goatboy1973
True BYH Addict
Congrats on the kiddos!
One Fine Acre - 2023 4H Steer Project Update
- Thread starter OneFineAcre
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- #352
OneFineAcre
Herd Master
Rollins was open today, so we got the sample over to culture. Let's see what we are dealing with.
Minnie looked better even the next day. We got a lot less "goop" out of her and obviously less swelling.
Vet told us to keep milking her until there were no more clumps in it. It' getting clearer every time we milk her. It will probably only take a couple more times. Let's just hope for the best.
Minnie looked better even the next day. We got a lot less "goop" out of her and obviously less swelling.
Vet told us to keep milking her until there were no more clumps in it. It' getting clearer every time we milk her. It will probably only take a couple more times. Let's just hope for the best.
babsbag
Herd Master
Glad to hear it is looking better. Milking out a doe with mastitis is one of the nastiest things I have had to do. The one I was milking had clumps like cottage cheese and it smelled disgusting. 
Southern by choice
Herd Master
Hoping it all clears up quickly.
Since this is brand new to you, never having this before, how will you know if there is permanent damage? Or will you?
@babsbag do you know?
Is it dependent on the kind of bacteria?
Since this is brand new to you, never having this before, how will you know if there is permanent damage? Or will you?
@babsbag do you know?
Is it dependent on the kind of bacteria?
babsbag
Herd Master
I think the only way you will know is when she freshens again. I probably could have done better with mine if I had known what I was doing. I blame myself for her scar tissue. I am sure I put the teat cannula in to far and probably added to the scar tissue problem. (things you do late at night on weekend) I should have milked her out longer too, I stopped thinking she was over the mastitis only to find out a month later that it was back so probably never gone.
She also had clumps so big that I had to insert the cannula frequently to clear the orifice and I am sure that didn't help either. If I had to do it again I would be much more diligent in treatments and I would also use the Udder Blast from Fir Meadows in addition to the Tomorrow. And I would milk her " til the cows come home"...until she freshened again...if needed.
I will say that she has raised twins and triplets with no problems since then. Her one side fills up but you can't get anything out and then after a month or so it stops producing. She has a HORRIBLE udder to start with so this really didn't help but she used to milk to beat the band, but udder longevity was not in her future.
This is her last freshening, she gave me triplet does so she can retire. Her daughter from last year has a really nice udder as a yearling FF.
She also had clumps so big that I had to insert the cannula frequently to clear the orifice and I am sure that didn't help either. If I had to do it again I would be much more diligent in treatments and I would also use the Udder Blast from Fir Meadows in addition to the Tomorrow. And I would milk her " til the cows come home"...until she freshened again...if needed.
I will say that she has raised twins and triplets with no problems since then. Her one side fills up but you can't get anything out and then after a month or so it stops producing. She has a HORRIBLE udder to start with so this really didn't help but she used to milk to beat the band, but udder longevity was not in her future.
This is her last freshening, she gave me triplet does so she can retire. Her daughter from last year has a really nice udder as a yearling FF.
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- #356
OneFineAcre
Herd Master
Minnie is looking better. I think we have milked her and treated for the last time tonight. No clumps in what we milked out and not much at all. That side is still bigger than the other, but not as much.
Here's a question for my fellow Dairy goat breeders. Do you give Tomorrow when you dry off as normal protocol? @babsbag @Southern by choice ?
Like I said we did for Minnie and Taffy this year because of the study, but had not been doing this as normal protocol.
Maurine said when she worked at the dairy at State they always gave cows Tomorrow when they dried them off.
We just never had, but are thinking we should going forward.
Here's a question for my fellow Dairy goat breeders. Do you give Tomorrow when you dry off as normal protocol? @babsbag @Southern by choice ?
Like I said we did for Minnie and Taffy this year because of the study, but had not been doing this as normal protocol.
Maurine said when she worked at the dairy at State they always gave cows Tomorrow when they dried them off.
We just never had, but are thinking we should going forward.
