HELP milk cows bag is hard!!!!!!

arhillbilly · #1 09/08/05, 06:57 AM

I hope someone has an idea for my milk cow. She freshened one week ago today and her bag is hard. I milk 2x a day but get very little milk. How long should this last? Is there anything that I can do?

Haggis · #2 09/08/05, 08:00 AM

How much milk are you getting and what does it look like?

Eunice · #3 09/08/05, 09:01 AM

When the udder is hard, especially right after calving, it is called edema (fluid in the tissue). I would hope that by one week fresh, it is starting to soften, but I have seen cows with edema through an entire lactation. Warm compresses and massaging the udder can help increase blood circulation and help the edema decrease. I have seen oral diuretics given, but my opinion is that fresh cows are too sensative in many ways and diuretics can mess up the cow's metabolism. Mastitis can also cause edema. Look at the milk and see that it looks ok - white and no lumps. Mastitis can be treated with antibiotics.

linn · #4 09/08/05, 07:41 PM

Is her calf running with her? If so, she will hold her milk for the calf. We usually have to take the calf off the cow and bottle feed the calf or the cow will not let down her milk.

willow_girl · #5 09/11/05, 05:03 PM

Injections of oxytocin will help her let down her milk, although she may become addicted to it.

If she is holding up her milk for her calf, seperate her and the calf for a few hours each day so the calf can't nurse. When you put them back together, milk 1 side while the calf nurses the other.

A linament called Uddermint can help reduce edema, especially in heifers, by increasing blood circulation in the area. I have had good results with it on the farm where I work. PM me if you are interested, I can hook you up.