# Dairy Prac Photos [DUW]



## PhilK (Aug 3, 2009)

G'day guys, I'm not sure if any of you would be interested but I thought I'd put up some photos of the dairy prac I attended in the holidays. Part of vet science is doing 'preclinical prac work', going out to farms etc and experiencing life there. I've done 2 weeks of sheep in Longreach, 2 weeks at the Australian Wildlife Hospital and 1 week of dairy. I still have 2 weeks of horses and 2 weeks of beef prac to do before next year.

Anyway this was a cool experience so here are some photos if you want to have a look! I've put descriptions above some of the photos so you know what is going on. Some photos not for the squeamish.

Cheers
Phil










The calves that have just been taken off mum are chained to half porta loos until they are feeding well off the bottle









They suck on everything









Suck suck suck

















These are the calves that have fed on the bottle well so are in the calf herd now















This cow (Ringworm) had calving paralysis and we were giving her therapy by lifting her with the tractor to stop her legs going dead.















Isabel was a cow that was down because of lantana poisoning. She was really close to calving and here is me checking how dilated the cervix was





















This is Beauty.. same deal here















Gremlin and his mum Wonder. She was in the sick herd for mild lantana poisoning. Calves are left with their mums for 12 hours to ensure they have had their colostrum









Sucking mum's ear









Feeding the calf herd. They get 2 litres of milk each morning and night from these troughs. Other than that they get a bit of grain and eat grass.















































Feeding the bottle calves. Again, 2 litres of milk each morning and evening





















Isabel (lantana poisoning) being moved out the mud patch she made herself. Tractor couldn't lift her (meaning she is over 500kg)









Some of the milking herd looking down into the pit wondering what the hell was going on





























This was the day their uncle, a butcher, came to cut up a beast. He taught us where all the different cuts of meat came from, it was a great day until I sliced a chunk off my thumb cutting meat for the mincer.. I know how you all like to see blood, so here you are.





















My thumb 2 days later after it came out of its dressing.



























This is a cow called Kiki. We found her down in the paddock trying to give birth to a calf way too big for her. She must have been there the whole night and the calf was already dead, crushed to death from the tremendous pressure, the poor thing. We pulled the calf out and she was very wobbly in the back legs so we stayed with her helping her out (lucky she was small enough for us toall hold her up). We pulled the calf around in front of her so she could eat the placenta and lick the calf clean - it was pretty depressing.

































This is a Jersey cow with a neurological problem. She thinks that is the normal position for her feet to be in and won't stand with them under her. Probably caused by lantana poisoning, but may also be an injury.









Pregnancy testing is brilliant on a cold day.. nice and warm












































Righto, that's about it. Thank you all for looking and being patient and hope you enjoyed it!


----------



## Lorgakor (Aug 6, 2009)

Why do the cows all look so sickly?


----------



## PhilK (Aug 7, 2009)

Lorgakor said:


> Why do the cows all look so sickly?


....? They don't..

The only cows that 'look sickly' are the ones that are down, in the hospital yard.. They are there for mostly lantana poisoning, and one for calving paralysis. There is less than 10 cows in that yard.. and there are over 300 on the farm, so I dunno what you mean by all the cows looking sickly..


----------



## smartie (Aug 7, 2009)

Awesome photos Phil, especially the dystocia photos!  I also did farm pracs this holiday. I did Dairy, beef, sheep, pigs and karakul sheep.  Glad to see another vet-to-be on the site!


----------



## Lorgakor (Aug 11, 2009)

PhilK said:


> ....? They don't..
> 
> The only cows that 'look sickly' are the ones that are down, in the hospital yard.. They are there for mostly lantana poisoning, and one for calving paralysis. There is less than 10 cows in that yard.. and there are over 300 on the farm, so I dunno what you mean by all the cows looking sickly..


The adults are all very skinny with ribs and other bones showing. Maybe it's the breed? Just look poorly to me.


----------



## whitewolf (Aug 11, 2009)

Lorgakor said:


> The adults are all very skinny with ribs and other bones showing. Maybe it's the breed? Just look poorly to me.


Some of the ones he is showing are sick but the others are either result of calveing and milk production in general. The non sick ones look pretty good.

Dairy animals just aren't real stocky (ok bulls are) if they are being "used". IE after calves. The calves are supper cute I miss my Jerseys now.


----------



## PhilK (Aug 19, 2009)

Lorgakor said:


> The adults are all very skinny with ribs and other bones showing. Maybe it's the breed? Just look poorly to me.


That is partly the breed (Jerseys are typically very bony) but also the fact that Australia is a pretty harsh climate mate. Not much food on the ground for our stock, especially now in the dry season.


----------



## zonbonzovi (Aug 19, 2009)

you're a natural with with those "arm condoms"!  thanks for insiders perspective


----------

