Young Suckler Cow Down After A Hard Calving

[sheep&cows&stuff]

Have a young (3rd calver). Calved herself the 1st year to a lim, slight pull last year to a sim and this year was in calf to an easy calving lim (calved 10 others to him and 8 done it themselves).

Big cow around 700kg. Got plenty of time to try it herself but was making no head way - feet were out. Small enough feet and could get arm in over calf.

Started to pull and got it half way when it jammed. Cow went down. She was bawing and calf was bawing and i was stuck.

Got help real quick and got her legs straight out and spread apart - one man holding the jack straight, one man holding the cow back as i jacked. Was very nearly beat but eventually it came.

Immediately got painkiller into both and antiimflamitory.

Cow has been getting painkiller with antiinflamitory and antibiotic for 7 days now and still wont get up - think it is a trapped nerve.

Have been lifting her every other day with hinch lifters and she can stand under her own power but as soon as she moves down she goes on the bad leg.

I keep putting her onto her good side as to free the blood on the bad side but an hour later she tries to get up and falls back onto the bad side.

She is in great health otherwise, gives 2ltr of milk morning and night for bottle feeding the calf, eats and drinks the best. Just doesnt seem to have any power in the leg.

Tomorrow will be day 8 - i often heard that if they arnt up by the 9th day then they will never get up - anyone got any success stories?

Anyone got any suggestions?

FYI - calf is flying. Heifer calf out of my own lim bull - look at the end on it!!

Pics were at 10 mins old and 1 day old once i got it dried out and going.

Before anyone says it - i wasnt aiming for extreme muscle, was just the way the cow and the bull clicked i guess! And i know its no good unless mammy gets up!

 

[milkloss]

Some of them surprise you. The old man always said 20 days for a badly pinched nerve so if she's got motivation and not giving up then it's up to you really. As a stockman you'll know when she's had enough.

 

[sheep&cows&stuff]

Some of them surprise you. The old man always said 20 days for a badly pinched nerve so if she's got motivation and not giving up then it's up to you really. As a stockman you'll know when she's had enough.

Thats the thing she is motivated as hell to get up. God knows how many times a day she tries.

To be honest, as a stockman as long as she is healthy otherwise i couldnt give up on her! Pity it wasnt a month later in the year and she could be lifted outside.

20 days - i had said to myself i would try for 3 weeks if i had to!

 

[milkloss]

She'll be one of those crafty sods that has a walk about when you're not looking. You'll still be lifting her while she plays doggo and not drinking any water while you can't work out why!

 

[livestock 1]

Calcium. I will get shot down on here but give her a bottle of 40 cmpd first then go from there may as well start from the beginning

 

[Purli R]

Calcium. I will get shot down on here but give her a bottle of 40 cmpd first then go from there may as well start from the beginning

Cant do any harm can it.

 

[livestock 1]

No start at the beginning then work outwards

 

[Werzle]

Bad calvings always seem to involve a calf with plenty of coat. Keep lifting her, it sounds like she is one that will make it in time.

 

[brigadoon]

If she has not given up neither should you

 

[tinsheet]

Time, stand her up twice a day, a lot will recover!
Patience required. Good luck

 

[Top Tip.]

I had a hfr calved her a week ago ,monster of a limmy calf (this is a very easy calving bull ,)total freak. She has been off her feet since was in feeding her last night and bingo up she gets ,what a boost.

 

[M-J-G]

Has she had Steroid?

It's better for nerve damage than non steroidal anti-inflammatory like metacam etc.

 

[sheep&cows&stuff]

Has she had Steroid?

It's better for nerve damage than non steroidal anti-inflammatory like metacam etc.

No no steroid - will look into this today!

 

[sheep&cows&stuff]

Time, stand her up twice a day, a lot will recover!
Patience required. Good luck

Hmm - was advised not to do this as it would bruise hips too much...loader being used is borrowed so once every 2 days is what iv been doing - maybe could do it every day at a push

 

[sheep&cows&stuff]

Bad calvings always seem to involve a calf with plenty of coat. Keep lifting her, it sounds like she is one that will make it in time.

Never heard this saying before!

 

[sheep&cows&stuff]

She'll be one of those crafty sods that has a walk about when you're not looking. You'll still be lifting her while she plays doggo and not drinking any water while you can't work out why!

If only - have her on camera ha

 

[tinsheet]

Hmm - was advised not to do this as it would bruise hips too much...loader being used is borrowed so once every 2 days is what iv been doing - maybe could do it every day at a push

For me if would depend on how much effort the cow puts in when getting her up!
More is less if you get my drift!

 

[harperfarmer]

Never heard this saying before!

I suppose it's generally based on the fact that an overcooked calf has more coat on it as it's effectively done 2 weeks growing inside the cow that it should have been doing on the outside. We ceasared a cow 2 days ago, that we knew had gone over time, with a huge pair of feet poking out and that had a strong coat on it.

 

[puppet]

We had a heifer take 4 weeks to get up. She was in the hay shed which had a deep dry layer of bedding on an earth floor. Always bright and trying to move around. Had another 3 calves unaided since then.
Nerve tissue takes a while to heal but I have seen others go off food within a few days and only one outcome then.

 

[Werzle]

We had a heifer take 4 weeks to get up. She was in the hay shed which had a deep dry layer of bedding on an earth floor. Always bright and trying to move around. Had another 3 calves unaided since then.
Nerve tissue takes a while to heal but I have seen others go off food within a few days and only one outcome then.

If they keep lying flat out and constantly need sitting up its usually curtains. Handy if they can be put outside in a sheltered place because it doesnt take long for the bedding/muck to give them sores if there inside