Back Problems

[Hoser]

This 3 year old cow once looked very well put together but something happened in the last couple days. It looks like her back is out. Possibly from the bull mounting her? She still moves around fine and doesn't seem to be in pain. Has this happened to anyone else? What should I do with her?

 

[A.J.]

I've had some walk around like that for a few minutes after being bred, but not for an extended period of time. Does she have a calf on her now? Does she seem bloated? One possibility that comes to mind is hardware, if she might have possibly ingested some metal or something else foreign. If that is a possibility, you could try to get a magnet down her and see if that helps.

 

[Hoser]

I've had some walk around like that for a few minutes after being bred, but not for an extended period of time. Does she have a calf on her now? Does she seem bloated? One possibility that comes to mind is hardware, if she might have possibly ingested some metal or something else foreign. If that is a possibility, you could try to get a magnet down her and see if that helps.

She has a 3 month old calf on her now and is out with the bull. She doesn't seem bloated but it is possible she could have ingested metal, never thought of that. Thanks AJ.

 

[MRRherefords]

We had a cow that looked like that and walked hunched up after she was bred. She tried to move while the bull was doing his job, and she hurt her hip or her back. It affected her for a week or two before she got over it. She's bred back normal each year without any issues since that incident.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

If it is hardware look when she lays down, they will stretch out on their side to get relief...she's roach backed which can cause that problem to....

 

[TCRanch]

If it is hardware look when she lays down, they will stretch out on their side to get relief...

Yes. And they will also lay with their legs tucked under their chest with their neck extended. Sometimes the brisket is swollen, sometimes the legs. They generally start losing condition.

 

[Lucky_P]

She'd be getting a magnet, here, as soon as I could get her in the chute.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

She'd be getting a magnet, here, as soon as I could get her in the chute.

Tell me how that process works Lucky if you don't mind.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Get her in the corral then into the chute then put a magnet down her throat.

 

[TCRanch]

TT, we use a medium sized metal balling gun, the kind with the clear rubber tip. The magnet is generally smaller in circumference than a bolus but about the same length. We had too many cases of hardware so now every cow, bull and replacement heifer gets a magnet. Make darn sure they actually swallow it and keep track of who has one; two magnets negates the purpose. Keep in mind, it's a preventive measure and no guarantee because it's not likely but possible for the magnet to pass through, the cow could spit it out (see aforementioned swallow) and "hardware" is a relative term: small, thin pieces of sharp rocks or shards of glass can render the same effect. I learned this the hard way.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

TT, we use a medium sized metal balling gun, the kind with the clear rubber tip. The magnet is generally smaller in circumference than a bolus but about the same length. We had too many cases of hardware so now every cow, bull and replacement heifer gets a magnet. Make darn sure they actually swallow it and keep track of who has one; two magnets negates the purpose. Keep in mind, it's a preventive measure and no guarantee because it's not likely but possible for the magnet to pass through, the cow could spit it out (see aforementioned swallow) and "hardware" is a relative term: small, thin pieces of sharp rocks or shards of glass can render the same effect. I learned this the hard way.

And the goal is for the magnet to attract the iron based metal object to it and away from???

 

[TCRanch]

TT, we use a medium sized metal balling gun, the kind with the clear rubber tip. The magnet is generally smaller in circumference than a bolus but about the same length. We had too many cases of hardware so now every cow, bull and replacement heifer gets a magnet. Make darn sure they actually swallow it and keep track of who has one; two magnets negates the purpose. Keep in mind, it's a preventive measure and no guarantee because it's not likely but possible for the magnet to pass through, the cow could spit it out (see aforementioned swallow) and "hardware" is a relative term: small, thin pieces of sharp rocks or shards of glass can render the same effect. I learned this the hard way.

And the goal is for the magnet to attract the iron based metal object to it and away from???

Just some examples: If a piece of metal punctures through the stomach and lodges in the heart the cow will eventually develop coronary artery disease. If it lodges in the lungs residual effects are pulmonary. So the cow may have swollen legs - think little old ladies with feet bulging out of their shoes. Or the brisket is swollen because it's hard to breathe, thus laying on their side or stretching their neck, hunching their back. The purpose of the magnet as a preventative measure is to keep the offending object in the rumen or reticulum (depending on where the magnet ends up once it's administered), not any other organ.

Unfortunately I've never had a cow with hardware survive (side note: both my preemies/subsequent orphans were from cows with hardware). But successful treatment is possible if hardware is suspected by administering a magnet and possibly hefty antibiotics, as advised by your vet, RIGHT AWAY. The magnet can potentially pull the offending object back into the stomach and antibiotics will help with any infection.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

TT, we use a medium sized metal balling gun, the kind with the clear rubber tip. The magnet is generally smaller in circumference than a bolus but about the same length. We had too many cases of hardware so now every cow, bull and replacement heifer gets a magnet. Make darn sure they actually swallow it and keep track of who has one; two magnets negates the purpose. Keep in mind, it's a preventive measure and no guarantee because it's not likely but possible for the magnet to pass through, the cow could spit it out (see aforementioned swallow) and "hardware" is a relative term: small, thin pieces of sharp rocks or shards of glass can render the same effect. I learned this the hard way.

And the goal is for the magnet to attract the iron based metal object to it and away from???

Just some examples: If a piece of metal punctures through the stomach and lodges in the heart the cow will eventually develop coronary artery disease. If it lodges in the lungs residual effects are pulmonary. So the cow may have swollen legs - think little old ladies with feet bulging out of their shoes. Or the brisket is swollen because it's hard to breathe, thus laying on their side or stretching their neck, hunching their back. The purpose of the magnet as a preventative measure is to keep the offending object in the rumen or reticulum (depending on where the magnet ends up once it's administered), not any other organ.

Unfortunately I've never had a cow with hardware survive (side note: both my preemies/subsequent orphans were from cows with hardware). But successful treatment is possible if hardware is suspected by administering a magnet and possibly hefty antibiotics, as advised by your vet, RIGHT AWAY. The magnet can potentially pull the offending object back into the stomach and antibiotics will help with any infection.

Thank you.