Weird fluid dripping through udder skin into our milk??

[rootsong]

I am baffled once more. Our Jersey had her calf on the 17th, 7 days ago. Three days ago we noticed a dripping from her udder into our milk. We thought at first it was pee or some weird birth stuff from her vulva dripping all the way down her backside, but it is not. It is SO weird, but I'm 100% sure it is a fluid coming directly through the skin of her udder. I've leaned under her with a flashlight and towel and watched it seep through her skin.

It's clear, has no odor & isn't slimy. The feel of it reminds me of sweat. It drips from one or 2 spots at a time, located either right next to a rear quarter, or between the rear & front quarters. The dripping spot changes locations. But it drips constantly, once every second or so while we are milking. And drips right into our milk bucket unless I hold a towel over it the entire time and milk one handed. It doesn't seem to ever drip outside of milking time.

I'm pretty sure she has edema (thanks to helpful posts in my other thread about how much milk she should be giving). The upper part of her udder is very taut and heavy feeling even after we milk her until her teats are floppy & no more milk comes out. The amount of milk she gives at each milking has varied widely. Her calf is on her 24/7 and both of them seem perfectly healthy otherwise. She tested negative for mastitis last night.

I'm wondering if the dripping has anything to do with her edema...?

I have Googled and Googled and found nothing! Nothing at all. I am completely stumped. It's interfering with our milking, we're totally unsure if we should be drinking it, and we have customers excitedly waiting to buy our milk again! I don't want to sell milk with mysterious drippy weirdness in it!

Do you have any ideas at all? Something I could Google? Anything? I am desperate here! LOL Thank you, thank you all again!

[Chixarecute]

The tautness and swelling does sound like edema. I've not seen it drip through the skin, but if the pressure was that bad it seems likely. Excess fluid like that is trapped in the cell or between the cells, origin is from the blood supply (think plasma?) - which delivers to the body the fluids it needs. The edema should drop gradually, and be gone by day 21 - often much sooner. As to the fluid - it is probably fine to consume. I would, however, make sure you wash and thoroughly dry the udder before milking. Perhaps you could take one of those "saran wrap" style bowl covers with the elastic edge, put it over the buck, and milk into a modest hole cut at the side (not the center), so the drips will catch and go to the lowest point, hopefully your aim is good enough to hit the off center hole.

[suzyhomemaker09]

I milk off to the side of my cow...Dexters are so short that it's difficult to get a bucket under them.

[matt_man]

Sound like edema/serum seeping through the skin. This happened with one of my cows last month. As the swelling goes down, it should stop.

[mekasmom]

Some people use lasix to help with udder edema. I have never done it, but it might be something to research with vets or online. I know some people swear by it?

[thequeensblessing]

I'm sure its the edema too. I know that edema in humans can result in fluid seeping through the skin, I'm sure its the same with cattle or other animals.

[Cyngbaeld]

Don't suppose you have any fresh parsley or cleavers to give her for udder congestion?

[Judy in IN]

Three words: RED RASPBERYY LEAVES!

Since you're in Idaho, you could get some raspberry tea bags and pour the tea over her feed.

Kelp will help too, but Red raspberry leaves are the bomb for edema.

[springvalley]

I also am sure it is from the edema, I don`t think it will hurt you, but just the idea doesn`t boad well with me. I have a question, how much salt does your cow use during her dry period? Edema can be caused by to much salt consumption during their dry period. A dry cow only needs about an once of salt per day when dry. Does she get plenty of exercise every day, standing around won`t help edema. And the herbal treatments mentioned above, sure wouldn`t hurt either. If it were spring, a poltus of plantian leaves would be recomended by myself. They take the swelling down real nicely also. > Thanks Marc

[willow_girl]

Edema. See it occasionally in the fresh cows at work.

You might try rubbing her bag with UdderComfort or a similar product. Increasing blood flow to the area should help dissipate the extra fluid.