Doctorin' Without A Chute

[Cotton Picker]

Net-Vet here....

From the sounds of it..... There are more than just a few here who have a few head of cattle yet do not have a set of working corrals, or a head-gate.

If you are not familiar with the concept... You can put a large bovine down, by applying pressure with a rope to certain nerves....

An example of casting the cow:

Yeah... Yeah.... I know.... It'd take a mighty big fishin' rig ta cast a cow.....

To lay the cow down, take a long sturdy rope (about 10 feet long) and place across the back of the cow's neck. Take the two ends of the rope and place them under the front legs. Bring the ends of the rope up and cross them over the middle of her back. Now take the two ends and place between her hind legs and her udder. Pull the two ends of the rope from behind the cow until she lies down. Usually the cow will remain lying down.

http://www.cvmbs.colostate.edu/ilm/p...malcalving.htm

Here's a link to another helpful site....

Chapter 3: Cattle, sheep, goats and buffalo

http://www.fao.org/docrep/t0690e/t06...7:%20ruminants

[Cotton Picker]

Here's another interesting site.......

http://www.cattletoday.com/forum/vie...=38923&start=0

[DairyGoatSlave]

thanks for the sights

[Cotton Picker]

Originally Posted by DairyGoatSlave

thanks for the sights

You are very welcome DGS,

Feel free to add any links that you have come across too... One cannot have too much info... When dealing with the ailments of dumb (Speechless) animals....

Here's the link for the online Merck vet manual... it's a great reference/diagnostic tool....

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp

[April]

Wow. Those were fascinating articles. Does it hurt the cow any when you vulcan rope grip her down like that?

[Karin L]

Here's some sites that I came across that might be useful:

http://www.aragriculture.org/livestock/publications.htm

http://www.asi.ksu.edu/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=297

http://cattletoday.com/

http://www.clemson.edu/edisto/beef-db/beef-db.htm

http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/exten/cc-corner/archive.htm

http://www.foragebeef.ca/app33/forag...index_body.jsp

http://www.cps.gov.on.ca/english/planmenu.htm

http://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/app21/infopage

http://www.cbif.gc.ca/pls/pp/poison?p_x=px

http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/livestock

http://netvet.wustl.edu/

http://www.intervet.ca/

http://www.animalhealthcare.ca/

[Cotton Picker]

Originally Posted by April

Wow. Those were fascinating articles. Does it hurt the cow any when you vulcan rope grip her down like that?

Hi April.....

I'm neither Dr Dolittle nor a cow whisperer.....So I can't speak for the cow..... However.... IMHO... You are merely utilizing key pressure points when using the Vulcan Rope Grip...... To get a cow to lie down for you.... I've heard that they squirm just a bit when you attempt a mind meld with them though.....

[Cotton Picker]

Thanks for your contributions Karin....

[Karin L]

Originally Posted by Cotton Picker

Thanks for your contributions Karin....

Not a problem.

[wr]

April, I don't know if it hurts or not but realistically, leaving them to die or suffer because you can't treat them seems pretty inhumane. I've used this technique and it is very effective.

[Oxankle]

I've not visited all the sites, but the first post presumes a cow that will permit you to pass the ropes over and under and around her. None of my first pasture bred wild cows would stand for that.

I found a forked tree of the right height, roped the cows, dragged them to the tree and tied them off. Then I took a second rope and put it over their horns or around their necks as the case might be, dragged their heads thru the fork in the tree and tied them off to my tractor.

At that point they had no choice. They got their shots, they got dehorned, wormed or whatever was needed.

The hardest part was baiting them up close enough to the tractor to rope them when I had not roped in 40-odd years. Plumb comical.

If you try this be sure to keep the tree between yourself and the animal. A cow can kick her ear if she wants. If you must work with her body toss a loop under one hind foot and pull it back about a foot, then work on that tied-back side.

If you have to throw the animal you can tie them off to anything that will hold them, put a loop around both hind legs and pull it snug, then shove them over. Be sure to keep those hind legs pulled back. The animal has to be stretched between the head and heel ropes just as two horsemen would do it.

