Another vet visit

Dr. Hutter, the vet, said to cut off the cow's bandage by the end of the week.  This morning after moving the irrigation pipes I did so.  Cow 60 mostly stood still while I did so and I didn't have to put her in the head gate.  Her leg is still swollen; she doesn't stand on her heel; and the wound looked nasty.

So I called the vet's office.  I was told Dr. Hutter would call me back.   Several hours later at noon I decided time was running out and I would bring the cow in to the vet's office.  I called for an appointment and was told they forgot Dr. Hutter had the day off.  And they never called to let me know.   I made an appointment for the other vet to see the cow.

He cleaned the wound and checked it.  While, yes, the tendons were not severed, the tendon's sheaths were torn and ruptured.  The prognosis: not good.  In the past week I have turned two cows into hamburger.  I can't do a third.  And there is no opening in the schedule until January.  And even if there was an earlier opening I would have to wait three weeks due to the anti-biotic injection last week.

The worst: the cow dies from the infection.   The best: the cow lives but is lame.

To help fight the infection there is a stronger, more costly anti-biotic ($99).   The vet didn't push it as the prognosis is not good but Donna felt the cow should have it.  So I got it since about the only option I have is to try to save the cow.

To help keep the wound clean I got a half dozen bandages and wraps.  They will have to be changed every 4 to 5 days.

So, we'll see.

What a nightmare.


The other news is that Tobey is getting pretty independent now that all the cows are bred.  August 1 he bred the last cow, cow 40 who had kept cow 20 company and who was scheduled to be sold at auction this Fall. With cow 60 in such bad shape cow 40 got a reprieve.  And I get stuck with a late early May calf.

This morning Tobey was missing again.  All the cows and calves were laying just outside of the corral.  I found Tobey at the far end of the pasture by the river.

Eventually he made his way back to the cows.  He started to get annoyed if I herded him too fast.

I don't have time to spend a half hour each day looking for him if he isn't going to spend time with the cows.  (With Buddy this was not a problem.)   And if Tobey gets too independent he may cross the low river and go on a road trip looking for more cows.

So... back into the corral for him.  Except once he got back to the cows outside of the corral Tobey didn't want to go into the corral.  He wanted to check out all the cows (and some calves) to see if they needed his services.  Losing his virginity and all the attention from the cows had gone to his head.  He wants sex all the time now.

An hour later he wandered back near the corral and I got him inside.  He insisted cow 60 stand up so he could check her.  So I put him in the south corral and cow 60 and the two calves in the main corral.  In the south corral for Tobey I got a large hay bale as he will be spending all his time there. I imagine tomorrow Tobey will start mooing and moaning about how he misses being with the cows.

For cow 60 and the calves I put the long wooden feeder back together for their hay.  And since the boards are not wet and swollen I had a two and a half inch gap in the floor.  I had to cut a board to fit for now.

So.  Hassles all around.  I use the south corral to wean the calves but that is out now that Tobey lives there now.


The calf with the missing mother, calf 120, has pretty much lost her voice from all her calling for her mother.

The Summer of tragedy, heartbreak and loss here at the ranch rolls on.  I am beyond frustrated and annoyed.  The year is a total loss.