Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Bagging up - and "un-bagging"  (Read 5681 times)

Muddy Wellies

  • Joined Dec 2019
Bagging up - and "un-bagging"
« on: January 04, 2020, 10:49:29 am »
Hallo!
Has anyone had this happen?
I have a heifer who has been about to calve for the past week - pins dropped and some mucus showing a week ago, started bagging up on Monday - but by Wed her teats had shrivelled and I thought I'd imagined seeing them start to fill. Now the same thing has happened again - last night teats were filling, this morning one has shrivelled to nothing. Am I seeing things?
What's going on?

Buttermilk

  • Joined Jul 2014
Re: Bagging up - and "un-bagging"
« Reply #1 on: January 06, 2020, 01:58:35 pm »
Often bags go up and down in the run up to calving, often as a result of lying down and moving around.

PipKelpy

  • Joined Mar 2019
  • North Shropshire
  • Dreamer with Mary, (cow) and sheep.
Re: Bagging up - and "un-bagging"
« Reply #2 on: January 07, 2020, 07:54:28 am »
I've never had it happen, bag come and go before calving. Like how you said pins dropped!

Knickers calved 2am Sat morning, full term and we still can't quite figure out where she kept him. I compare her to a supermodel, perfect figure before and after calving!

Small bag though long teets. Good size and Edward sucks like a dream!! With any luck, this time next year, she'll have her 2nd calf and 1st calves for Mary and Jennifer!!
Halter train the cattle to keep them quiet but watch your back when they come a'bulling! Give them all names even those you plan to eat. Always be calm. Most importantly, invest in wellies with steel toe caps and be prepared for the clever cow who knows where the toe caps end!!

Muddy Wellies

  • Joined Dec 2019
Re: Bagging up - and "un-bagging"
« Reply #3 on: January 07, 2020, 09:03:12 am »
Thank you both! Good to know she's not the only one not doing things by the book :)

Muddy Wellies

  • Joined Dec 2019
Re: Bagging up - and "un-bagging"
« Reply #4 on: January 07, 2020, 09:14:44 am »
Next question!
Colostrum finally came in last night.
It's now 10 days since her "due" date.
Can heifers go beyond 10 days? Please say no, and that she'll definitely get on with it today!
Or could she even not be ready, and perhaps she got pregnant 3 weeks after the date I noted seeing the bull with her?
(My other 3 have all calved over the last month)
Thanks :)

shep53

  • Joined Jan 2011
  • Dumfries & Galloway
Re: Bagging up - and "un-bagging"
« Reply #5 on: January 07, 2020, 09:51:50 am »
It will happen when she's ready , so take a depth breath and relax and stop starring at her

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: Bagging up - and "un-bagging"
« Reply #6 on: January 07, 2020, 10:52:55 am »
Or could she even not be ready, and perhaps she got pregnant 3 weeks after the date I noted seeing the bull with her?
We had this with one of our cows this year - she was vast and way past her "due date". I even got the vet to have  a look when he was in about something else. When I looked back the diary, she must have slipped the calf she was carrying when they were scanned and come back into season almost immediately - hence calf was six weeks after "due date". All well though.
Shep53 is right though - watched kettle and all that  :)

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Bagging up - and "un-bagging"
« Reply #7 on: January 07, 2020, 10:54:45 am »
It will happen when she's ready , so take a depth breath and relax and stop starring at her

What she says :)


Gestation varies yes.  Plus both sheep and cows can “keep them in” if they think the conditions aren’t right.  Which does indeed include not being given any peace!  Lol.
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

landroverroy

  • Joined Oct 2010
Re: Bagging up - and "un-bagging"
« Reply #8 on: January 07, 2020, 11:11:58 am »
Next question!
Colostrum finally came in last night.
It's now 10 days since her "due" date.
Can heifers go beyond 10 days? Please say no, and that she'll definitely get on with it today!
Or could she even not be ready, and perhaps she got pregnant 3 weeks after the date I noted seeing the bull with her?
(My other 3 have all calved over the last month)
Thanks :)


If you are sure it's colostrum and not just a watery liquid then I should begin the hourly checks and get the hot water, soft calving ropes, lubricant and towels ready. :excited: :fc:
Rules are made:
  for the guidance of wise men
  and the obedience of fools.

PipKelpy

  • Joined Mar 2019
  • North Shropshire
  • Dreamer with Mary, (cow) and sheep.
Re: Bagging up - and "un-bagging"
« Reply #9 on: January 07, 2020, 02:13:42 pm »
It will happen when she's ready , so take a depth breath and relax and stop starring at her

Ha! Easier said than done!!

We watched Knickers on the monitor then went down just in case she needed assistance! Did well herself, pen spotless. Actually thought how dry it was. Little darling pushed calf out first so as soon as she got up, out popped waterbag literally exploding everywhere!!

Good job I've mothered her since she came at 3 weeks old, she licked calf whilst I was brushing water blood slime galore up and putting down clean bedding. Her none slip mat became an ice rink for him!

Halter train the cattle to keep them quiet but watch your back when they come a'bulling! Give them all names even those you plan to eat. Always be calm. Most importantly, invest in wellies with steel toe caps and be prepared for the clever cow who knows where the toe caps end!!

Muddy Wellies

  • Joined Dec 2019
Re: Bagging up - and "un-bagging"
« Reply #10 on: January 07, 2020, 07:02:42 pm »

Plus both sheep and cows can “keep them in” if they think the conditions aren’t right.  Which does indeed include not being given any peace!  Lol.

Ooops!!!!  ::)

twizzel

  • Joined Apr 2012
Re: Bagging up - and "un-bagging"
« Reply #11 on: January 07, 2020, 07:17:19 pm »
We have a MooCall calving sensor... it gives us some assurance that we won’t miss a calving and it’s saved a fair few calves in the 3 years we’ve had it  :thumbsup:

Muddy Wellies

  • Joined Dec 2019
Re: Bagging up - and "un-bagging"
« Reply #12 on: January 07, 2020, 09:05:56 pm »
We have a MooCall calving sensor... it gives us some assurance that we won’t miss a calving and it’s saved a fair few calves in the 3 years we’ve had it  :thumbsup:

We were just joking we needed a "Coo Cam"!

Muddy Wellies

  • Joined Dec 2019
Re: Bagging up - and "un-bagging"
« Reply #13 on: January 07, 2020, 09:09:32 pm »

If you are sure it's colostrum and not just a watery liquid then I should begin the hourly checks and get the hot water, soft calving ropes, lubricant and towels ready. :excited: :fc:

Definitely colostrum!
Came in yesterday evening....

Muddy Wellies

  • Joined Dec 2019
Re: Bagging up - and "un-bagging"
« Reply #14 on: January 07, 2020, 09:13:32 pm »
...Which does indeed include not being given any peace!  Lol.

Comet the heifer agrees...
I promised myself some cocoa after the last check, but instead have been washing my mouth out with salty water - Comet got me in the chops with the end of her tail... :yuck:
Just her way of thanking for trying to remove her muck and give her some clean straw I guess... ??? ;D ;D

 

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