{"id":171,"date":"2012-10-07T00:28:00","date_gmt":"2012-10-07T00:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/merribeeorganics.wordpress.com\/2012\/10\/07\/milking-again-hooray\/"},"modified":"2012-10-07T00:28:00","modified_gmt":"2012-10-07T00:28:00","slug":"milking-again-hooray","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/merribeeorganicfarm.net.au\/index.php\/2012\/10\/07\/milking-again-hooray\/","title":{"rendered":"Milking again. Hooray!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Well had a rough \u00a0calving season. The sad result \u00a0is \u00a010 new cows \u00a0on a new property in Karridale became 8. Yes, and we were right there 4 out of 4 difficult calvings. \u00a0Seems like there may be too much grass leading to too big a calf? We have had 3 deceased calves,2 deceased cows and 2 only just saved. There were a couple of cases of what we suspect was grass tetany. With one cow \u00a0Stew was right beside her. We \u00a0had a vet attend \u00a0but he would \u00a0would not provide the \u00a0magnesium solution we believe \u00a0would have saved her life. \u00a0Even at home here in Nannup the cow pictured above, Jersey, came very close to death with this dramatic disease which is caused by a magnesium deficiency. Any stress, like a difficult birth, can trigger off convulsions and muscle spasms , cow goes down and struggles to get back up, head arches back, teeth grind together audibly, frothing at the mouth, rapid breathing. Treatment \u00a0consists of a solution of magnesium \u00a0in a bag delivered by subcutaneous injection. 20 minutes or so after the solution enters the cow they usually get up and are OK., that is if they don’t require another bag. In Jersey’s case she did need 2. We once again \u00a0 called the vet ( a different one) but in the hour long wait for help to arrive she deteriorated and came very close to death. She moped around for 3 days after that refusing to eat the garlic and raspberry tea I made her. She was touch and go but finally came good and was back to being bossy. She adopted a new calf we obtained from our very helpful dairy farmer friends . PREVENTION is the name of the game for this disease and “milk fever” or otherwise named “calving paralysis” which is similarly dramatic and deadly disease but is caused by a lack of calcium. \u00a0 Magnesium and calcium naturally occurs in a rock called dolomite. We have spread ground up dolomite lime \u00a0on the paddocks here in Nannup 4 years ago but indications are we need to do it again. Mean while we will put a magnesium oxide dust on the paddocks at Karridale and in the water troughs today to try and prevent any cows yet to calve having these difficulties. After all our trevails it is really nice to report that Jersey and Moon the calf are doing well and we , the pigs , chooks and the cat and dog are loving the \u00a0milk.\u00a0I am going to\u00a0pasteurize\u00a0some and see if the animals reject it.Update! Our dog and cat proved only one thing: that they like milk. They didn’t care if it was heated or raw, they clearly enjoyed it either way and had no\u00a0preference. Sorry if that disappoints you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Moonie a few moths later with his “Aunty Jane”.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u00a0Jersey has stopped bothering to kick after a week long \u00a0a battle of wills. I seem to have won , and the result is one and half buckets of milk every morning . With lashings of thick cream and a plethora of eggs It is truly a land flowing with milk and honey in spring. I feel \u00a0ice cream \u00a0production is next on the agenda. Made with honey this will be very special food for invalids and babies , full of vitamin A and D as Dr Weston Price ordered. \u00a0Nearly finished Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Weston Price. One of the most profound \u00a0books I have ever read. Will be doing \u00a0a book review soon. His message is of monumental importance and is very very different to current trends. There could be nothing more important for teenagers to hear, as the health of the next generation is being formed by the diet of parents- to- be way before conception.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Well had a rough \u00a0calving season. The sad result \u00a0is \u00a010 new cows \u00a0on a new property in Karridale became 8. Yes, and we were right there 4 out of 4 difficult calvings. \u00a0Seems like there may be too much grass leading to too big a calf? We have had 3 deceased calves,2 deceased cows… <\/p>\n

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