Cow caught in the fence

[expensive hobby]

Today I think that one of my cows got hung in the electric fence. Ironically I was out doing some fence repairs when this happened. What I saw was all of my cows spook and they took off running down over the hill toward the fence. They have not been out in this pasture long and are not quite familiar with where the gates are yet. Anyway, I did not realize what had happened until I saw one of my best mommas limping on her back right leg. At first I thought that it may have been a nail or thorn in her hoof until I realized that they had gone throught the fence. I can clearly see the bottom of her hoof since she is keeping it off of the ground. Can't see any nails, on hoof rot of anything like that, and there is not signs of trauma. The fence did not break so I an certain that it did not wrap around the leg. She continues to follow behind the rest of the cows limping but she is up and grazing and seems to be doing alright otherwise. I do not have a head gate to put her in (I know I've been wanting to get one just have been putting it off.....bad mistake) and really can not examine her much more than looking at it. Just wondering if anyone has had experience with this and if she will get better. Not sure if its broke or just a strain. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Anonymous]

Only way an electric fence would cause a limp is if she tripped up and fell somehow after gettin hit by the juice.do you have a chute? If you do, run her thru if she's not gettin better in a day or 2, put a bar behind her and see if you can get a better idea of what's going on

 

[Isomade]

Leave her alone. 9out of 10 times it will get better on its own. I have one like that most of the time and I just keep an eye on them they usually get better on their own. I have one like that now. If it gets progressively worse you can take action, but I doubt you will need to.

 

[expensive hobby]

Thanks guys. My original plan was to just keep an eye on her but I was not sure if I needed to do anything else. I'm hoping that she is just bruised or strained something. I guess I'll know in a few days. Hook, your thought is the same as mine. I think that maybe she stumbled when she went through there. Probably fell and twisted her back leg up when she went down. We will soon see. Just wondering though, I have not had any problems with hoof rot but with as wet as it has been around here, may be possible. My sister-in-law just had a case a few weeks back. Can you actually see hoof rot or is it up inside the hoof somewhere and not really visible?

 

[expensive hobby]

By the way, got one for you guys.........Older women who like younger men are called cougars and older men who like young men are called Nittney Lions. Poor Jo pa.

 

[Isomade]

Thanks guys. My original plan was to just keep an eye on her but I was not sure if I needed to do anything else. I'm hoping that she is just bruised or strained something. I guess I'll know in a few days. Hook, your thought is the same as mine. I think that maybe she stumbled when she went through there. Probably fell and twisted her back leg up when she went down. We will soon see. Just wondering though, I have not had any problems with hoof rot but with as wet as it has been around here, may be possible. My sister-in-law just had a case a few weeks back. Can you actually see hoof rot or is it up inside the hoof somewhere and not really visible?

Smell will tell you. I just give em some LA300 and clean the hoof out, then squirt some LA between the toes. I don't know if squirting it between the toes does any good but it usually clears right up, and makes me feel better.

 

[circlew]

She might have stepped in a hole and twisted something?

 

[expensive hobby]

She might have stepped in a hole and twisted something?

Yes circlew, good possibility. The way that they were running off of the hill who knows what she may have done. I just hope that she rebounds quickly.......and still throws one out in the spring. :nod: I sure would like to know what startled them. Maybe a coyote? Who knows.

 

[fitz]

I usually have to get mine up to confirm foot rot. Agree with Isomade on cleaning out between the toes as part of treatment. I use an old tooth brush with peroxide and then
iodine. You can have foot rot as easily in dry conditions as wet. Again, with Isomade, I would give the cow 3 or 4 days as with the running she probably has a sprain.

fitz

 

[expensive hobby]

Thanks Fitz. Only time will tell. Something else has got me thinking......about the cows running off the hill. My cows never did that before. My wife just told me that she has seen them do this several times now. I'm talking a full out sprint....and no real reason for it. I just brought 4 Gert heifers home a few weeks ago. They are the first and only Gerts that I have ever had. Could they be the cause......making my cows crazy? Its like a small scale stampeed,

 

[dun]

If they're nutty the others will follow. Hard to know why cows take off running like that, could be one of them get bee stung and lit out and the others followed. We see that a lot during heel fly season.

 

[expensive hobby]

Its kind of strange Dun. They never did this until I brought the Gert heifers home. The old girl is still limping around today. But she is still up and feeding and going to water which is a chore for them to get down in there.

 

[ohiosteve]

I agree with Iso. My experience tells me if they're well enough that you can't catch them then they're probably gonna get over it.