Cow won't eat hay

[Hawkins]

My father in law has a brangus cow bought back in May of 2012, she was in good flesh, had a calf in May. She started getting skinny during the winter and the calf didn't get sold till January 15th. The calf should've been pulled sooner imo, but that is not my choice. In January I gave her B12, LA200 (she had a runny nose) and an injectable wormer, she is still in poor shape. I've noticed she doesn't eat hay when I put it out, so this weekend I penned her at my house by herself with a bale of hay and she hasn't touched it in two days, she eats cubes but kinda picks at them, but is eating sweet feed good that I started her on. She was supposed to be 7 years old and I looked at her teeth and that looks about right to me, not an expert, but she had a solid mouth. It's not the hay, all the other cows eat it good, all cattle had mineral tubs, free choice hay and cubed twice a week.

What do I need to look for? Or could it be that she just never had ate hay?

Thanks

 

[TexasBred]

Most pastures around here have a lot of winter rye grass up now after the rains. How about yours?? Mine have backed off the hay some because of it. Run her thru the chute and give her a tube of probios.

 

[Hawkins]

Yeah we are getting a little green grass growing and the cows are backing off the hay chasing grass. Where I have this cow penned there is some winter rye in there and I haven't seen her touch it either. She either just stands there or lays down. She is weak when I was cutting her out yesterday she fell to her knees.

 

[dun]

If you are feeding the grain in a trough, try dumping some grain on top of a flake of hay then dump some under the hay, or vice versa. But it sound like more then just not wanting or knowing about eating hay to me.

 

[aprille218]

She could have a bad tooth or a sore mouth that may make her less likely to eat hay.

 

[Nite Hawk]

Is this cow bred? if so is ketosis a possibility? sometimes they get too skinny and being bred and they can lose their appetite, and it can be real hard getting them going again, and you don't want to lose her or the calf, and it can happen with ketosis.
Seems their liver isn't working right with all the strain on it with ketosis.
Will she eat grain? If she likes molasses give her some, or pour it over her hay, or if she definately has ketosis try some ketol along with molasses on her feed...

 

[redcowsrule33]

This is kind of out there for a beef cow, but check for a twisted stomach. They usually favor concentrate over hay, and can have one for months as long as something can get through, but they lose a lot of weight. If you don't know how to check find someone who can, or get the vet out.

 

[Hawkins]

Thanks for the replies, my wife said she has seen her eating some hay and I came home yesterday evening and she was eating some. Also poured her feed over her hay. Maybe the extra sweet feed has given her some energy. I'll keep watching her.

 

[Rosielou]

Have you ever seen her eat any other hay type? We've had a cow before who wouldn't eat any hay unless it had Bermuda in it. She would eat and fight the others off Bermuda hay, but wouldn't eat any other hay.

 

[Hawkins]

No all we have ever fed is klein grass hay, I was talking to a friend of mine yesterday and he said he's seen some cows not really that kind of hay. To try some coastal or hay grazer, might pick up a bale.

 

[dun]

No all we have ever fed is klein grass hay, I was talking to a friend of mine yesterday and he said he's seen some cows not really that kind of hay. To try some coastal or hay grazer, might pick up a bale.

We hadthat problem when I got a bunch of coastal, all ours had ever eaten was fesce/OG both as pasture and hay. Sold it to the neighbor for his horses.

 

[Nite Hawk]

I have seen dogs "take a whizz" on hay bales and animals turn up their noses at it, so like others have said maybe there is something wrong with the hay?...

 

[jerry27150]

maybe johnes. how is her manure