drying off one quarter ???'s

scholtefamily · #1 03/08/11, 09:13 AM

One of our cows quarters keeps getting mastitis. We would like to dry off that quarter and continue to milk the other 3. How should we go about doing this. Is there an injection that they need to be given into that quarter or can we just stop milking that quarter. She is not in heavy milk right now, we are getting about 1 1/2 gallons a day on OAD milking. Thanks

linn · #2 03/08/11, 09:33 AM

Have you had the milk from that quarter cultured to see what organism is causing the infection? Have you tried the hydrogen peroxide treatment for the quarter? There was a thread about it on Keeping a Family Cow forum.

sammyd · #3 03/08/11, 10:34 AM

we just stop milking a bad quarter.
There are chemicals you can get to kill a quarter off if you are so inclined but I have no personal experience with them.

Tad · #4 03/08/11, 12:57 PM

Yes the vet can kill a quarter with chemicals. If she is not sick from the mastitis we have just stripped out the bad quarter milked the other 3 and eventually they dry up. If it is makeing her sick obveiously you can't just let it go but if it is chronic she is probably used to it by now.

scholtefamily · #5 03/08/11, 09:03 PM

I went to the Family cow board and did find the info on using hydrogen peroxide. We'll give it a shot.

Last time I had the milk cultured, they didn't find anything. I will have them do it again this week.

willow_girl · #6 03/08/11, 10:11 PM

I would just quit milking it. When you dry her off, use a dry cow treatment like Tomorrow on all teats including the bad one. It's possible she will clear up and be OK next lactation. Doesn't always work, but I've seen it happen a time or two.

scholtefamily · #7 03/14/11, 06:09 PM

Ok, we have stopped milking the one quarter. (it's been 6 days and it is still looking full.) When can we expect to see a reduction in the size of that quarter?
Thanks!

Tad · #8 03/14/11, 08:55 PM

It may take a long time, just to prepare you sometimes the infection will eat it's way out. It will come to a head and break open and drain. Stinks to high heaven but it will heel over.

springvalley · #9 03/14/11, 11:20 PM

One thing I do if I have a quarter get infected is make my own Meds. I put 1cc penicillin and 14cc sterile saline solution in a syringe ,shake well, milk out the bad quarter and put a plastic needle on it ,and put the solution in the quarter. Then use a liniment on the quarter on the outside, I use a product called Beigle oil which I get at our local farm store. Hope this helps, Thanks > Marc