Stella's Social Club

[The Sheriff]

Good grief, I had to edit that about ten times and I still didn't get everything in the right place. :/

 

[mlm Mike]

Thanks Kelly and Mary. No one was wearing a bucket today. The youngest calf, born 11/13, did give me a nice headbut to the thigh when it's bottle was empty.

 

[1muttsfan]

So sorry about the cancer findings. I don't think I ever had a patient with cancer of the appendix. Good thing they took it out becuase it would have been missed otherwise. If they took the appendix why surgery again after she recovers? Sorry to be nosy. It's the nurse in me.

The appendix was an incidental finding, it was in the area of the abscess and looked a little off, so he took it as well as the resected intestinal abscess. If she had not had surgery for the obstruction, they likely would not have found the cancer

. Unfortunately the cancer extended to the edge of the removed tissue, so she will have to have some more colon resected. She was so sick before surgery they want her to recuperate for 2-3 months before going in again.

This morning my wife has taken her cousin's wife to have the IV thingy attached to her chest, tomorrow she will begin chemo. I get to take care of the calves all by myself, should be interesting.

No fun. Hope she does well.

The youngest calf, born 11/13, did give me a nice headbut to the thigh when it's bottle was empty.

Cows are much sturdier than people that's for sure - much less susceptible to headbutt injuries from demanding calves.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Thanks Kelly and Mary. No one was wearing a bucket today. The youngest calf, born 11/13, did give me a nice headbut to the thigh when it's bottle was empty.

Well, that's your fault for letting the bottle go empty.

You could always head butt it back.

So, they take the babies from the moms and bottle feed them? What is the difference between that and letting them nurse from the mom? (ignorant non farmer here) I know they want the milk from the mom, but you still gotta feed the babies. I don't get it.

Is it more difficult to separate them later?

 

[The Sheriff]

Well, that's your fault for letting the bottle go empty. :/   You could always head butt it back.

So, they take the babies from the moms and bottle feed them?  What is the difference between that and letting them nurse from the mom? (ignorant non farmer here)  I know they want the milk from the mom, but you still gotta feed the babies.  I don't get it.   Is it more difficult to separate them later?

 

[1muttsfan]

Dairy cows are not allowed to nurse their calves for several reasons. First, it increases the risk of bacterial contamination of the milk. Also since dairy cows produce huge amounts of milk, much more than a calf needs, the calves would likely get too fat if allowed to nurse. Beef calves are raised on the cow, as the cow's only job is to feed the calf - but they produce far less milk than dairy cows.

 

[mlm Mike]

Quote:
The dairy cows calve in a calving pen and seldom need assistance so the calf does drink from it's mom the first day or so to get the colostrum. Then they are switched to bottles and milk replacer, as long as milk replacer is cheaper than what they get for the milk. You want the calf to be used to being handled by humans when they are small. By removing the calf you also get an increase in milk production and the cow will produce for a longer period of time. Also by having the cow hold milk, and with no baby banging on the udder, the cow will have a longer production life.

 

[drumstick diva]

now we know the rest of the story. I never knew dairy cows had a life of so much manipulation. Those "California cows," in the old advertisements looked so happy.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Dairy cows are not allowed to nurse their calves for several reasons.  First, it increases the risk of bacterial contamination of the milk.  Also since dairy cows produce huge amounts of milk, much more than a calf needs, the calves would likely get too fat if allowed to nurse. Beef calves are raised on the cow, as the cow's only job is to feed the calf - but they produce far less milk than dairy cows.

 

 
Thanks Kelly and Mary. No one was wearing a bucket today. The youngest calf, born 11/13, did give me a nice headbut to the thigh when it's bottle was empty.

Well, that's your fault for letting the bottle go empty. :/   You could always head butt it back.

So, they take the babies from the moms and bottle feed them?  What is the difference between that and letting them nurse from the mom? (ignorant non farmer here)  I know they want the milk from the mom, but you still gotta feed the babies.  I don't get it.   Is it more difficult to separate them later?

The dairy cows calve in a calving pen and seldom need assistance so the calf does drink from it's mom the first day or so to get the colostrum. Then they are switched to bottles and milk replacer, as long as milk replacer is cheaper than what they get for the milk. You want the calf to be used to being handled by humans when they are small. By removing the calf you also get an increase in milk production and the cow will produce for a longer period of time. Also by having the cow hold milk, and with no baby banging on the udder, the cow will have a longer production life. 

Ahhhhh, I knew there had to be reasons why. It makes sense. Thanks for sharing, learned something new.

 

[drumstick diva]

Kathy how is your husband doing?