What will happen if you do not milk a cow: possible complications and diseases
Milk is a valuable and he althy product, which is an important element of the human diet. It contains a lot of vitamins and minerals that have a beneficial effect on human he alth. To obtain milk, a cow must be milked regularly. If an animal is left without milking for a long period, the risk of dangerous diseases increases. Let's analyze in more detail what will happen if you don't milk a cow for a long time.
What happens if the cow is not milked
A cow raised in the wild adapts to produce a certain amount of milk exclusively at calving.Feeding the calf lasts from 9 to 12 months, after which he switches to adult food - grass, leaves, branches. After the calf stops feeding milk, the cow stops producing milk until the next calving.
With animals kept at home, everything is much more complicated. First of all, a cow is purchased for milk production. This means that the farmer is interested in a long lactation period. Immediately after calving, the cow should be milked (every 2-3 hours). It is extremely important that no fluid remains in the mammary gland, otherwise there is a risk of serious diseases. Frequent milking helps to achieve consistent milk production.
Alveoli begin to produce fluid more intensively. It enters the milk canals and is distilled into tanks. They are connected to the nipple canals. Milk is produced evenly throughout the day. If you do not milk the cow for a long time, the liquid will begin to squeeze the capillaries and veins.This will lead to a sharp decrease in milk yield, increasing the risk of serious he alth problems in the animal.
If milk accumulates for a long time, liquid may spontaneously flow out through the nipple channels. It has a sweetish taste that will certainly attract insects. In an attempt to get to the milk, they will bite the cow's udder. There is a high chance of infection.
It should also be noted that when milk flows spontaneously, the nipples become dirty. The likelihood of developing harmful fungal microorganisms increases. This will lead to the entry of pathological microflora into the liquid, due to which the milk will become unusable.
Because of pain, the animal becomes aggressive, lowing loudly. If the problem is not corrected immediately, there may be a deterioration in he alth, even death.
Udder swelling
The most common problem for cows that have not been milked for a long time is udder swelling. Due to excessive accumulation of fluid, the circulatory system begins to work at full capacity. The result is dysfunction. The appearance of problems with blood vessels entails stagnation of lymph in the mammary gland, which is the root cause of edema.
Edema can form on one or all udder lobes. The problem is clearly visible to the naked eye:
- the skin at the site of the lesion swells, becomes thickened;
- the place of edema acquires a rich red color;
- significantly reduced milk yield;
- nipple shortening is observed.
If the swelling is not stopped in the early stages, the cow will have serious he alth problems. Milk production in the affected lobe of the mammary gland stops, the skin on the udder becomes bluish.
When edema appears, it is necessary to carry out complex therapy, limit the intake of succulent feed, s alt and water. The animal will have to make droppers, introduce special preparations into food.
Mastitis
Long absence of milking leads to signs of mastitis. This disease occurs as a result of the activity of staphylococci, belongs to the group of infectious. Mastitis occurs in one lobe of the gland, covers the entire udder if not treated.
Detecting mastitis is pretty easy. A close examination and probing of the udder can reveal a thickening the size of a pea. In this case, the cow experiences pain. If you do not take urgent measures, mastitis begins to grow, gradually covering new parts of the udder.
Until the completion of the full course of treatment, getting rid of seals in the mammary gland, milk is strictly forbidden to eat. Veterinarians recommend that the resulting liquid be disposed of during the entire period of the disease, in the next 15 days after the cure.
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