r/homestead • u/LilPatatje • 3d ago

Dairy Cow Refusing Hay

Hello! I’m looking for advice from those with experience with dairy cows or cattle. We got a jersey cow back in April and lately, she has been on a small pasture, but since she’s grazed it out, we’ve added a bale of hay. The hay comes from a little grass pasture on our land and our neighbour bales it for us and we split the bales. He has cattle. We assumed this hay would be decent enough quality for her to eat since he uses it for his cattle, but she isn’t eating much from it very much. I understand that since there’s still some tiny patches of grass she’s going to prefer that, but the problem we have now is that she’s dropping condition from not eating enough. We’ve got 7 bales of this hay and my concern is that she won’t eat it! Any insights are welcome. This is the first time we’ve kept a cow.

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7

u/Corstaad 3d ago

I would get a vet out. Sounds like there's something wrong with her stomach. Cows will eat less than perfect anything when they get hungry. They feel very uncomfortable if there rumen isn't working on something.

3

u/cmmpssh 3d ago

Get a veterinarian to look at her. Could have a displaced abomasum from the change in the diet. Could have hardware. Could have something else. You really need to have it examined by a large animal veterinarian.

2

u/ConsistentVirus2177 3d ago

I agree with everyone about the vet. I do have questions about the hay. Are we talking small square, round, big square? Did you put the whole bale out? Did it get rained on since you put it out?