Down cow help
- Thread starter The anonymous cow lover
- Start date
Sparkymark
Member
I had a cow down for 10 days this spring. I lifted her every day with hip hoist. Was a bit of a ball ache and time consuming but one day she got up herself.
As said before if shes bright and appetite then theres every chance. The will power has gone if they get to throwing themselves flat out, you know they need to be gone soon as.
As said before if shes bright and appetite then theres every chance. The will power has gone if they get to throwing themselves flat out, you know they need to be gone soon as.
Agree with that if she is out flat it's time to put her out of her misery. We use hip lifters, which I don't really like as I think they put an awful lot of pressure on the back end of the cow.
Had enough.com
Member
Keep swapping over which legs is under her to try & aid circulation when lifting. What caused her to go down?
we had one who was 3 bad calving took over a month about 6 weeks and she is fine now had another calf this year no issues but I would not have persevered if she had been older
e5c0rt.mk1
Member
Just had one down for 12 days after calving, tried to get it up with a strap, using a method found on here.
As soon as you let it take abit of weight the strap would come off and she'd fall to the ground.
Ended up making a hip clamp, got it up on its feet and let it take a bit of weight. Two days later it was back in the field.
Aslong as its not in pain, and still happy, i'd keep trying, its too easy just to shoot them.
As soon as you let it take abit of weight the strap would come off and she'd fall to the ground.
Ended up making a hip clamp, got it up on its feet and let it take a bit of weight. Two days later it was back in the field.
Aslong as its not in pain, and still happy, i'd keep trying, its too easy just to shoot them.
- Location
- sw scotland
We have had 2 that got up after 3 weeks. Difficult calvings but they were always bright and trying to move around. Kept them in a lambing shed with a deep bed and no sores. Just had to wait until the nerves healed.
However others start thrashing about and are flat on their side or go off their food. . Only one way for them
However others start thrashing about and are flat on their side or go off their food. . Only one way for them
The anonymous cow lover
Member
She had ecoli which knocked her off her feet got her sorted from that then had milk fever and hasn’t been up since.
Don't use hip hoist too much, try using the ratchet strap method found on here. We had a cow down for a month and milked her once a day with mobile milker. She's incalf now again. Aslong as they keep trying there's hope. Sun on her back. She'll come. Do her feet buckle when she stands? Lift once a day get blood circulating around her legs. Nerve damage I find they do come with a bit of time. Steroids? Don't keep injecting her mind with metcam.
The anonymous cow lover
Member
Yer they do a little but she corrects them herself when she can.
Farmersdaughter
Member
- Location
- Gloucestershire
Just had a cow with nerve damage down for 4 days go back into herd yesterday. If she has not given up and eats and drinks I says keep trying. We put our cow out in paddock, she kept scrambling with her front legs and we pick her up daily with hip lifters.
The anonymous cow lover
Member
Has anyone had them recover with the leg swollen?
supercow
Member
- Location
- Dumfriesshire
Probably the worst job on the farm, keep trying, like others we persisted with a cow a few years ago for a good 2 weeks, I was about to give up then out of no where she started to stand slightly better on one foot, then started standing better on 2 feet. By that time she was useless to milk but it made use all feel better that we saved her!
Married 2 The Mob
Member
- Location
- E. Midlands
From what you've described, I would be encouraged to persevere.
Hopefully you will both be rewarded!!
( Need a bit of luck too
)
Hopefully you will both be rewarded!!
( Need a bit of luck too
)Shep
Member
- Location
- The Orchard County
Had one down for 3 weeks recently, lifted her for 3 days at the start but i thought the hip lifters were doing more harm than good. She was close to calving, kept her fed and watered, pen strep and pain killers, then she bounced up herself one day as i was bringing a bucket of water. Calves a few days later and now milking. Her back leg is still swollen but getting better every day.
Won't be rushing in with the rifle as quick from now on and sometimes you can lift too often.
Won't be rushing in with the rifle as quick from now on and sometimes you can lift too often.
Tarw Coch
Member
- Location
- Bottom of Wats Dyke
Every cow is different, I like to give them a chance if I think they have a chance, some don’t and are best gone sooner rather than later, others are worth perseverance. If they’re looking bright, eating and drinking and are able to shift their weight whilst down they’ve got a chance. When lifted they need to be making some effort to stand not just hanging there, if they loose heart they’re best off gone.
supercow
Member
- Location
- Dumfriesshire
Very true. Once they go down and struggle to get up a small percentage will recover. But we all love a good under dog story don't we
ollie989898
Member
If the cow is drinking and eating and crapping normally Id have more hope.