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- Thread starter
- #357
OneFineAcre
Herd Master
I've never worried about keeping babies warm in that we plan ours to kid in Mar and April to avoid the issue. But, we bred Clara Belle to kid in Feb to try to breed her twice this year, and it seems that Global Warming is making NC colder.
They are just over a week old and we had a couple of nights this week get to 16 degrees. They seemed to be doing fine, but it not getting any warmer during the day and last night was not only cold but kind of wet and humid all day. So, one of the new boys was shivering this morning and couldn't seem to shake it. Started to get worried about him. We checked his temp all day long, but it stayed fine and he was still nursing fine.
Made a couple of @Sweetened sweaters. And, we had one of those clamp on lights from Lowes. I used zip ties to secure it to make double sure it couldn't fall down on the hay. The bulb is a 125 watt interior flood light, not a heat bulb. Put it at a height so you could just barely feel the warmth where they are laying. I don't want to warm them too much.
They are just over a week old and we had a couple of nights this week get to 16 degrees. They seemed to be doing fine, but it not getting any warmer during the day and last night was not only cold but kind of wet and humid all day. So, one of the new boys was shivering this morning and couldn't seem to shake it. Started to get worried about him. We checked his temp all day long, but it stayed fine and he was still nursing fine.
Made a couple of @Sweetened sweaters. And, we had one of those clamp on lights from Lowes. I used zip ties to secure it to make double sure it couldn't fall down on the hay. The bulb is a 125 watt interior flood light, not a heat bulb. Put it at a height so you could just barely feel the warmth where they are laying. I don't want to warm them too much.
Southern by choice
Herd Master
We do not. It is definitely worth looking at all the info. The one thing I do wonder about is that in all these years you have never had a case yet the one case you had was one you treated. I do wonder if in the case of the small farm dairy if it is already much cleaner than large facilities and less risk... and by inserting the tube might be exposing the teat to the bacteria... I guess if the teat was thoroughly washed, tip cleaned with alcohol etc it may be safe...
Just thinking out loud... not really a very coherent thought I guess.
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I am looking at all the does you have bred and milked and nothing... then one. I do find the study interesting. Through the DHIR testing I think the somatic cell count data is recorded (I can't remember) that would be a great baseline and then to see what those numbers are at the end of lactation.All very interesting and a great food for thought thread.
Curious to see what Babs does.
- Thread starter
- #359
OneFineAcre
Herd Master
We do not. It is definitely worth looking at all the info. The one thing I do wonder about is that in all these years you have never had a case yet the one case you had was one you treated. I do wonder if in the case of the small farm dairy if it is already much cleaner than large facilities and less risk... and by inserting the tube might be exposing the teat to the bacteria... I guess if the teat was thoroughly washed, tip cleaned with alcohol etc it may be safe...
Just thinking out loud... not really a very coherent thought I guess.
All very interesting and a great food for thought thread.
Curious to see what Babs does.
We are really wondering if she was injured, had her udder stepped on or something. ? I don't know, Maurine wanted to do DHIR, but I think I have been able to talk her our of it. All we need is another commitment.
babsbag
Herd Master
I do not treat with Tomorrow when I dry them off and last year I asked my vet, who raises goats as well, if there was something I should do when I am done with those heavy producers for the year and she said "no; just stop the grain and if they look miserable milk them a little to make them comfortable and taper off"
As a future dairy owner mastitis scares me to death. I use a milking machine now and the inflations go in bleach water in between does but when the dairy is up and running I will probably wear gloves too.
How about one of those warming barrels for your kids? I will be buying radiant heaters for the new barn. They can be hung from the rafters on chains so you can change the height or they can be mounted on a wall.
As a future dairy owner mastitis scares me to death. I use a milking machine now and the inflations go in bleach water in between does but when the dairy is up and running I will probably wear gloves too.
How about one of those warming barrels for your kids? I will be buying radiant heaters for the new barn. They can be hung from the rafters on chains so you can change the height or they can be mounted on a wall.
