# Due anytime, any guesses?



## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)




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## farmgirl631 (May 3, 2013)

Do you have a before pic? Is her bag tight?


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)

She is a first time calving heifer, so udder was tight up to her belly. 
This picture of her udder is from last month


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I would say for sure close but not within a few days. The first calf heifers IMO seem to swell.....dialat well before its time.......they drive me crazy!!!  I would just get into the habit of checking on her a few times a day.


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## farmgirl631 (May 3, 2013)

Jessica84 said:


> I would say for sure close but not within a few days. The first calf heifers IMO seem to swell.....dialat well before its time.......they drive me crazy!!!  I would just get into the habit of checking on her a few times a day.


 ^^^ I agree 100%


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Her bag will be tight, really depends on what youre feeding on exactly how tight. 36 hours ish she'll appear slab sided (flat body), and her loose belly underneath will be round and tight. The baby drops onto her belly with the muscles loosened, her ligs up around her tailhead will recede, and her vulva will come out of the pelvis area. Look for thick off-white mucous. It'll be thin mucous, then really thick for a few days, then super thin, almost watery. When you see thin again, baby is nearly here. Don't go by milk on a heifer. She'll leak even sometimes 2 weeks before she's due depending on what you feed and her production line.


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)

No baby yet. She does have mucous coming out the last couple of days and baby has dropped down in stomach. She only gets grass hay and pasture. I don't plan to grain or give her alfalfa until she calves and needs it. I'll try to get another picture today. Thanks!


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)




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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Oh yes. Her pins have dropped, and her ligs are giving way. Good luck! She looks slab sided and yes baby is carried low. Do you have a due date on her or just going by appearance? I'd say 4 or 5 days away. Heifers are stubborn however, and she may fool ya. We just had a heifer fully dilated (via vaginal exam), ligs given, hold out for a week. Poor girl. Lol


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Oh wow!!! Now shes about ready  I would make you you keep a good eye on her. Because its her first time I agree with mjs but she still might give at any time. A trick 
They did a study and cattle that were fed before 4 pm had their calf's during the day. I tried this with the goats last year and found it to be ALMOST true lol still had a few late night kids but nothing like the year before.


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## farmgirl631 (May 3, 2013)

I agree with everyone else but when she starts to swish her tail pretty much nonstop she could calve very soon probably that day or the next.


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)

She had her baby!! In the cold, wet dark. She delivered in the stall (opens up to her pasture) so baby is out if the wind and rain.


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## farmgirl631 (May 3, 2013)

Pics?


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)




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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

soooo cute!!!! congrats!!!


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Woohoo good momma!


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## erica4481 (Mar 26, 2013)

Awww.....it's soooo cute!!! I love little calves. Congrats on the adorable new baby


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Awww congrata....now you can sleep lol


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## erica4481 (Mar 26, 2013)

Is it a boy or a girl?


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)

It's a boy, which works out great since I bred her to a Black Angus. Would only like a heifer if I find a registered Jersey for her.
Now I have to figure out how to milk her and hope I don't get kicked.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Too cute! Congrats!


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## erica4481 (Mar 26, 2013)

farmchick897 said:


> It's a boy, which works out great since I bred her to a Black Angus. Would only like a heifer if I find a registered Jersey for her.
> Now I have to figure out how to milk her and hope I don't get kicked.


Lol....good luck with the milking


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

Congrats! He's cute. When I had a milk cow I always milked the teats that were opposite each other, so a front teat and then the opposite back teat. My cow was kind of hard to milk and you really had to "pump" her to get her to let down and get started. She seemed to milk better if I kind of pulled down on her teats just a little. If she is a kicker I would invest in a pair of cow kickers. They are like hobbles that hook over each leg just above the hock and they kind of pull their legs together so they can't kick. Worked great on my cow, but she was usually good as long as she had something to eat. I even had her taught to put her back leg back a little just by pushing on her hip.


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)

She has not attempted to kick at all my problem has been getting her to let milk down. I have a milking machine and today I managed to get 2 gallons from her but she is still engorged. Her udder is still rock hard like I took none. Her calf will be with her full time and as soon as I find another bottle calf at stockyards I plan to put another on her. Then take extra still. I put an organic mint udder cream on her and I've tried massaging the udder. Maybe it will take time.?


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)




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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

farmchick897 said:


> She has not attempted to kick at all my problem has been getting her to let milk down. I have a milking machine and today I managed to get 2 gallons from her but she is still engorged. Her udder is still rock hard like I took none. Her calf will be with her full time and as soon as I find another bottle calf at stockyards I plan to put another on her. Then take extra still. I put an organic mint udder cream on her and I've tried massaging the udder. Maybe it will take time.?


