Any ideas to get a down cow up

[TexasJerseyMilker]

One time my old Jersey was down with milk fever we turned her with ropes every 6 hours around the clock with ropes sometimes using the tractor so the muscles that had weight on them did not die and become necrotic. Since she had just calved we gave her tubes of CMPK twelve hours apart and by some miracle Prayed to God Thy will be done and an hour later looked out and she was nursing her big bull calf.

But the thing is, they have to be turned that often of the muscles on that side die and they can't get up. Sometime nights we had to drag her with the truck to get in an uphill position so she could burp and would not bloat. She just birthed her 9th calf.

 

[M.Magis]

She made it through the night. She actually looks completely alert and normal for the first time. Had some normal, solid poops. Gave her a drink and some food, I'll try getting her moved and hopfully up once its light out and the rain passes. Don't want her falling back down outside in the rain.

 

[cowman82]

I have seen the plastic bag trick work in person. it does really work. I forgot about it or I would have mentioned it sooner.

you don't even need a plastic bag. just shut her mouth with one hand and hold your other on her nostrils.

 

[Lucky]

I forgot about this but I had a cow go down at a friend's place several years back. After a few days I told him to shoot her. He called me a few weeks later and said she got up and to come get her. He said he just kept feed and water in front of her once a day. I couldn't believe it.

 

[Hereford2]

I lost my Nurse cow a couple of weeks ago. She got down we got her up. She seemed fine next morning she was down In a different spot, she didn't make it. She was 10 years old, so she had a good life. She raised 9 calves for me last year. She was nursing 3 calves when she died. one of which was hers. I hated losing her. She was the best tempered cow I've been around. She was a brown Swiss. She Never offered to kick me and she would take any calf. Unfortunately she never had a heifer.

 

[Dave]

I had an old purchased BM cow a couple years ago. Went down in the chute. Got the side door open and rolled here out. She was in the pen in front of the chute. Moved around and rolled from one side to the other on her own. I kept food and water in front of her. Everyday I would think that today is the day I will have to shoot her. On day 13 she was standing. Had a calf about a month or so later. Raised the calf out on steep range ground.

 

[jltrent]

I know you said you tried to get one of these. I have had some luck doing this, but not always. Like others said keep them dry, fed and watered. If they are hurt, or sometimes from calving weakness, they usually will get up, but if it is old age the outcome is not nearly as good. Some cows get old at 12 years and others at 18 years just like people vary. I have seen some people 50 look like 70 and some 70 look 50.

 

[M.Magis]

She's not up, but I'm a lot more optimistic than I was 12 hours ago. I assumed she'd be dead or close to it when we woke up. My son got up at 5 to go check on her and came back and said she was alert and even chewed on his jacket, one of her weird habits. Other than where she's laying, she looks perfectly normal. Head is up and alert, and she's back to eating hay. When she tries to get up, she's starting to lift her rear some. Not enough to stand up, but she's using those back legs a little more each time. I'm getting a pulley set up on one of the lean-to rafters to see if I can lift her rear end with a large come-a-long. Not sure it's going to work, but maybe get some pressure off those legs.

 

[farmerjan]

I would definitely get a tube or 2 of the CMPK... it will "feed" her systems... gives her a boost with the nutrients... used all the time for dairy cattle with calving "weakness" even if they don't have "milk fever"... Not going to hurt her...

 

[jltrent]

We had a calf down around 400 lbs. several years ago and it turned out to be worms. Gave the calf a worm shot and the next day it was up. You might get a feces test and see if that could be contributing to the problem or like I have done if they appear normal just give them a shot.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

I have had down cows go both ways. down a week or more finally get up and be fine, and down a day or two and die. worth to feed and keep trying. sounds like she is trying, if there is enough room getting her to switch sides and massaging/flexing hind legs can help the circulation.

while it sounds cruel, a down animal can sometimes find the energy to stand with a quick buzz of a hot shot. base of tail area.

 

[Lucky]

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[Mrcopier]

Update? I highly recommend that you get a pair of hip pinchers like in the photo about. They are a must tool in the cow business

 

[M.Magis]

Still the same. Still eager to eat and drink, so keeping hay in front of her and giving her a drink 6-7 times/day, and a couple pounds of feed here and there. Pully just isn't going to work, the roof can't support her. Going to try and see if I can get that tractor started, if that works out then see if I can move it out of there without hitting her. That might at least give us room to roll her over. Still no luck finding a hip lifter, neighbor out the road used to have a set but doesn't think he still has them. I'll see if I can find a couple tubes of CMPK this morning. I appreciate all the advice.

 

[MACVSOG]

I have had down cows go both ways. down a week or more finally get up and be fine, and down a day or two and die. worth to feed and keep trying. sounds like she is trying, if there is enough room getting her to switch sides and massaging/flexing hind legs can help the circulation.

while it sounds cruel, a down animal can sometimes find the energy to stand with a quick buzz of a hot shot. base of tail area.

hope your cow is doing well now. of what i read so far you have lots of good suggestions. try any/all you are able to.

i have nothing to add, just stories. delete as you wish. i recall one cow probably late 60s that was down with a breech birth, evidently for some time as calf was not viable, but was able to pull the calf. this was on the backside of pasture so no truss, rafter, winch, etc. available. could access only by horseback, didn't know what an atv was, maybe not even made then. the cow was in bad shape after being down for some time before being found. forgive the next morbid part, used my marlin 38-40 saddle gun to do what was necessary. was reminded later by a hank williams jr. thought. will paraphrase what i think he said, "shoot it with a .45, a country boy will survive."

have had a few other like instances over the years, but always closer to a pasture road and easier to reach and tend to. i believe all survived and after several months moved on to the auction.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

I think she's down with milk fever, very common in cows that have calved. I hope you got some tubes of CMPK. You need the special caulking gun from the feed store to give it, a regular calking guns won't work. She's been down a long time but if she's turned or repositioned her self and massaged every day her muscles wont die from lack of circulation. We had a down cow get up three or 4 days later with the help of a CMPK tube, another 12 hours later plus a lot of prayers.

 

[uplandnut]

I hope your cow is doing ok at this point. the only thing I will add to what was said is you never called a vet? The vet I use carries a hip hoist in there truck.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

No news is probably bad news.

 

[Spot & Bubby]

I've seen a guy get a cow up in a headgate by covering one nostril and blowing hard in the other one. I think same could be achieved by covering both nostrils, a la plastic bag method. Blowing in her nose got her up in a flash, though.

 

[Travlr]

Went to feed the 4H steer and found my sons 3 year old cow laying in a odd place between a feeder and gate. Looked fine, but it was strange she didn't get up when I scooped feed. Turns out she her feet were slightly elevate and she couldn't get herself up. I got her free, then rolled her over so her feet were lower. She's tried several times to get her feet under her, but just can't lift herself. Really can't even lift her head, but she did eat some feed and even drank some water when I put it where she could lay her head in it. Right now I have her head and neck propped up with a square bale. Lot of diarrhea and burping so far. She's in a small barn where I can't get a loader even if I had a lift. And ideas other than time and hope?

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