It is tedious, but one man can do it if he must, even with unruly cattle.
Ox

[Cotton Picker]

Originally Posted by Oxankle

It is tedious, but one man can do it if he must, even with unruly cattle.
Ox

Hi Ox...

Thanks for the Cowboyin' lesson...

My intentions for posting the rope casting method would be for those who were in the possession of stock that are a little bit less bouncy than the cows you describe.... And who are also a tad more green... When it comes to cattle handling techniques...

Believe me... I've been around some fairly rank cattle... And I can tell ya.....I've been stomped a lot more by beef cows than any bulls so far..... Had a few close calls with the bulls too....

I wouldn't recommend your method except to other experienced cattlemen/women.... I would highly recommend that if a feller owned some cattle like the ones you have described... That they should also invest in some good working corrals and a squeeze chute...... Or send 'em ta McDonald's... For an attitude adjustment....

While you shouldn't get complacent and turn your back to any cattle.... A rank, mature... Or half-pint bovine.... Male or female is not only dangerous.... They're deadly.... To say the least... They can change life as you know it in a heartbeat....

Word of caution, to those out there.... Be careful not to confuse.... Dogies..... With Doggies... One's got sharp teeth... Whilst the other one's got sharp feet...

[Oxankle]

LOL, Cotton picker;
That is exactly what happened. Those wild cows were hamburger very quickly. All I have now are some more-or-less tame old angus cows and I've got a simple pen and a squeeze chute to boot.

All in all, a few tame cows are the perfect way for an old man to enjoy his sunset years in the country. After a while they meet you at the gate and stick their necks in the headgate whenever you point to it.

They will step on your feet though if you are careless, and they do get cranky if you make one of their babies bawl. Tends to make a man more gentle than he might otherwise be.
Ox

[Cotton Picker]

Something that those of you who freshen a first calf heifer might run into is barn-breaking.... aka.. Getting the fresh cow accustomed to being milked and handled.... It can be a regular rodeo if the heifer is a total newbie to being handled by you.... or humans in general.... On a daily basis....

I would recommend halter breaking any heifers that one raised for milk production and also spending copious amounts of time handling, brushing and touching them all over as calves... In order to get them used to that ...."Human touch.".... Shoot!.... Ya do that with Ol' Yeller and ya surely ain't a tryin' ta milk him.... Now are ya?

If you've never been kicked by a nervous cow... I can tell ya from experiences going all the way back to about six years old... That you probably won't wish to make it a regular part of your relationship with cattle....

Any cow, when she first comes fresh will have a fairly tight bag.... And will probably be experiencing some discomfort that is directly associated with that distension.... Fresh cows are also a bit out of practice... When it comes to being handled... Heifers on the larger dairies have usually only seen a human on occasion.... The term.... "Wild as deer"... Often applies to first calfer's..

It would appear that the jury is still out.... In regards to Pre-Partum milking as both an environmental conditioner and as a means to reduce udder edema....

OK.... What to do with your little sore bagged.... Bouncy heifer... At milking time.....

Pack a lunch... Bring an assistant if possible.....

Word to the wise.... Cows can kick pretty hard.... If she does... You can make a anti-kicker by looping a rope around the front of her udder and having an assistant cinch it up a little at a time.... Don't get too jiggy with it as you don't want to impede circulation....

Another method is to have an assistant to stand at the cow's hip (either side).... Grasp the tail and pull it straight up while applying some forward pressure on the tail... This is accomplished by grasping the tail close to the tail head (closest to the body) and also about halfway up on the tail....... Pull it forward over her back....Kind of manually manipulating the tail into the same conformation as you would see on a Husky breed of dog......

Always be as gentle as you can..... You don't wish to imprint the milking experience as a bad thing to Ol' Bossy....You as the top predator should be able get over your trepidations about being kicked while milking.... Or then again.... Maybe you won't.....

Now gettin' Ol' bossy over her anxiousness about bad milking experiences is another matter entirely..... You will note that... When cattle are lying around chewing their cud... One could surmise that they are in fact counseling each other.... Sorry... Real life ain't like Walt Disney... once you mess with an animal's mind they don't recover so good...

