Cow only milking on back teats

[Slackjawedyokel]

Quick bit of advice needed please.

I have a 9yo AAx cow just calved this evening. She’s decided that the wet slimy thing that just dropped out of her isn’t hers and that she’d rather adopt one of those large 2 month old calves .

So into my he pens she comes. Problem is she only appears to me milking on the rear teats- both the front ones seem hard in the middle. Question is would you give her any treatment lest she gets mastitis on the front half (I have some betamox in the cabinet) or just see how she goes and then put her on the ‘cull later’ list?

Ta

 

[FatBelinda]

If they are 'blind' with no heat, and she's well in herself, I would be inclined not to treat with anything.
The only worry is that the calf might faff with the front teats too long and get tired before trying the back ones?

 

[Phil the Dill]

I'd agree with @FatBelinda, sounds like they've gone past the point of treating.

 

[Alicecow]

I agree too. Get the calf sucking on the back ones when you can. If the milk comes into the front ones then he'll find it. I had one that I thought had hard quarters, but after a few days of the calf pucking her everything was soft and working normally.

 

[Old Boar]

Leave the calf to sort it out. Either the calf will sort the teats or just learn that the back teats are where the good stuff comes from. She will have enough with just those teats.

 

[Slackjawedyokel]

Looks like she’ll be in the pens for a few days, so I’ll just keep an eye on her. Thankyou for the advice!
The calf is bright enough. I gave it a go at sucking then got another couple of litres from the back teats and tubed it, so all good.

 

[Slackjawedyokel]

That’s what we like!

 

[4wd]

He might get them to work a bit from sucking better than you can do by hand, but in any case two should keep him going.

 

[Phil the Dill]

Looks like he's got the hang of it.

 

[Alicecow]

Also, some cows just won't let any down or out to a hand but will to a calf. If I'm trying to milk her by hand I try to have the calf with me, preferably between me and her nose, so that she thinks it's him sucking rather than me pulling.

 

[Alicecow]

How's things with her now?

 

[Slackjawedyokel]

Sorry @Alicecow - just noticed your post. After a few days the cow took to the calf and they went back into the hemmel and they both seem fine. The cow only ever seemed to be milking on the back half. I didn’t treat her and she seems fine. Next week is turnout week, as the bulls go out on 1st May... I don’t think I’ll send her away with the bull again.

 

[Alicecow]

Glad it's turned out ok with her. Shame that she has to retire, but that happens too.