2 days no water

[MrSmith]

Had 11 out of 15 cows refuse to go under a backrub for cubes.
I took it down, got them in the paddock with no water, and put it back up between them and water.
That was at 8:00 am yesterday. Left them alone all day and night.
Had 9 stubborn girls that wouldn't go under.
Tried several times today with cubes and light persuasion to get them to go thru.
They watched their friends go thru several times.

Today at 3pm I let them into another small pen with 110 gallon tank and they drank it dry.

Any suggestions?

[Red Bull Breeder]

Yep 3 days.

[True Grit Farms]

Raise it up higher till they get use walking under it.

[kenny thomas]

Raise it up higher till they get use walking under it.

Agree, I bring them in the lot to feed also then put it across the gate, take it down every day and call them into the lot. Repeat until they go in on their own

[greybeard]

Yep 3 days.

I'd be leery about letting them in to unlimited water after 3 days-water intoxication can kill them.

From Lucky_P:
Producer had penned 15 cows & fall-born calves in the barn on Wed night, and held them there 'til about noon on Thursday - 97F high/79F low that day, with high humidity - with no access to water overnight. Turned them out into a 2-acre lot with shade and water. 3 hours later when they looked, all 15 were dead. Brain sodium levels on the two I necropsied were in the range of 4200 ppm; normal range is 800-1200 ppm.

In those sorts of conditions, without constant access to water, cattle become dehydrated via urination and panting. When these dehydrated cattle were allowed free-access to water after their confinement, they really tanked up. Water crosses the blood-brain barrier much more rapidly than does sodium, so the elevated sodium levels in the brain 'sucks in' water so rapidly that the brain swells - and there's not much 'wiggle room' inside that bony cranium. Death ensued pretty rapidly.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=104224&p=1340031

[MrSmith]

I'll have to try it with a different taller gate. I've got it at the top now. 2 can just get under without touching. I imagine several of the stubborn ones can also.
Thanks for the info on the water toxicity. I'll just let them use the rubbermaid for another day before letting them at a pond, so hopefully they can't drink too much.
I was much too nervous to make it another day.

[Aaron]

Yep 3 days.

I'd be leery about letting them in to unlimited water after 3 days-water intoxication can kill them.

From Lucky_P:
Producer had penned 15 cows & fall-born calves in the barn on Wed night, and held them there 'til about noon on Thursday - 97F high/79F low that day, with high humidity - with no access to water overnight. Turned them out into a 2-acre lot with shade and water. 3 hours later when they looked, all 15 were dead. Brain sodium levels on the two I necropsied were in the range of 4200 ppm; normal range is 800-1200 ppm.

In those sorts of conditions, without constant access to water, cattle become dehydrated via urination and panting. When these dehydrated cattle were allowed free-access to water after their confinement, they really tanked up. Water crosses the blood-brain barrier much more rapidly than does sodium, so the elevated sodium levels in the brain 'sucks in' water so rapidly that the brain swells - and there's not much 'wiggle room' inside that bony cranium. Death ensued pretty rapidly.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=104224&p=1340031

Quoted because this needs repeating. It happens more often than people think.

[Nesikep]

I"d much rather my cattle be alive and have to deal with flies

[cowrancher75]

just spray them.. dang

[JMJ Farms]

What’s ironic is that they don’t want to go under a back rubber to get to feed or water, but take down part of your fence and hang one between them and the road. They won’t hesitate then. I don’t understand it.

[WinterSpringsFarm]

I tried the let them go with no water route, it didn't end well for me. I ended up taking the rub down and saying forget it.

[MrSmith]

All still alive this morning and the water tub was still mostly full so hopefully didn't stress them too much.
This afternoon gonna hang the rub on a gate with a taller set of posts.

I tried spraying them 3 days ago. Permetherin in diesel fuel with a knockoff fimco sprayer...shifting winds that morning....the truck and I still smell like diesel despite many washes...lol

[cowrancher75]

use mineral oil instead of diesel.. sticks better and they cows won't hate you as much.

[ALACOWMAN]

use mineral oil instead of diesel.. sticks better and they cows won't hate you as much.

my cows hate me anyway,so they get the diesel..and its off-road to .that really sticks in their claw...

[Hootowl1234]

use mineral oil instead of diesel.. sticks better and they cows won't hate you as much.

my cows hate me anyway,so they get the diesel..and its off-road to .that really sticks in their claw...

Calm handling practices will always lead to more pounds at the sale barn. One fella here I saw even had his cows “happy” when he was artificially inseminating them. I believe he mentioned them having a smile when he was done. From the pictures he posted, they were some bigger cattle, so it must be true