Bee~ Journal of then...

[WildRoseBeef]

BK, just looking at your cow and your replies I feel I have to say/ask some things here.

Are you giving her trace mineral? Any feed/forage with high energy or protein so she can gain weight better and keep the calf in her better?

She has mange. That is one definate thing I noticed about her. She is I would think IS done loosing her winter coat; up here in Alberta the cattle are almost done shedding theirs. That's quite the difference between West Virginia and Alberta. I don't know the safety precautions about the commercial insecticides for pregnant/lactating cows, but she definately needs some form of treatment that will help get rid of these parasites, both external and internal. I have no idea what the DE would do to her for parasites, or whether the claims are in fact true (scientifically), but she definately needs something a bit stronger to get rid of these parasites. A fecal sample to the vet will definately determine the parasite load in/on her.

She is also in poor body condition to be "ready to calve." I'd place her at a BCS of 1.75 on the Canadian scale, which is not enough to be able to calve by herself or even have the colostrum to raise the calf to survive. The internal parasites will also have an effect on the growth rate and health of her calf, no doubt. If you don't have her up to optimal calving condition you could be looking forward to having to bottle feed a calf; and a small one at that. Think of it this way: a thin cow will not be able to mobilize the nutrients and fat reserves to give good quality milk for this calf. I'm not sure about the antibodies, but I'm pretty darn sure that the colostrum will be of poorer quality than from a cow that is in optimal calving condition. As a result, in order to keep the calf alive you would have to bottle feed colostrum from either a dairy farm or from the feedstore. I'm not sure about the low presentation thing, but that could be only natural for her. If she's about to calve the belly will not be so low but more up since the calf will be ready in position for parturition.

Also, a thin cow not surprisingly will eat a lot. And eat like she won't eat for the rest of her life! That is because she is trying to get the nutrients in her as fast as her body and the fetus demands it, which is a huge demand for such a thin cow. A bit of alfalfa cubes, and other feeds like beet pulp, peas, or legumes will help put on the weight she needs to be able to raise a healthy calf. PLUS trace minerals and salt which is needed for her health.

You know BK, I hate to be sounding really against you, but I really think your sister is someone you should listen to if you want to have this cow as healthy as you can at the same time be able to graze your little pasture. Don't laugh, I'm dead serious. And that is not "being tortured from mismanagement", that is proper management on a real cattleperson's perspective. No joke.

Anyway, I wish you luck with your new cow.

 

[Farmfresh]

Bee - I too wondered about the mange thing from the pics, but I am NOT a cow person at all. (horse gal here). If WildRose thinks that might be a possibility you should also consider getting blood pulled for exam.

We had a horse that was boarded that contracted mange AND lice. Because of those parasites he was VERY iron deficient and actually make NO recovery until we started him on "Red Cell" which is a mineral supplement liquid. When he got his minerals back to normal levels the recovery was amazing.

Since this is a pregnant animal - I would not take chances by guess work. Let the vet do a little diagnostics work - they are relatively inexpensive and then you know for sure what you are up against. I would not try to make guesses or trial by error, this time anyway. It would cost less to have the vet check than to lose a calf or have to bottle feed one.

Most vets these days (at least the ones around here) are up on many of the more natural cures as well as the chemical ones. The problem is it is so much easier to just maintain good health, than it is to try and undo bad parasite problems etc...

Years back we purchased a mare that was in a similar condition to your Blossom. Starved, 4 years old, full of worms and mineral and vitamin deficient. The vet actually recommended me adding fresh raw eggs to her feed - for the lecithin and protein! Beet pulp is another great feed additive (and closer to a all grazing diet than grain).

On a side note - the above mare recovered beautifully, but was never very efficient with her feed. It took about twice the grain to keep her in condition and she always passed lots of it undigested. The vet believed that she had had so many parasites when we purchased her that she actually had scar tissue on her digestive organs that was interfering with her food absorption for the rest of her life. We had to pull out all of the stops with her when we got her - she was tube wormed (chemically) twice in so many months and then wormed (chemically) again bimonthly for another two months with a different type of wormer. In the past we had a horse that was so full of parasites that her stomach actually ruptured and she died. Take no chances - get those exams.

 

[Aidenbaby]

I've been following this thread for a couple of days. Will yogurt or something along those lines help a heifer or mare in this condition? I mean for using to rebuild the healthy bacteria in the stomach. I've not owned cattle before and was curious about this.

 

[countrymama]

Congrats on Blossom!!! I'm sure you will take good care of her!!!!
I wish you all the best!!!

 

[big brown horse]

Do they make probiotics for cows?

 

[Beekissed]

Calm down, folks! The cow is fine, she will do fine and has done fine for the last eight years.....I dare say that the last six of those were in this exact same condition.

She doesn't have mange....I've seen it and this ain't it. She is shedding her winter fur, which comes off a little slower in a cow in low condition. I've been brushing her each evening and underneath is slick, glossy dun-colored hair. All the cows here in the neighboring fences still have their full coats of winter hair.

Have a little faith! She is happy, comfortable and doing well. Her udder is getting fuller each day, her sides are filling out, she is not bloating---is burping and farting just fine! She seems to be ruminating fine, chewing her cuds, her stool is firming up and she already looks better than when I got her.

Give me a little time and I will post a pic of her later on and her calf and you can see how well she is doing. I haven't lost an animal yet to poor care and nutrition, so have some faith in my nursing skills, huh?

 

[Beekissed]

Oh, BTW.....picked out a lamb today and she will finally be weaned near the first part of June. She is mostly black with a lg. white patch on her forehead and an all white tail. Since she is a hair sheep and they don't get their tails docked, her tail is long with long hair....makes her look like a little pony! So very cute! I may change my mind, if I have the wherewithall, and get another....sort of like Lays potato chips, ya know!

Lil Black Betty will be coming home with me soon!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

*Whoa Black Betty, bam-a-ram, whoa Black Betty*

Sorry, Bee, couldn't resist LOL

 

[Beekissed]

*Whoa Black Betty, bam-a-ram, whoa Black Betty*

Sorry, Bee, couldn't resist LOL

That's why we named her that!!

 

[Farmfresh]

I DO have faith in you Bee. I was just trying to make you job a little easier. I still think a fecal exam would be a benefit... and no vet visit is necessary. OR perhaps YOU have access to a good microscope? If so that would be all that much better.

The stories I related are just MY history. We have had several hard cases to deal with in the past.