As a dairy cow she will remain swollen for up to a month. Especially heifers. Cows lose their swelling more readily. You can cut back the swelling by medication use, udder mint, and milking her out. I guarantee she's milking out. She will still leak after she is done from the swollen tissue on the aveoli in the udder until the teat ends seal. Help her with massaging and udder mint. We milk all fresh cows under 40 days 4x/day to help with swelling and mastitis prevention.


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## erica4481 (Mar 26, 2013)

Mom and the new baby are very pretty. Makes me want another bottle calf


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)

You milk 4X a day on top of leaving calf on? I don't want to take all her milk just the extra. We plan to drink it too so would prefer no medications to be given. I got 6 quarts from her this morning.


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

farmchick897 said:


> You milk 4X a day on top of leaving calf on? I don't want to take all her milk just the extra. We plan to drink it too so would prefer no medications to be given. I got 6 quarts from her this morning.


The medication you give her will not contaminate your milk. It's a fluid medication. 

We pull all calves and bottle feed. Babies are very hard on the udder.


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)

Milking is going great. I bought another black calf to go on her because I'm getting too much milk. I might buy another one too. So far she is not letting this new calf nurse but he spends the day out in the field with her and her calf and I just bottle feed him. Here is a picture:


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

He is cute!


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

Try some vicks or hairspray. The guy that runs a cattle ranch near me grafts calves onto cows pretty often (usually twins, and a different cow loses a calf). He says he sprays the calf down with hairspray and then sprays a little in the cows nose so all she smells is the hairspray. It kind of tricks her into thinking the calf is hers.


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)

Went to stockyards today to pick up another calf and came home with 3. Two are very healthy beef calves. One is very sick. On the positive side he was standing but he is a walking skeleton, eyes sunk in, mouth is cold and scours. I bought him for $5. He drank a gallon so far of electrolyes like he was starving. Giving him a shot of Noromycin 300. Hope he will be alive in the morning. :/


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

How is the sick calf doing? I have found for scours those calf boluses work really well to help cure them. If he is still alive, I would give him one meal of electrolytes then a couple hours later a small meal of milk, then the electrolytes again a couple hours later, then more milk, etc. If he is starving he will need the milk to get him going, if you just give him a little milk it shouldn't mess up his stomach worse. Some people will also mix some milk in with the electrolytes. If he is cold, he definitely needs to be warm before you give him any milk.

If you are in a selenium deficient area, a shot of Bo-Se probably wouldn't hurt. Cattle can be selenium deficient just like goats.


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Poor little guy...we'd need to rule out E. coli, and salmonella for scours first before suggesting treatment. You truly need to know what type you're battling against. Scours is never pleasant. Once they're cold internally, it's a long hard road ahead.


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)

He was still alive this morning, had a temp of 92. Blood in his diarrhea. Can't get up..
So.. Today I gave him 2qts electrolytes 3x already, dose of Selenium/ Vit E. Red Cell.... He got his first bottle of milk tonight only 1/2 bottle and his temp is 101.5 this evening. Oh, also gave him Baycox in case he has coccidia. 
He has everything not going his way except that he is still alive, sits upright, and is very enthusiastic about the bottle (even struggles to stand to get the bottle). So I'm not ready to give up on him yet.


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Sounds like you're doing perfect! What temp are you feeding electrolytes and milk?


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)

Milk is being fed directly after it comes out of my Jersey, so whatever temp that is. Electrolytes I warm the water to 101-102. We will see what morning brings. I have a heat lamp and a mini foal blanket on him.


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

farmchick897 said:


> Milk is being fed directly after it comes out of my Jersey, so whatever temp that is. Electrolytes I warm the water to 101-102. We will see what morning brings. I have a heat lamp and a mini foal blanket on him.


Ideally we prefer to feed 107 degree milk in the summer, and 109 degree milk in the fall/winter/spring. It comes directly out of the pasteurizer and is held at that chosen temp. We find these temps are the best temps to promote sucking and drinking the full bottle. We also feed 3x/day, offering full bottles. For scouring calves we like to pull the afternoon feeding out of the picture, switch back to traditional 12 hr bottles, and put electrolytes between the feedings (so they're fed 4x/day). We also work with sulfur pills, vitalite, and baytril quite a bit. Warmed lactated ringers full bottle over the ribs for sunken eyes.

Please consider heating her milk back up for him, even minutes are enough to drop the temperature slightly. A couple degree difference in the milk can be deadly. The protein valve in their throat easily recognizes not only milk proteins but it's also very temperature sensitive.


