Mastitis in Ruby's udders

I go away on a trip and everything goes to pot. I left Ruby with her new born heifer calf running around all ok, I was only  two days into my trip and I get a phone call telling me that she is very ill and the vet says she has very bad mastitis and she may not get through the nite. She had a temp of 106.4, so after an injection of anti-inflammatory and antibiotics and with much help from Malcolm Mctaggerty, my dad managed to milked her out and after a visit the next day from the vet and another dose of injections her temp was back to normal. She is still with us, just being milked three times a day. She has lost a lot of weight, but has finally got her appetite back so fingers crossed we may be over the worst. Looks to my that we have saved half her udder so she may still be able to rear her calf and future calves!!!

Ruby with new born calf

Rather large udders

My Dad milking a very sick Ruby with help from her calf

Dad topping up the calf as Ruby was unable/unwilling to stand!!!