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maryjane
7072 Posts
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 Posted - Jul 02 2018 : 9:43:42 PM
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Our 3-year-old steer, Sweet William didn't make it through the day today. Right after his uneventful and routine hoof trim this morning, he went downhill. We held him erect with belly straps and the forklift for several hours, tried a shot of thiamine, and then some calcium gel. Eventually, he kept rolling over in the belly straps because he only wanted to put weight on his back legs but not his front, so we lowered him to the ground. Layla stayed with him the entire time, licking his face and ears. We thought maybe she'd be able to get him up, but nothing seemed to give him the will to live. When eventually his eyes started to roll back and his chest began to fill with water (congestive heart failure?), we made arrangements with a butcher three towns away to harvest him. We carefully loaded him into our trailer with the tractor and Lucas drove off with him. The butcher we chose kept Lucas on hand for what was essentially a necropsy to try to determine why he died. He was three years old and had been a faithful companion to our bulls, more recently, Ian. We'll brainstorm in the morning some ideas and I'll continue to look at information on the Internet.
On a lighter note, I've been gardening with a sweet little bird who built a nest in my garden shed. She's gotten used to my company and watches me work, occasionally flying over my head to perch on one of my David Austin roses. Then, back to her three eggs she goes.
Janet, if you see this, could you shoot me an email? My old computer's hard drive died and with it my email addresses. I'd written your email down a few years ago but when I used it recently, it was returned, so apparently you'd changed it along the way. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Jul 02 2018 : 10:10:25 PM
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Oh MaryJane, I am so sorry to hear about Sweet William. What a shock to everyone! Certainly not expected and Layla was amazing today. Again I’m so very sorry for the sudden loss. You just don’t know from day to day what is going to happen. I hope you find some answers to help for future cow care.
Love your little friend, Mrs. Bird.
The joys and tears of farm life. Both are intertwined and cannot be separated. Often times you need the sorrow to more deeply appreciate the simple joys. Take care. |
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Jul 06 2018 : 05:10:28 AM
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| Maryjane, I am so sorry! I just read this to catch up. My heart goes out to you, I know what you must be going through. Devastating. That Layla is a treasure. |
_(199x300)_(66x100).jpg?v 93697001) Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy") |
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Monday July 2
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