Mastitis??

[swiss.susan]

Hello, I am milking my first cow and she is 6 weeks fresh. I have raised and bred Nubians for 15 years so I know about udders, but I have never came across this. Yesterday for the first time when I milked, in one quarter the milk looked watery and tasted awful. I cannot feel any heat or swelling. It also has an unpleasant odor. No chunks, strings or blood. What is this???

 

[Cricket]

That is mastitis and the kind you want to get on top of quickly. I would cross post this in the emergencies section and call your vet. I can't remember what treatment they use for this where I milk, but I know it's not the 'watch and see and strip it out separately' kind of mastitis.

 

[walkingwolf]

I know this post is a bit "dated" but thought I'd post a recent experience.

A friend has a small herd of Jersey cows that he milks. He had one come down with mastitis -- he tests for bacteria in the milk. He tried a number of treatments including antibiotics as well as probiotics and still tested positive. I gave him a gallon of Apple Cider Vinegar I make here at home (this idea was actually from an old dairyman that is in his 80's) and he put 4 ounces a day on her feed. After two weeks her milk is now clear on the tests. He tested multiple times two days apart and they remain clean. The old dairyman said they had routinely put ACV in the drinking water for the herd. They made ACV in 55 gallon barrels.