# Bad udders



## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

I have a cow with an irregular bag. And huge teats when she freshens. Last year I think it took calf at least a few weeks to be able to suckle her rear teats. Just too big.

She calved 2 days ago. Healthy 70-75# calf scottish highlander calf which was big to me. Most of my Highlanders have been born smaller. I know the weight on this one only because I weighed it and me on the bathroom scale prior to its final resting place.

It has been cold. But all seemed ok day 1 and 2. I could tell calf got a front teat yesterday. I came Home today, calf was still warm, but gone. Brought it inside to make sure. Yup. Gone. All of mamas teats huge. Calf didnt eat today.

I pasture breed and dont have as much control of calving times as I should. That said, I know I have had a handful of calves who thrived born in similar conditions (COLD). Calf was still warm when I found it today. Seemed fine day 1 and day 2.

My thoughts are calf couldn't suckle big teats. And mamas new name is Hamburger Steak.

Am I on the right track? I know I am on mamas future. How about calf's demise?

TIA. Second pic somewhat shows her bag. Definitely not ideal.


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## Smoothy (Apr 26, 2015)

Yeah I'd say that's a good estimation. Not sure we're your located but in this cold weather them calves need to be able to keep there bellies full. If the calf suckled down a front quarter and couldn't get on a back that's a major concern. No matter what time of year as long as they have somewhere to get out of wind and cows have decent groceries they should have no problem raising a calf. My only winter worries are teats freezing and calves ear tips freezing. I know you mentioned it but that cow has to go, to many good ones out there that will raise a calf fine to feed a half azz welfare case.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Middle of MN. Born Tuesday. Not sure if we creeped above 0. Yesterday Balmy. May have hit teens above. Today high was 4. Low -17.

Teats didn't freeze. Eartips did.


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

Is it possible the calf got laid on or stepped on?


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

I feel for you. Always sucks losing a calf. We used to calves in January and I just got sick of it. If you can pull your bull out that's what we do and let him back in same time every year. We cull heavy for bad udders. No time for cows that can't feed a calf properly. Is your area selenium defficient? We are so all our calves get a shot of distosel at birth. (Prevents white muscle disease) It could be that or he got squished or couldn't drink due to the bad udder.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

IHCman said:


> Is it possible the calf got laid on or stepped on?


Possible.


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## Cobercow (Dec 4, 2015)

We get bad udders from time to time. Mostly older cows (10 to 15 year olds) but sometimes a heifer will develop a carrot teat once calved. We are usually able to keep the teat milked out by hand to minimize the size, and we foster the calf onto that larger teat. Once its flowing the calf will keep it going. Usually it will shrink back, but she is prone to do it the next year.

In any case, that is the last calf the cow will raise on my farm. We keep her separate from the bull, she raises that calf and gets traded in after weaning. Poor udders are genetic in a cow family, or a sign that a cow is old, don't need them problems. No cow lasts forever, keep the best, sell the rest!

Your calf could have gotten layed on, or didn't get enough to eat, dunno. We have had calves freeze outside in the cold, but after day 4, that calf is fine to go in and out of the barn. I try to have a nice bedded area out of the wind for only calves. We calve between January and April....cattle can deal with our Canadian cold just fine.

At any rate, you should get your cow in a chute and flow some milk outta her bag. Give her some relief.

Nice looking herd!


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## Three44s (May 21, 2016)

If I have any doubts about a new born getting that first blast of colostrum I will feed them by hand, either frozen natural colostrum or the best powdered stuff I can get my hands on. Not one labeled "supplement" but an out and feed grade colostrum. The immunoglobulin count has told be high to do the job. Also colostrum must be fed ASAP. With in six hours after birth the gut starts to close up and by 24 hours no immunity is provided.

I will be blunt, no timely colostrum, no calf, period.

Another trick I have been taught is to use a product like Naselgen, a nasal puenomia vaccine on baby calves. There is disagreement whether it works on such young calves but I feel that even if it not 100% effective it does help. I administer it to any calf that requires special attention.

The last thing I need is a calf stressed through feed/bad bag issues or orphaned (perhaps a twin rejected or left) and then go through a scour break and then top all that off with pneumonia as well.

If you are short on selenium you have calves with weak suckling ability and if you are only addressing it at birth by going Jr. a BoSe shot when it hits the ground you are in for a lot of work. The very best I have seen with a Se deficiency is where MuSe was given 30 days before the cows calved. The calves are wired for success and you won't believe how super charged they are. It's amazing.

Best of luck

Three44s


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

If that cow was mine she have a one-way trip to a sale barn.


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## Three44s (May 21, 2016)

And yes by all means, send that cow to town!

Three44s


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## bluefarmer (Oct 10, 2010)

Don't keep heifers out of her either they can pass that trait along.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

It is hard to say why the calf died. Usually a calf can make it after it has nursed the first time. If the calf was only getting one "faucet" then it may not have had enough milk to keep the innards warm during extreme cold.

If the calf was warm to the touch then it would not seem like it froze to death.

Just hard to tell.


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## Three44s (May 21, 2016)

It is still guess work but is better than nothing but we stick our bare fingers in their mouth (don't let them bite you) and a cold mouth is a big trouble sign. That alone is not enough though because if they have not been out of the womb very long they are still being "fueled" by the umbilical nourishment. Hence you find it's mouth is warm but it won't last long. By the time you catch the calf's mouth as being cold you have passed the point where the colostrum will work.

The other sign is how guant or full they are in their flank.

Here is where it gets tricky: You are deciding to tube feed a calf or not. If the calf is more full than you think and you overload it. That's not good. Or you are conservative because you are afraid of flooding it .... but it is deprived of milk .... bad as well.

I have seen calves seem to suckle a large teat but in the end there is a wax plug and a dead calf.

It is not a business for sissies I tell ya!

Three44s


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## woodland (May 23, 2016)

Tx Jim said:


> If that cow was mine she have a one-way trip to a sale barn.


I say "Cargill calves those ones for us".

My four year old says "The bad cows go to town and become meatballs ".

Life is too short for problematic critters????


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