ifarm26
Well-known member
I don't know if anyone on here has heard of this or if I have just been in the dark. A buddy of mine called about 7:30 last night from his pasture needing the number to the vet. I said whats wrong and he said 1 cow was dead 1 heifer was about dead , and his new bull was laid out on his side. I got ahold of the vet and sent him his way. I called this morning and he said that the other two were dead now, and it was from dehydration. They pumped them full of electrolytes but it didn't help. The vet was clueless as to what it could be because they had water in a creek and in an automatic waterer next to the gate. The vet checked the hay and feed and said it looked good too.
My buddy called his brother who has two yearling heifers in this pasture and told him what was going on. He told him that he was just there around lunch time and they were fine. He said that he was given half of a pick-up load of day old bread so he brought it and fed it to the cows since he had the day off. The vet said sure enough, that was the cause. Said the bread agitates the acid in their stomachs and draws all of the fluid to their stomachs thus dehydrating them. I have never heard of this and have known several people that have fed day old bread as a treat for their cows. Vet said it was the amount and which ones consumed the most were the first victims to go.
Anyone else had experience with this? The remaining cows are not drinking or eating now, said he may lose the entire pasture full!! Vet was coming back this morning to try and get more electrolytes in them.
My buddy called his brother who has two yearling heifers in this pasture and told him what was going on. He told him that he was just there around lunch time and they were fine. He said that he was given half of a pick-up load of day old bread so he brought it and fed it to the cows since he had the day off. The vet said sure enough, that was the cause. Said the bread agitates the acid in their stomachs and draws all of the fluid to their stomachs thus dehydrating them. I have never heard of this and have known several people that have fed day old bread as a treat for their cows. Vet said it was the amount and which ones consumed the most were the first victims to go.
Anyone else had experience with this? The remaining cows are not drinking or eating now, said he may lose the entire pasture full!! Vet was coming back this morning to try and get more electrolytes in them.