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Friday, March 28, 2008

Trusting your hunches

Has its costs. Last night one of my cows, Mento, looked like maybe calving in the night. She also had the shakes when she stood up. Liz wanted to give her a bottle of calcium in case the shakes were milk fever. I had a feeling that the shaking was a sort of hereditary tremor that Holsteins sometimes have. She has been showing just a touch of it all winter when she stands up. I don't know what it is called, but it occurs in varying degrees of severity, from barely noticeable to virtually crippling. In Mento's case, so far it has presented as just a ripple of the muscles in her hind quarters.

Normally in such circumstances we would give the calcium just in case, but Mento's skin was warm, she was eating like there weren't going to be seconds and I just didn't think it was needed. Neither did the boss.

However, when you make a decision like that, come morning sleep can be elusive. (You always wonder...is the cow really okay or did I just want to get out of the barn before nine?)
Today is not tanker day, Becky's class is late and there are (hopefully) no inspectors lurking around the corner, so I could have slept until almost six without guilt, However, worrying about Mento...and Consequence, who is also due...and Zinnia who calved night before last....I got up just after five to go out and check. Liz was already up though, just leaving for work because it is SNOWING AGAIN...so she took her phone and went over and checked. Nothing...all well. I am glad but now I wish I had taken that extra almost hour and got some sleep.....oh, well, glad the old girl is all right and expect we will get a calf today.


(Not) my cannon*
Photo by Becky (I was driving)



*Earl: What kind of fuse is that?
Burt: Cannon fuse
Earl : What the hell do you use it for?
Burt : My cannon!



5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't you hate those restless nights. We give homeopathics in the dry period for MF. There is no withdrawal and if it doesn't help it can't hurt. Just in case your interested: alternate CALC PHOS 30C and MAG PHOS 30C every week. These also wouldn't interfere with any other medicines that you use like calcium. And you can just put it on their grain.

I have to show my dh the cannon - we have a lot of big bangs here much to the chagrin of our neighbors. I was going to wait until Independence day to post about it. Thanks for the great blog - you cover all the bases!

Deb said...

I'm glad all was well in the barn this morning. Our animals do deprive of us much needed sleep occasionally don't they? I'll be waiting for calf news :0)
Sorry the SNOW kept your Timberdoodle(love this!) quiet. I really enjoyed the video you posted. Am waiting to show it to the rest of the family. My Mom will love it as she is an avid bird watcher.
Hope the snow does't make your day too miserable.

Deb

Anonymous said...

OMG - did you say Becky was driving?

R.Powers said...

Glad the cow is okay.
Nice cannon, looks like a cast iron six pounder.
I used to shoot a bronze 6 pounder in the park service.

threecollie said...

Nita, this time of year there are all too many of them. It is so darned cold here and we have a lot of babies due....one of my goals is to obtain a cannon to point down the driveway. It's a long story. lol Thanks for your kind words.

Deb, thanks, they do. Afraid we are not going to hear the dance for a while...still lots of new snow on the ground and it is COLD! Your new babies are gorgeous! Everyone should go see them!

Nita, no wish she was, I was driving so she was taking the pictures. lol

FC, you know of my cannon dreams from posts gone by....do you have pictures of your cannonading? We would love to see them...Florida Cracker as Burt Gummer....it has a certain ring to it.