My Guernsey heifer miscarried this morning, approximately 7 weeks before her due date. Is there any chance she might still come into milk? She's got enough of a hormone rush to be bellering for her calf, and won't leave the area where she dropped it. I am, of course, hoping she will, but have never experienced a cow with a premature birth before. Thanks for any help or advice. Kathie

-- Kathie in Western Washington (twinrosefarm@centurytel.net), December 21, 2001

Answers

Run her in the barn and check if she has clostrum. If so go on and milk her out. See what happens.Jim

-- Jim Raymond (jimr@terraworld.net), December 21, 2001.

If she does come into milk, you'd best find out why she aborted before you drink it. There are a number of milk-born zoonoses that have abortion as a symptom--Brucellosis pops immediately to mind.

And there is a rarer form of listeriosis that presents as only as an abortion (rather than the usual high fever, circling, CNS symptoms), but in this form (unlike the common form), listeria bacteria is shed into the milk. Listeriosis in humans can show up as a life threatening encelphalitis---nothing to play with.

Call your vet and find out what is happening.

-- Julia (charmer24@juno.com), December 21, 2001.

It could be lepto, is that the same as listerosis? I have no idea. If she loses a calf because of Lepto, it won't ever happen again, but to the best of my understanding she will always be a carrier for the disease. There is a vaccination to prevent Lepto. If it was me I wouldn't drink the milk, until I had a vet really check her out. Even then I probably still wouldn't drink it, but thats just me. Cows don't usually do that sort of thing unless it is disease related. I guess its possible but it would be rare.

-- renabeth (renabeth@yahoo.com), December 21, 2001.

Excellent post Julia! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), December 21, 2001.

I had a heifer abort at five months once, and yes they will come into milk. Just keep milking at her and you'll get something. It won't be gallons, but you won't lose the whole lacation. Leptospirosis *can* manifest as 7 month abortions, so you should get her checked if you can, but you can vaccinate for it easily. It's always good to vaccinate for things like that even if you have few animals and little outside contact with other domestic animals, because the deer population can carry quite a few diseases as well.

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), December 21, 2001.

You could hurry to the auction or go to your local dairy if there is one, and buy an orphan calf and put it with the cow. Don't wait to long. You may have to tie the cow up a few times at first to let the calf nurse, but she should get used to it after awhile. This is all providing that the cow proves to be OK after the abortion.

-- Red Neck (Secesh@CSA.com), December 22, 2001.