when a cow goes down

mary,tx · #1 02/20/12, 12:39 PM

I just had a call from a friend who has a cow due to calf soon, that has gone down. She said the cow has been down a few days, and is scooting around a little, but not getting up, and they are hand feeding her.

My first thought was calcium deficiency, but I don't know much about cows. I told her to call the vet for advice, that they may be able to prescribe something she can just pick up and give the cow. My opinion was that when an animal goes down, it's a short step to losing them, a big loss for a big animal.

She'd wondered whether inducing that baby might be a consideration, so that they did not lose it and the mother. My thought was to treat the mom right away first.

She is calling the vet, but I thought I'd see what the cattle experts here think.

Also, I know that last year they lost a cow that went down soon after calving. So perhaps there is a nutritional deficiency going on. (?)

thanks, mary

Hespa · #2 02/20/12, 01:38 PM

It could very well be milk fever which is from low calcium. If that is the case, a cow will need to have IV calcium. She also needs the calcium in order to calve. Calcium can kill a cow if she is given to much. When our vets run calcium into a cow, they always listen to the heart. You need to stop the calcium immediately when you heart a change in the heart.

bruce2288 · #3 02/20/12, 02:16 PM

A cow that has been down for a FEW days is not a good prospect
Like others I would think calcium deficiency(milk fever). An IV is a miraculous cure generally.
Could be ketosis, due to not enough calories in the diet. treatment- glucose IV or propylene glycol drench or feed some corn. This is more common in animals in poor condition.
Hip injuries, straddling on ice ect could also be the cause.
A cow should not be left down a few days before answers are sought. The longer a cow is down the less chance she has of ever getting up. A hip lift may be needed.

DroppedAtBirth · #4 02/20/12, 02:22 PM

Interesting article if it is indeed milk fever and she's having recurrent problems with it....

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/AnimalSciences...n/nut00046.pdf

mary,tx · #5 02/20/12, 02:28 PM

Thanks for the replies. I also was concerned that the cow has been down a few days. I'd've liked it better if she'd called and asked for advice the day she noticed her down, since down is, imo, an emergency. If this was a goat, I'd've given her calcium and propeline glycol, right away. I did lose the last goat I had go down, because I was sick when she did and didn't respond fast enough (it's been a few years.)

No ice involved here. We are coming into spring, with the pastures starting to green up.

I'll have a look at the link.

DroppedAtBirth · #6 02/20/12, 02:29 PM

Doh! linked the wrong article and having trouble locating the one I'm thinking of.

http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublicatio...783/eb1783.pdf

This is the one