hypothermic heifer... anything else we can do?

Shayanna · #1 05/12/13, 07:26 PM

sunshine is a 5 month old holstein heifer and not doing so hot. we had a cold snap yesterday. went from sunny to rainy to snowy to sunny again. and snowy overnight. went out this morning and she was in the barn, cold. we brought her into a warmer barn, wrapped her in blankets and she only gets responsive with ALOT of rubbing. we gave her some jump start gel, and penicillin. we have a heat lamp on her as well. her temp was so low the thermometer wouldn't read. she has urinated while laying down but won't eat. she has mooed a couple times in the past hour. idk if that means anything.

is there anything else we can do? except keep trying to warm her up?

topside1 · #2 05/12/13, 07:55 PM

I highly doubt the heifer is suffering from typical hypothermia from a weather change no matter how severe. Look up grass tetany and other types of spring forage sicknesses. May have eaten something poisonous. Of course I'm not a Vet and this is just my opinion. I'll try to think of another possible sickness and will post if anything else comes to mind...Topside

topside1 · #3 05/12/13, 07:57 PM

High nitrogen fertilization reduces magnesium availability, especially on soils high in potassium or aluminum. Grass tetany occurs most frequently in the spring, often following a cool period (temperatures between 45 and 60°F) when grass is growing rapidly, but also is seen in the fall with new growth of cool season grass or wheat pastures.

G. Seddon · #4 05/12/13, 07:59 PM

I'm not certain, but it seems unusual that a 5-month old would be that susceptible to changes in temperature. You're in Michigan and this calf was born there, right? Is she by herself? What you are describing does not sound at all good.

I'd be on the phone with the vet to ask for ideas.

topside1 · #5 05/12/13, 08:12 PM

It sounds as if the animal is falling into a coma, I'm going to back out of this. Like G said get on the phone to the professionals. Topside

Miss Kay · #6 05/13/13, 08:18 AM

So sorry. Hope it all turned out well. Keep us updated.

Shayanna · #7 05/13/13, 09:42 AM

I read your advice, went to check on her, and she was gone.

Its hard to get a vet out where I live. The nearest livestock vet is always busy and it takes her WAY too long to get back with us. And the other one is ridiculously overpriced for farm visits and the office is 100 miles away.
I think the tetany thing is likely. I googled it and everything sounds right. She had been not quite irritable--but standoffish for the couple days prior and we didn't think to think anything of it. But no other animals have gotten it. We had a buckling develop bloat/acidocis a couple weeks ago on the same pasture. We caught it early and treated with baking soda/oil and he was fine. Are these similar?

Also I remember distinctively the smell of ketones at one point as I checked on her yesterday. We lost a doe to ketosis last fall and once you smell it you never forget it.

How can this be prevented? Mineral supplementation? Feeding hay even while they have pasture?

Shayanna · #8 05/13/13, 09:42 AM

The pasture is not fertilized in any way... But we do have alot of swampy areas really close nearby that might affect it.

topside1 · #9 05/13/13, 11:09 AM

Sorry to hear of the loss. Grass tetany is caused by magnesium deficiency and can occur in cattle grazing lush growing nitrogen high cool-season pastures. Legumes should not dominate pastures simply because they produce nitrogen that is added naturally to the soil. Not to exceed 30% is the by the book rule of thumb. Sorry again, Topside