At this point I would like to offer... my for-hire services as a cow whisperer.... For $2.99 per minute I will whisper words of council into her ear over the phone... She should start to come around after say... Three... one hour sessions.... Just dial 1-900-266-4263.... That's 1-900-266-4263... Just try ta remember.... 1-900 CON-GAME....

And we thank you for your support.....

Oh.... Here's another few words of wisdom.... Free of charge.... If ya don't enjoy Ol' Bossy slappin' you in the face with her tail while you are milkin' her.... Don't be tyin' no brick to it to stop her.... 'lesson of course you have a desire be laid out colder than a Mackerel in the cow stall....

[ErinP]

We rope 'em, trip 'em down and tie them off the bumper of the pickup. Invariably, when a cow needs doctoring, she's no where near the chute. (And our trees are almost farther apart than the cow and the chute. )

[Cotton Picker]

If you handle cattle... Or any four legged beasties for that matter you will more than likely, sooner or later, be confronted with an abscess... I would say that they are painful for the animal in question... And IMHO... Not too tough to address....

I would first like to say that any swelling around the navel area could more than likely be a "Belly Rupture"... i. e.... umbilical hernia.....

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/pag...10&pageindex=1

We can discuss "Belly Ruptures" at length too if anyone is curious about them......

That said.. Abscesses are commonly caused by infection of an injection site.... Or infection caused by another type of puncture wound...... The resulting infection can swell rather noticeably..... If you do see a large lump appear on a hip, thigh, neck, shoulder or jaw it might just be no more than an abscess.... If there is swelling on the jaw or neck there are other possibilities to consider too... i. e...

Actinomycosis or Lumpy jaw....

http://cattletoday.info/lumpy_jaw.htm

Actinobacillosis or Wooden tongue......

http://cattletoday.info/wooden_tongue.htm

Necrotic Laryngitis or Calf diphtheria...

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/in...f%2cdiphtheria

If the calf, (Or other critter).. Appears to be of normal overall thrift, appetite and temperature (normal range for cattle is...101 1/2 - 103 degrees)... You might just be dealing with an abscess...

I would invest in some latex gloves (Nitrile... if you are allergic to latex) and palpate the lump regularly to ascertain if there are any changes.... If it continues to swell.. Is not bony to the touch..... Yields under pressure... And the animal flinches from the added pressure on the site..... You may wish to attempt to drain it.... Procure a syringe of at least 20cc in size.... Used and cleaned will do as you are not going to make an injection per sey..... Procure a new unused hypodermic needle of at minimum 18 gage or larger... 10 ga.... If you can get one..... Inject the needle as gently as possible and as shallow as possible (Only puncturing all layers of skin.. If it is some type of hernia on the belly region, you don't want to puncture a gut)... Gently pull the plunger as if you are attempting to fill the syringe.... Because you are...... Draw out some fluid for examination..... If the fluid proves to be only fresh blood.... IMHO... you are dealing with something other than a common abscess..... If it is either Pus, or bloody pus (Degraded blood will appear brownish)... Then you are probably dealing with an abscess

You might want to get a scalpel (Or sharp knife... Or one of those nifty box blade jack-knives)... And attempt to drain it...

If you decide to give drainage a go... Shave the affected area with some electric hair clippers (Wal-Mart cheepies will work)... Use a disposable razor to shave the affected area (Probably overkill)... Get some Betadine and scrub the shaved area..... With a sterile instrument.... Puncture the center of the swelling, being careful not to make too much of a puncture..... If it is full of pus... Or bloody pus... It may be under some internal pressure and will give you a nasty bath... So use caution... Also if you penetrate all of the layers of skin and fail to draw pus you will not want a gaping wound.....

If indeed there is an issue of pus... Open the incision a bit... If necessary... And apply some gentle pressure to the swollen area to facilitate drainage.... I would than make a mixture of bottled (Boiled) distilled water and Betadine and infuse the abscess with the solution to flush out any residual pus.. Using a syringe as the delivery medium.... Saturate a sterile gauze bandage with Betadine and insert into the incision... This will keep the incision open....

