This morning I went to the University's Experimental farm to do some work with Ruben, the Dairy herd manager. He is still a student, busy with his Masters degree in Animal Nutrition.
We would have weighed the calves, but the scale did not work...
We then checked their eyes for a membrane which would indicate a certain disease (I am not sure what!). Luckily none of them had it.
There was a cow that had lied down for 3 consecutive days after calving and she could not get up. She crept around a little, but stayed down. Ruben phoned their Vet from Onderstepoort (Veterinary campus) and this morning while I was there they brought a horsebox to fetch the cow in. About 8 men and a tractor were needed to get this 850kg cow into it! She was put on a canvas sheet and pulled to the horsebox by the men. Then the sheet (with the tape-handles tied together at the top to keep the cow inside) was connected to the tractor by a tape/rope. She was pulled into the box with the tractor.
She had to go to Ondertepoort where they can hoist her up to get her to stand. Also.. the placenta was not yet discharged (which should happen within 12 hours after calving down) and they had to do something about it! It may not be pulled out as this may cause damage and infection.
While they were pulling and loading her into the horsebox I could see how scared she was. She kept looking around, was breathing quickly and shivering even though it was not cold and we were in the sun! She tried to get up a few times but failed.
The tractor used to pull her.
The cow inside the sheet, on the ramp of the horsebox.
