Everything was lovely yesterday until I saw the beginnings of pink eye in the two black calves.
The symptom at the beginning is a silvery trail of weeping from the eye. Later the eye will film over and become pale and very spooky.
Pink Eye
Pink eye in cows is an infectious disease causing inflammation of the eye, leading to redness, swelling, and discharge.
Thank you Chat GPT for putting that into a nice clear sentence for me.
Pink eye can get serious if untreated. (Cornea damage) It can even right itself untreated but it IS infectious. And can lead to such damage that the cow can go blind in the eye.
So these calves have been separated from the others. Locked into the barn out of the sun. And twice a day I will spray an anti microbial into the affected eye three times. (Easier said than done). This evening I will note any change either way and if necessary call the vet for an antibiotic.
Flies spread this disease hence the moniker summer pink eye. Often if the grass is too tall the calf will get an abrasion around the eye, just a tiny scratch and the flies will bring in the pink eye.
I am very careful and only have a small herd but still this happens once in a while. And no matter how clean I keep the barn (and it is very clean) the flies will be attracted to these big hot mammals.
The two infected cows are in the milking side of the barn where I can crowd them into a tiny space for treatments.
Even with all the best intentions and the cleanest barn and fly repellents – bad stuff can happen.
This will almost certainly recur so I will be vigilant.
Farm Birds
The ducklings are wandering far and wide – they spent most yesterday in the garden by the house.
Through that hedge is the pond (screen top right) but they have not discovered it yet. Their feathers are only just beginning to show so I don’t mind if they take their time.
They come when called and go to bed very happily.
All the little birds are locked up at night to protect them from predators.
The chicks and poults are getting very close to being moved to their big tin house in the field of flowers.
Though the field of flowers is still in the seedling stage.
Hopefully it comes through and is as pretty as it is in my imagination.
Good morning!
The rain is over for another few days and it has cooled down beautifully. Time for me to start the work of the day.
Have a great day!
Celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
35 responses to “Pink Eye in Calves”
Oh no, poor cows! Hopefully it doesn’t spread and it’s able to be contained and care for. Glad the baby birds are staying safe at night.
you know, I never had pink eye when raising dairy calves. Maybe because they are taller?
interesting, and I’ve dealt with many a child with it –
Always something happening on the Farmy!!! Big Bummer about the pink eye! Sounds like you have a great plan for the calves and that they will be rid of it soon. We got a bit of rain down here yesterday too. So refreshing! Our temps look to be in the 90s for awhile, so gardening in the early morning and evening is the way to go here. Then out on the lake in the pontoon boat in the afternoons! 🙂 Summer has definitely arrived!
the early morning gardening shift is such a joy. Right? I love weeding early when it is cool and I am fresh.
“Shit happens” what an apt phrase. Pink eye sounds horrible and so unfortunate when you keep everything so clean. Hope you don’t end up having to call out the vet, so expensive but imperative some times. Those ducklings seem like happy and clever little members of the farmy. Hope you are feeling a bit less exhausted now.
I am less tired today. Yesterday I felt like I was carrying concrete blocks on my back – when my legs felt weak! But today I am all better!
I would think that raising healthy animals is much like raising healthy children and no matter what things always happen to muck up the sequence. We realize quickly how little we can control so it’s best just to learn to adapt to what comes.
I love that the ducks have become a flock and that Quacker isn’t alone anymore 🙂 Oh, speaking about wildflowers… my first planted bed has flowers in bloom!! It was all 3 feet of tall green plants for so long and now finally flowers. I am so happy but now I want to figure out what they are 🙂 The smaller bed is coming along but it will be some time before that side blooms.
I am so excited about your wild flower garden. Mine is a little slow to take off.
Yes, but yours is so much bigger than my two small beds and sadly I won’t get to have pigs and other critters wandering through the flowers 🙂
That will be so fun right? Let’s hope we get good germination.
Poor cows and unnecessary stress on you.
It looks like Quacker is minding her flock today. They are so cute sitting around their bowl waiting for night to fall!
I think the ducklings tolerate Quacker. She is not a dominant soul. Whereas one of these big white ones is a very dominant soul. The dynamics are interesting.
Ha ha – how funny! It could be an Aylesbury or similar and they are very large white ducks!
Could be for sure. She/He is very bossy.
Could be a he – they are quite domineering! But you could get fertilised eggs which would be good for Quacker.
It would. Yes! Though why would a male run off a female. That is not the way it usually works. It will be interesting to see what we have. Sex wise. I have no idea!
Perhaps becasue she’s older and wiser. He’d be an alpha male…
Well that cuts it then Celi – sounds like a Bossy Hen, doesn’t it? (And like one or two I’ve run into over the years…
But, at least with farm animals, if all else fails there’s always Freezer Camp, hey? ; )
🤣
It’s a wonder Quacker hasn’t taken them over to show them her pond. Do you suppose she understands about their feathers? You do see mama ducks & geese paddling along with an apron string of little ones swimming behind. I’m sorry the black calves have got the pink eye. I had that too in childhood, because it was so contagious at school. I hope it wasn’t caused by flies. I never heard that!
Perhaps Quacker simply wants to keep the pond for herself 🙂
Perhaps, Deb, but you know they are going to find it any day now anyway.
Yes I think you are correct! Just me trying to give human reactions to animals 😉
It is impossible for me not to think of them of them as smart characters regarding & reacting to us. I always have since tinyhood & won’t stop now. Animals have been among my best companions & greatest joys. Even the chickens & geese as I remember them so fondly now.
This makes me smile and I totally agree!
I love it when you guys talk amongst each other!! It is a joy!
So very grateful to witness and share the love passed here Celi, many thanks to you and the fellowship❤️
GranMa always kept a small bottle of Boric Acid powder in the high cupboard to make a (very soothing!) eyewash for these occasions and literally works like a miracle on Pink Eye. Trying to keep it at bay on the farm sounds like a nightmare. More hugs!
Yay for cooler weather but BOO for pink eye. I remember my daughters having it; getting the eyedrops in was somewhat like wrestling an alligator. Those ducks are so adorable!
yes! Though in this case the alligator is 400 pounds!!
i remember a zillion years ago school was closed because of an outbreak of conjunctivitis/pink eye. I do hope it doesn’t spread to the other animals, although I know that you are on top of it.
yes – they are isolated and everyone is crying about it!!
The chicks and poults are perched next to one of your decorative fire hydrants. Good for them.
Right there with you CC!
On: Bloody flies!
‘Baby’ birds. (Bless their fuzzy butts: )
And seeing the field of flowers of your imagination painted in real life!
Big hugs❤️
greetings ! great post .
stay awesome and keep blogging
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