The Bovine Bugle

ONE SICK COW AND MAPLE SYRUPING SEASON

On March 21, we began gathering sap and boiling it down to syrup for the first time this season. Then it grew colder--2 above zero at 4:30 a.m.—and the sap wasn’t running. I thought it was supposed to be spring. That first day of boiling, we had just enough sap to only make a couple gallons of syrup. Our veterinary service came last Wednesday to check on a cow that calved the week before. Dr. Kent Henderson showed up around 10:30. I had been treating the cow for both calcium deficiency, commonly called milk fever, and ketosis. After examining the cow, Dr. Henderson said I was doing the right things for the cow, and that it was up to her if she got better or not. Doc did give her a 500ml bottle of calcium-mp and a 500ml bottle of dextrose intravenously before he left. It's very frustrating when you are doing everything you can for an animal that's sick and she just won't respond. You do the best you can and accept what happens.

My monthly herd clinic vet, Steve Wadsworth, summed it up best at one clinic. He told the story of how he was encouraging one of his farmers to do a better job on some herd health issue. The farmer replied,"I know I could be a better farmer, but today this is the best I can do".

--Jonathan, Howmars Farm