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)

I will do that, thanks. As far as feeding 4x per day are you saying you feed a total of 2 gallons or 1 gallon split over 4 feedings?
I don't think this guy can handle a full bottle of milk but I may increase to 4 feedings to get the gallon in him. 
Also.. I don't know how truthful the guy who brought him to stockyards is because he said to me the calf wasn't sick and that obviously isn't the case. BUT he said he was 6 weeks old and has been weaned 2 weeks. I don't know a single person who would wean a calf at 4 weeks but if the calf is 6 weeks old do you think it could have septicemia? Or would it be dead already? His joints are swollen and the lower part of all legs are missing hair. 
He did get a shot of Draxxin today. 
He really seems no better BUT he's still nursing well and has a will to live. SO Im still trying too.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Ohh no just read all this.  poor little guy. Joint swollen might be navel I'll. Blood in poop could be cocci but also could be salmonilla. I'm not sure if the meds you are giving covers that or not....look into it and if not I would give some neomycin or scour guard. Hope this guy feels better soon.


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Missing hair is usually from fever or scour burn. 

Most calves are weaned 6 weeks on large dairies. I don't know anyone that weans at 4 weeks. That's crazy...joints also could be swollen from an infection let go too long. Have you started treatment for navel ill? Poor poor guy. 

As far as feeding 3x/day, we feed 1 1/2 gallons of milk. If they're ill they get two feedings (1 gallon) of milk and 2 electrolytes (1 gallon). So yes I guess 2 gallons total. 2 week old calves get switched to big bottles (3/4 gallon each 3x/day). We wean at 8 weeks here. Love the growth.


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)

Just an update. The sick calf, now named Roulette, stood for the first time yesterday and was actually walking around some. I took him out to a grass area and he grazed. I increased his bottle this morning to a full one (been feeding him 1/2 bottle 3x per day) and he finished his grain last night too. I know it's too early to celebrate any victory but I sure hope he is on his way to recovery.  Thanks for the advice and suggestions.









Here is a picture of my 3 other bottle babies. Then I still have the one born to my Jersey who has been left on his mom.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Very cute! Glad he is doing better.


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Ahh so happy! Small improvements are victories!


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## SmokinGoat (Dec 7, 2013)

This is awesome! The fact that you stuck it out and nursed him back from near death. Most people that I know would have just called him dead and shoved him aside without another thought.


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)

He is doing great, he is in with my four other calves.


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)

SmokinGoat said:


> This is awesome! The fact that you stuck it out and nursed him back from near death. Most people that I know would have just called him dead and shoved him aside without another thought.


I know many at the stockyards had those thoughts, I had my doubts on whether he would survive but not about buying him. Even if I lost him it would have been worth it to me for him to have a warm place to die. I just took a wildlife rehabilitation course and learned so much about raising orphan babies and it looks like that knowledge paid off for this guy. I'm looking forward to seeing what wildlife comes my way in spring. I'm leaning towards taking in deer, fox and coyotes.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Don't take in white tail deer.

That is wonderful how well he is doing!


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)

I don't plan to take any adults, just orphan babies. So do white tail deer fawns carry the M-worm? If so, can you treat them when little to prevent the spread? I'm assuming that is why you warn against taking them? I do have a separate area with no contact with my other animals to raise them.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

What a lucky calf  Congrats...he's a cutie!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I have no idea. Never dealt with it from that end and I don't know if fawns would carry it. I would think you could find something on the internet.


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)

I will look into it before any deer are brought here. But I would assume you would be able to eliminate it with Ivermectin. I have deer all over my area, so maybe if I start releasing treated deer they will establish this territory instead of the others? Is this a big dream or what?


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

I think the biggest thing I would be worried about with deer is that they can carry bluetongue, TB, Brucellosis and a wasting disease. I would definitely check with the wildlife people in your area to see if they can pass any of these to your cattle/goats and if a fawn would be a carrier.

I have heard that raccoons are fun to raise, but make sure they can't get in with your chickens!


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## DoubleR (Jan 13, 2014)

Awesome job! Congrats on the lovely calf and the extra babies! Good save! I LOVE doing that.


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)

Thanks. He is doing great.
Here's a picture of them feeding from my bottle holder


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)

I woke up yesterday to a dead cow. Can't believe it... Vet thinks it was bloat but how can she be fine (and I'm very observant on behavior) when I milked her at 5:30 pm. Came running in, ate her grain with gusto, milked 20lbs (which is the high side of her daily average). Visually checked on her around 6:30pm and the next morning she is dead.. So devastated..


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

oh noo!!!  i'm so sorry for your loss!! :hug: how devastating!!


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)

You develop such a bond with an animal you are milking every day. It's not just a cow to me. If anyone knows someone selling a family milk cow in milk or due soon please let me know. I have always found filling the hole is the quickest way for me to heal.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

OMG how awful. I'm so sorry for your loss.


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## farmchick897 (Jul 2, 2013)

Couldn't go very long without a milk cow so here is our new girl. She is HUGE, the size of her feet alone. I hope milking goes ok tonight. 








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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Congrats! She's beautiful!


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Real nice front end on that Swiss! Much power!


Animals make such personable friends, they pass no criticisms, offer their ears through happiness and sorrows, and yet possess such undying devotion, even whilst they know all our secrets.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Nice looking girl! Congrats!


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