Energy Deficient Cow

[Ballygreenan]

I need as many expert and genuine opinions as possible on this one please.

Our oldest cow (7 years old) went down today with what seems to be energy deficiency. She is currently on an extended dry period as she is carrying twins, her first set. Four previous calvings have gone without hitch, but not this time! Thankfully she is lying comfortably in an open-fronted cubicle, so lunge space isn't an issue and she has a mattress under her.

She is not due until the 15th Feb so I know milk fever is not a possibility at this stage. I put a phone call through to the vet and his advice was to get as much energy into her as soon as possible, we gave her some of the blend we use for the milkers ration, she gobbled it up, then offered her a drink of Reviva (High energy re-hydration drink for cows at the point of calving) but naturally her 'friends' drank it, she wasn't really interested. The vet had suggested Propylene Glycol, so we attempted to drench some into her, most was spat out again! After I fed the rest of the dry group I tried to sneak a bit of the milkers ration into her feed tub, but again her 'mates' decided their need was greater than hers!

I will be trying again with the Glycol tomorrow, perhaps mixed in with the blend and I'm going to offer warm water with sugar and a bit of salt mixed in. Does anyone else have any other suggestions based on experience of what does or doesn't work? I don't want to lose this old girl at this point in time, if she survives through calving the twins I won't be asking her to go in calf again, I prefer my girls to leave the farm on foot, not being dragged out!

 

[organicguy]

Could be milk fever, calcium deficiency, had an incalf heifer go down a month before calving. Gave calcium and she got up but was never right.
If she needs Revive use a stomach tube.

 

[Ballygreenan]

Could be milk fever, calcium deficiency, had an incalf heifer go down a month before calving. Gave calcium and she got up but was never right.
If she needs Revive use a stomach tube.

She doesn't have any other symptoms of milk fever though, no trembling, no sunken eyes, she hasn't even started to fill her bag yet, could it be a possibility? I have calcium boluses, so maybe one would do no harm.

 

[bovine]

Get the vet out. We do see a pregnancy toxaemia type syndrome in cows (rarely but twins add to the risk). Needs her blood glucose and ketones measuring. Decide if calves viable. The other option is a dead calf/calves.

If just an energy issue there is a chance for Kexxtone if can manage her in the short term. Otherwise it may be a case of induce to get the calves out and see what sort of lactation she is capable of.

 

[M-J-G]

Get a blood off her before any treatments and get it to the vet first thing in the morning. That way you're fully in the picture of whays going on.

 

[Ballygreenan]

Well our old lassie managed to get up by herself yesterday, she was eating and looking fairly strong so I thought I'd move her out, bad idea! She went down on the slats.

While she was down I drenched her with a mixture of Ketoxaid, warm water and two bottles of Guinness. After a while she was up again. I have now got her out into a loose box with straw bedding.

I spoke to the vet yesterday, initially he suggested induction of labour, he reckons the twins might not survive as it is. When I explained how she is responding to treatment we came to the conclusion that we'd wait until the end of this month, when she'll be two weeks off her due date, then inject, unless she looks like needing it before then.

 

[Princess Pooper]

Glad to hear she has responded to treatment, probably the Guinness that did it!. We had 2 older cows have twins last winter and we lost them both soon post-calving, they had been OK whilst dry but the calving was too much for them. Keep an eye on her phosphorus levels too. Just be careful you don't 'overdo' the goodies and make her prone to milk fever too!

 

[multi power]

Keep her on the guiness

 

[Ballygreenan]

Keep her on the guiness

I might have to keep her company tho!!

 

[Ballygreenan]

Glad to hear she has responded to treatment, probably the Guinness that did it!. We had 2 older cows have twins last winter and we lost them both soon post-calving, they had been OK whilst dry but the calving was too much for them. Keep an eye on her phosphorus levels too. Just be careful you don't 'overdo' the goodies and make her prone to milk fever too!

She's now on milkers ration with a top up of 5kg blend. I'll sprinkle on some of the dry cow minerals on top. IF we go for the option of early induction I have both calcim blouses and bottles to hand.

 

[bovine]

I'd get the calves out.

I'd stop the Guinness. The last thing she needs is anything else for her liver to deal with!

 

[Ballygreenan]

I'd get the calves out.

I'd stop the Guinness. The last thing she needs is anything else for her liver to deal with!

The vet reckons that as long as she's not losing body condition (which she isn't) and able to eat, drink and deficate normally then there's no real panic.

 

[Ballygreenan]

A wee update. Almost a week past her due date and after a false alarm last Saturday (thanks @Tullyvernon for being my calving camera!) we FINALLY delivered two huge healthy heifer calves today, I reckon 45 - 50 kgs each.
First one presented nose first so with a bit of fiddling got the feet and ropes on and out. Twin sis followed in reverse, thought for a moment we'd lost her but a head wiggle confirmed life.

Mum took a while to get up, but two buckets of Reviva drink, two bottles of calcium, a calcium bolus and an injection of Oxytocin she's up and cleaned.

Thankfully I had 6 litres of colostrum in the freezer so each calf got 3 litres, will try milking Mum in the morning.

 

[Princess Pooper]

Treat her very carefully for a while it really takes it out of them.

 

[ajcc]

Bit tough to deny her the Guinness now she's managed to calve successfully.

 

[Ballygreenan]

Bit tough to deny her the Guinness now she's managed to calve successfully.

Don't worry, I'll celebrate for her!!

 

[Ballygreenan]

Treat her very carefully for a while it really takes it out of them.

Got her round into the parlour and milked this morning.

 

[Shep]

Nice when things work out well, very satisfying, just keep a good eye on her for the next few weeks as that is when something really stupid will happen to her.

 

[Tullyvernon]

Good job, Hows she going now?

 

[Ballygreenan]

So far so good, gave 10 litres this morning and looking like there's capacity for more.

We'll see how she goes, I was thinking of letting this (5th calving) be her last, but if she continues the way she is I might give her another try.