Cow killed by snake!!

[startinghandle]

l did not believe this but is true last week not far from here a cow was killed by snake bite

 

[Beowulf]

That's what happens when you mix your drinks.

 

[Samcowman]

Yeah we have had it happen, not very nice job. Nose peeled then skin peeled off had her put down as she was suffering so bad.

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

I lost one last year, died almost instantly and that was a beef cow. My son in law had a Dairy cow killed 2 weeks ago, she was given various treatment but died anyway.
According to the local knackerman it is more common than people realise especially at this time of the year around the edges of woodland.

 

[som farmer]

thankfully have not seen a snake for years, my intense fear/hatred/scared of snakes started 40 odd years ago, I was digging out an old gate post, and just cleaning around it by hand, led flat, arm right down, and I put my fingers into a nest of slow worms, suffice to say, shivers down my spine now, just thinking about it

 

[Yale]

Never seen a wild snake.....personally do not want to either.

 

[jendan]

I lost one last year, died almost instantly and that was a beef cow. My son in law had a Dairy cow killed 2 weeks ago, she was given various treatment but died anyway.
According to the local knackerman it is more common than people realise especially at this time of the year around the edges of woodland.

What are the symptoms? I lost a suckler heifer in May and struggled to identify the cause.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

We had a cow that was near to death and the vet gave the snake antidote. Saved her .was one of our best cows. Could clearly see the snake bite in the neck

 

[Farmer Roy]

Just remember - snakes don't WANT to bit a cow - or a human for that matter. What's the point ( unless for defence ), it's just a waste of resources. It's not like it's going to eat the cow . . .
Most likely the cow startled it somehow or stepped on it by mistake

 

[startinghandle]

Just remember - snakes don't WANT to bit a cow - or a human for that matter. What's the point ( unless for defence ), it's just a waste of resources. It's not like it's going to eat the cow . . .
Most likely the cow startled it somehow or stepped on it by mistake

That is exactly what the vet said to the farmer's wife that the cow must've startled the snake but the snake is protected if they were thinking of looking for it

 

[primmiemoo]

Never seen a wild snake.....personally do not want to either.

That's interesting. Are there no grass snakes and adders in your area?

My place is mostly above 600', and there's loads here.

 

[Farmer Roy]

That is exactly what the vet said to the farmer's wife that the cow must've startled the snake but the snake is protected if they were thinking of looking for it

Snakes are protected native wild life here also.
I only kill them if around the house, otherwise I just leave them be

I've nearly stepped on a few in my time also - makes your heart skip a beat

 

[Yale]

That's interesting. Are there no grass snakes and adders in your area?

My place is mostly above 600', and there's loads here.

I’ve never seen a snake in the wild here...however I am colour blind.

 

[hill farmer]

Neighbour had a young dog bitten by a snake a few weeks ago, vet said that he was bitten on the foot. He's on the mend now but it was going to cost neighbour about a £1000 in vet fees
I've never seen a snake around here, and we are at 1000ft at the house, but I guess there must be some somewhere

 

[DrWazzock]

A lot of adders here in the 2000 acre wood. I reckon one might have bitten one of my escaped bullocks which has finally and thankfully recovered after 3 three weeks of mystery illness.

My old school mate once took an adder in to school and the police were called to catch it and take it back to the woods. The policeman also happened to be a nature reserve volunteer worker. I remember the snake ended up in a cupboard then the policeman got it into a bag and took it back to the woods.

 

[high plains drifter]

Yeah we have had it happen, not very nice job. Nose peeled then skin peeled off had her put down as she was suffering so bad.

Once had a cow here the same,me and my brother were working in a field where the cow was its head and neck swelled up
got the vet out and it survived but the skin on its nose and head peeled off just like yours

 

[jendan]

Once had a cow here the same,me and my brother were working in a field where the cow was its head and neck swelled up
got the vet out and it survived but the skin on its nose and head peeled off just like yours

Thats what happened to mine.Her head swelled up,then her neck and down to her brisket.Laboured breathing.managed to get 60ml Pen into her,but she went for me.

 

[Samcowman]

Once had a cow here the same,me and my brother were working in a field where the cow was its head and neck swelled up
got the vet out and it survived but the skin on its nose and head peeled off just like yours

This one peeled off all over its body. Was coming off in strips. Had an older cow survive it as well with just nose and ears peeling. Took her most of the summer to get right again.

 

[andybk]

remember when i started work , we made hay and due to weather stacked it in ricks in the field and sheeted it , a few weeks later was moving it and father plonked a perry loader full on the lorry ,(the days when you handled every bale 2 or 3 times ) when i was stacking it , must have been two or three grass snakes in the middle of one stook , i picked one up and threw it off the waggon , and i got a good b**lking, told it could have been adders and could have been nasty if i got bitten and in middle of harvest ,

 

[multi power]

I've seen a cow with suspect snake bite , swollen kneck, cow wasn't bothered at all, took a long time for the scab to heal up