Unhappy Ending

[ssrdex]

I'm not exactly sure if this is where this post belongs. I'd like to relay this story to gather info so I & others can possibly avoid mistakes.
I live near a long time dexter breeder that raises beautiful animals, though most I've seen are a little bigger then I like. Last week a 3 year old cow that had given birth the Monday prior, developed a "bloody mastitis". The vet was called out, the animal was pumped full of antibiotics, but I was told that by then it was septic & she had also developed pneumonia. On Sunday the owner called me as the cow was down in the barn & would not get up. I tried everything I could with the resources on hand but she wouldn't even try. The following day I was called again & asked to come put her down, as it was discovered that she had a broken hip. A neighbor that wasn't available when I was there Sunday had gotten home & was able to get her up using straps & pulleys. The owner said this was the 2nd cow that had fallen days after giving birth & broken a hip, the other 1 apparently years prior. The owner relayed that perhaps the breeding program was too "milky"...that a calf from this cow could not keep up with milk production. Owner also relayed that the vet said cows can more easily break a hip shortly after calving due to stretched & relaxed muscles.
I understand anything can happen, but to those with more "milky" lines, do you HAVE to help relieve pressure @ each birth if you're not milking? Should one avoid heavy milking lines if unable to milk due to age or poor health? & are cows more susceptible to a break or just more susceptible to a fall after giving birth? This was a sad waste. She was hauled off to the rendering plant as the meat was full of infection & meds. Her handsome little red bull calf is being bottle raised.




Joel

[cddexter]

joel, if one is going to selectively breed for high milk production, then one should expect to milk. not much point otherwise. maybe this breeder has confused good udder conformation with yield or hasn't yet figured out how to get one without the other. perhaps this second cow's problems will be a wakeup call. let's hope so. what a waste. cheers, c.

[marion]

"Do you HAVE to relieve pressure?"

Joel, On a very milky cow the calf will usually start on two quarters. I like to start off any quarters not nursed by removing the plug and milking a modest amount out daily , until the calf starts using those quarters. This allows you to make sure the quarter is not developing any problem. If the udder conformation is correct so that it is not subject to bruising when very full, and the sphincter muscles strong, the quarters not nursed *should* be ok if left alone, but why take the chance? Yes, the ligaments at birthing naturally are loose, but could be more of an issue if the cow is housed on slippery concrete or stanchioned and has not had the same kind of exercise as a cow kept in more natural conditions. An 80 year old long-time breeder of a very milky heritage breed in my area, has his cows freshen in late winter/early spring (when his cows are still in the barn). That way, he can monitor the fresh udders and the cows will not come into heaviest production until turned onto grass, by which time the calves will be able to manage the volume.
I like to (share) milk the surplus for a while after my girls freshen, as it gets them used to the idea that being milked is a normal part of life..marion
modified to add: I doubt very much that the cow you posted about, developed her problems simply due to being "too milky". She probably had other metabolic/immune system problems going on which led to her demise.