Cow Down

Found a in calf cow down and unable to stand again vet induced calf as she was very near calving and cow wasn't eating. She has since calved a healthy calf which is been bottle fed.
Cow has also decided to start eating/drinking again and appears fine in every way apart from getting up . One of her legs is sticking straight out backwards. tried lifting her and she can take weight for a minute or two on her front legs but her back legs appear too weak to hold her, She seems fine in herself but how long should I give her to come right before we give up on her and have her shot, She has been down 10 days today T.I.A
 

abitdaft

Member
Location
Scotland
Are you lifting her daily and if so for how long? The muscles become damaged beyond repair pretty quickly due to lack of blood circulation. I think you would need to be lifting very regularly for there to be any chance of success but I don't like the sound of a leg straight back. It doesn't sound too hopeful, sorry and hope I am wrong.
 
Lift her as often as possible, 3 times a day if you can, and build it up for longer periods each time.

Take a blood off her to check for mag, cal, phos, as at least you have her supplied with everything she needs to get up. Maybe a steroid too in case she has nerve damage.

If she's not showing improvement in a week you have to question of she will actually get up. But without lifting her you can't rule her out IMO.
 
Location
Devon
You should have been lifting her at least 3 times a day for half an hour a time for the last 10 days.

Simple way to check for nerve damage in back feet is to get a needle and use it on the bottom of her feet, if she moves her foot/ kicks out etc the nerves may be okay, if she does nothing then its a bullet job im afraid.
 

Flossie

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Lancs
Found a in calf cow down and unable to stand again vet induced calf as she was very near calving and cow wasn't eating. She has since calved a healthy calf which is been bottle fed.
Cow has also decided to start eating/drinking again and appears fine in every way apart from getting up . One of her legs is sticking straight out backwards. tried lifting her and she can take weight for a minute or two on her front legs but her back legs appear too weak to hold her, She seems fine in herself but how long should I give her to come right before we give up on her and have her shot, She has been down 10 days today T.I.A
She's knackered if she isn't up after 10 days, sorry to say, especially with the leg out :( Any drugs in her? Is she worth doing an on-farm slaughter, or just cut your losses?
 

bovine

Member
Location
North
Yes to prevent legs sticking out at silly angles (as in this case). Also a proportion have damaged a nerve when calving in their pelvis that makes it hard for them to pull their legs in together. Hobbling prevents them doing the splits. Having the legs attached to each other also helps the cow support her back end when lifting.

I would always hobble, and leave them on for a few days until I was happy with her locomotion.
 

Flossie

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Lancs
really I've had one down longer 3 weeks before she could get up unaided but that was from a fall not calving so may be different
Not with the leg stuck straight out I bet. If she was sat comfortably, and eating I'd be more inclined to keep trying with her. It's very difficult when she's bright and has an appetite, but she's not putting any weight on her back end and can't sit properly-time to go.
We had a heifer clattered her way through the front of some cubicles last year, damaged her spine. She sat comfortably and was bright as a button, but when we lifted her, her legs went out like a starfish. She had to go :(
 
We did have her hobbled on vets advice but straight out leg was pulling ok leg out backwards with it. Took hobble off now and one leg sits fine other one is straight out backwards.
ps injury was done before calving . she calved whilst down
 

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