Continue to irrigate the abscess pocket daily and change the gauze until..... (You might wish to procure some hemostats to assist in the removal of the gauze.... Tweezers or needle-nose pliers in a pinch... (Get it?... Pliers... Pinch?.... Oh well.. You would probably had to have been there.... ).....You see a reduction in the swelling..... I am of the opinion that Neosporin (Wal-Mart, triple antibiotic ointment) is a wonder drug for cuts and abrasions..... Get an adhesive bandage that is large enough to cover the incision and dope it up real good with the Neosporin... You can make one out of medical adhesive tape and gauze..... Apply that to the incision... remove it in two to three days... Observe the healing... And change the dressing..... Repeat as needed until healed...

Of course this is the advice of a non-professional Net-Vet... So take it for what it's worth......

David

Here's an interesting link......

http://www.cattletoday.com/forum/vie...=38923&start=0

It might also be advisable to invest in a few surgical needles and thread..... Just in case you have to close the FRESH wound surgically.. Old wounds don't sew up so good..... Also.... Ordinary sewing needle and thread will work in a pinch... just sterilize them by soaking in rubbing alcohol before use... remove the stitches after a couple of weeks.....

[Cotton Picker]

Okey Doke....

If you've never given an injection to a calf.... There's really not a whole lot to it..... Sub-Q or Subcutaneous injections are administered under the skin... IM or Intramuscular injections are administered into the muscle....

Sub-Q are your easiest to do... All that you need to do is to find a flap of loose skin... Usually around the neck area...... Raise the skin with your fingers and slip the needle between the skin and muscle areas.... It is advisable to clean injection sites..... Possibly even shaving them with electric clippers to cut down on the possibility of causing an abscess through injection site infection.... 18 gauge X 1" needles are the general purpose needle of choice (The add-on info says 16 or 18 gauge X 2").....

Sub-Q is how one would administer some vaccines and something like Cal-Phos #2-500/ML for a cow suffering from milk fever... Cal-phos will be absorbed slowly if it is given Sub-Q.... One doesn't want to infuse the whole 500 ml into one injection site however as it is probably uncomfortable for the cow to have that much in one spot..... Stretch it over 2-3 sites..... Cal-phos, Sub-Q would not be recommended for treatment of acute milk fever... It would be better to administer it in a slow IV or intravenous (directly into the bloodstream).... However if one is not comfortable giving an IV... Sub-Q therapy is better than nothing..... Do not administer glucose Sub-Q..... It takes a long time to absorb and makes a mess out of injection sites.... it is one of the banes of the needle slipping out of the jugular while administering an IV.....

Many liquid antibiotic medications are administered IM..... One of the best places is the thigh on the rear leg, or right above the point of the elbow on the foreleg... There is good muscle mass in both locations... The rump just forward of the tail head works too..... Inject the needle into the muscle.... Before administering the meds.... Draw backwards on the plunger just a smidgen..... If blood back-fills into the syringe... You have hit a vein... withdraw the needle and repeat until you get no blood back-flowing into the syringe..... Inject the dope... And hope for a speedy recovery.....

IV is your trickiest injection to give... If you are really good you can administer it in the mammary veins just forward of the udder on the cow's belly... The jugular is the vein of choice as it is one of the largest and closest to the surface veins, in the body.... The jugular groove runs on either side of the throat..... It is fairly easy to find.... You will need to secure the head with a halter or similar device to keep the animal from thrashing around and pulling out the needle......

Once the head is secure... Push your weak hand's finger tips into the jugular furrow near the chest.... This will serve to engorge the jugular.... Causing it to become a better target..... Grasp the needle between the thumb and middle finger of your strong hand... Using the index finger to brace the rear of the needle... Angle the needle about 30 degrees (The add-on info says 45degrees) from the surface of the skin and plunge the needle into the jugular, on the lower half of the neck..... With the point aiming towards the body, rather than the head of the animal... If you hit the vein there will be an immediate spurt of blood... Don't worry... the critter won't bleed to death while you hook up the IV....

Here's a bit more thorough explanation of how to set the needle.....

