay is not getting it done. If it is protruding out and pushes like a basketball, it means she has bloat or gas. How is her stool/pie/poop? Loose, thick, really thick. Does it have a splat or does it look pretty dry?

I hope some of that helps.

[Karen in Alabam]

The mineral salt I get is from the Co-op. it cost about 20.00 a bag and contains copper (which I was told our ground is low in). It is red in color.

Will look at the rumen tomorrow (thanks for the info on it--knew absolutely nothing about it).

Her poop is loose and always smelly (figured because of the grain she is on) The previous owner was adding cotton hulls to her feed which made her really loose, I don't give that to her. She gets 4 scoops of Calf starter from the co-op when milking. My scoops are 2 quart.

We give the other cows a bulk feed to share with Bovatec in it, she does get some of that as well. (but they all have to share 4 scoops--since we found out about the hay they may get a few more scoops) We have 10 cows 4 of which are calves.

[Karen in Alabam]

This morning she was more herself

Temp: 101.1
Rumen seems squishy, spongy. My head is usually leaned up against with while milking.

milked: 1 gallon and a pint

She seemed burpie while she was eating, maybe she had done it before but I never noticed it. I usually hear gurgles and swishes in her rumen. I didn't hear it yesterday, but did hear it once this morning.

I am praying she is better and this is her Birthday present to me.

[bigbluegrass]

Originally Posted by Karen in Alabam

This morning she was more herself

Temp: 101.1
Rumen seems squishy, spongy. My head is usually leaned up against with while milking.

milked: 1 gallon and a pint

She seemed burpie while she was eating, maybe she had done it before but I never noticed it. I usually hear gurgles and swishes in her rumen. I didn't hear it yesterday, but did hear it once this morning.

I am praying she is better and this is her Birthday present to me.

Well Happy Birthday Karen!

Temp sounds good, rumen sounds good, milk quantity sounds about right to me. I think I read in another post that she is a Jersey and I have two of them and that is right about what they milk right now. Of course mine calved back in May and July, but it still seems reasonable.

I would say don't worry about her too much, but keep an eye on her. Not like you have a choice if you are milking her every day

Don't feel like you have to answer these questions, I am just kind of thinking out loud here with what I would look for. And I am not a vet, so take it for what it is worth.

When she burps, does she stand there and chew afterwards? Cows will burp up hay and so forth from the rumen and rechew it. That is normal. If it is just gas, there is something in her diet that is not agreeing with her and that is not normal.

The mineral salt sound about like the right stuff. You might want to ask your local extension agent or vet what mix they recommend and what your area is short in. There are a lot of choices and they are not all the same - or even close. I think you will want mineral high in copper and low in iron. I believe iron blocks copper intake if there is too much iron. But ask your extension agent or vet, they should know all that. I don't think that is causing any immediate problems.

When you say her poop is loose do you mean it is like dirty water? Does it hold any form at all when it hits the ground? Normal Jersey poop, to me, is when it plops out and has a 2" to 6" slump. If it holds no form or 1" or less, it is too loose.

The smell, well that could be a lot of things. I think it all stinks. What is the color? Black is not good. Brown is normal.

When she does come into heat, and it may be that is what you notice, she will probably be anxious and step around a lot. If you have other adult cows, they may try to ride her. That all just depends on your cows. I have one cow that is really hard to tell. I have another that will make such a fit that it is hard not to realize what is going on. If you have a bull, he will know. Even a 4-5 month old bull calf will know. Most Jerseys, in my experience, cycle within the first month of calving and every month after that. They are typically a very fertile breed. I would wonder about her overall health if she has not cycled yet. Just keep an eye on it. I think you said she calved in October, so she should be on a regular cycle by now. You should be able to pick up on the month to month or 21 days to 21 days. Timing varies slightly with cow and breed.

Well go have a birthday party and good luck with Maggie.