1. A nose lead and/or halter sufficiently strong enough to effectively restrain or hold the animal's head steady so that the intravenous injection can be made with ease.

2. Hypodermic needles, 16 or 18 gauge and 2 inches long. Only new, sharp and sterile hypodermic needles should be used. Dull needles should be discarded. Extra needles should always be available in case the needle being used should become clogged.
<SNIP>

Restraint Of Animal- The Cow Should Preferably Be In A Stanchion For Maximum Restraint. If This Is Not Possible, The Animal Should Be Restrained In A Manner To Prevent Excessive Movement. A Nose Lead Should Be Applied And The Animal's Head Turned Sidewise To Stretch The Skin And Tense The Muscles Of The Neck Region. (see Figure 1).

Locating The Jugular Vein- When The Animal Has Been Restrained (as Above), You Will Notice A Long Depression Of The Skin From Below The Angle Of The Jaw To Just Above The Shoulder. This Is Known As The Jugular Furrow Or Jugular Groove. The Jugular Vein Is Located Just Under The Jugular Groove.
<SNIP>

Entering The Vein- The Skin Of The Injection Area Should Be Clean And Free Of Dirt. Cotton Saturated With 70% Alcohol (or Suitable Antiseptic) Should Be Used To Wipe The Injection Site.

Apply Pressure Over The Jugular Vein Close To The Shoulder. This Will Reduce The Flow Of Blood To The Heart And Cause The Jugular Vein To Bulge Or Enlarge. (see Figure 3). When The Jugular Vein Has Been “raised”, Insert The Hypodermic Needle At A 45 Degree Angle Through The Skin Just Underneath The Jugular Vein. The Beveled Edge Of The Hypodermic Needles Should Be Up. (see Figure 4).

After The Skin Has Been Punctured, The Point Of The Needle Should Be Directed Toward The Side Of The Vein And Pushed Into The Center Of The Vein. When The Needle Is In The Center Of The Vein, (see Figure 5). There Will Be A Free Flow Of Blood Back Through The Needle. Release External Pressure When You Are Sure The Needle Is Within The Vein.

http://www.drugs.com/vet/di-methox-injection-40.html

You will do better if you have an extra pair of hands to have the IV ready to administer..... They can hook the bottle to the IV set (Long piece of surgical tubing with a stainless button on one end to hook to the needle and a larger end with a vent to slip over a 500 ml bottle)..... Invert the bottle and MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS NO AIR IN THE LINE.... Else ol' Elsie will be pushin' up daisys instead of munchin' on em....... Purge all the air... Then crimp the line with a hemostat or by just bending it back on itself like a garden hose..... When you make the connection allow the line to be free flowing... You will probably get a little messy..... What with the blood and bottle contents spewing about.... However.... Better that you get a little messy.. then Bessy gets some air in her veins.....

You can just about chug-a-lug glucose into an adult cow..... It does not have nearly the adverse effects of administering calcium too quickly..... calcium administered too fast can stop the heart.... So use caution.....

At any rate you adjust the flow from the bottle by how much higher or lower the bottle is in relation to the placement of the needle...... Higher, faster.... Lower, slower.... You can gage the flow by the percolating of the air filling the bottle through the vent...... I would recommend that you take one hand and hold the IV tube against the upper part of the cow's neck..... This will relieve the tension on the needle in the vein and should assist in the needle staying in the vein throughout the procedure..... I would also recommend that you lower the bottle to within a foot to a foot and a half above the injection site..... It will take awhile to administer the whole 500 ml......

Watch the injection site for swelling... This is an indication of the needle having slipped out of the vein..... Gradually lower the bottle periodically to where it is nearly level with the injection site..... This allows the cow's blood pressure to overcome the IV pressure.... If blood back-flows into the IV tube, you are still in the vein..... Raise the bottle back up and carry on... Repeat until the bottle is completely administered.... If you are giving more than one bottle.... Take the IV kit loose from the needle... Leave the needle in place.... It should be spurting blood if it is still in the proper place in the vein..... Hook up the bottle... Purge the air... Hook up and go again......

xxxooo