Friends - Have a cow that I found dead today and yesterday she was fine. Cow has a healthy two month old calf. She appears to have gotten her back downhill and was unable to "right" herself and possible struggled herself to death. Anyone seen this before? Thanks for any input!
Dead Cow on Side
- Thread starter wmccork
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No, I've never seen it, but I've heard about it. It's called being cast, and her sheer weight prevented her from being able to get up and she died as a result of it. You might want to google it for a better explanation than I'm able to provide.
Bez+
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wmccork":15vjvy60 said:
Happens more often than may think
Quite likely responsible for many of those "She was good yesterday" comments you will find written by many.
Yeah - it happens - a lot.
Bez+
Angus Cowman
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and it doesn't take much of a down hill slope or holeBez+":3ghgx6at said:
Found one yr before last that had layed down on a side hill with her back up hill but there was a small indention in the ground looked like where a stump had been pushed out and filled in and the ground had settled some and she couldn't get up I was just lucky to find her before it was too late
chippie
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Yep, they can't get up and bloat. That is why when you have a sick or injured cow that is laying down it is important to roll her from side to side.
grannysoo
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It can happen quick, and more often than most think. It's important that you get them up and moving, or loss is almost certain.
mnmtranching
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I'm going to say it's not common in healthy good doing cattle. I have seen it only a couple times over 40 some years raising cattle. It does happen however. Odds are slim, maybe less then 1 to a 1000.
Odds are better in those "get one more calf out of old bossy type cows" Older and weaker cattle would be more prone, get their back in a hole and the struggle tires them out fast. Healthy younger animals will likely thrash their way out of the hole.
Odds are better in those "get one more calf out of old bossy type cows" Older and weaker cattle would be more prone, get their back in a hole and the struggle tires them out fast. Healthy younger animals will likely thrash their way out of the hole.
S&WSigma40VEShooter
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Bez+":35jyvxfc said:
I disagree. More than likely the She was good yesterday dead today deal would be black leg.
Bez+
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S&WSigma40VEShooter":3lotd8hj said:
If vaccinations are up to date and the cow is mature - plus there is no "crinkling chips feel under the skin" - then I would have to disagree with you.
Blackleg is fast I will give you that - but the amount of "fast dead" we see about on this board - if you were correct would indicate a "cattle pandemic" in many parts of the US of A and a definite lack of vaccinations - which I do not see on this board - other than the organic folks
Whatever - there are many possibilities - but I would suggest that Blackleg is one of the more remote ones
Cheers
Bez+
grannysoo
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mnmtranching":3desq3r0 said:
That's the type that I've seen. My neighbor has older cows and I see several a year with them. I've only had 1 in the past 7 years, and it was because of bloat. We got her up and she's doing very well.
Thanks to all for your responses! Cow was up to date on vaccinations, etc. She was not an ancient animal nor real feeble or in poor condition. However she was probably up for cull in the next year or so. Again, many thanks for the responses!
Aaron
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Have had many of these cases over the years. You don't need much of a depression in the ground. Odds are greater than 1 in 1000. It is a heritable condition, based on a certain phenotype. I say this because I had 3 maternal sisters all die doing the same thing over a 2-3 period. Typically fast-growing heifers (i.e. 1200 lb yearling weight) that are wide-hipped and lots of spring of rib are the most susceptible, when heavy in calf. Old broad-backed cows heavy in calf will do it to. You have about 20-30 minutes to upright them, before its game over. :cowboy:
Angus Cowman
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That is when I have seen most of them in heavy bred cowsAaron":1ebp22j8 said:
S&WSigma40VEShooter
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wmccork":1elr9a30 said:
Then if up to date on all vaccinations including black leg it could be she got cast or maybe even fast acting pneumonia. Some people dont vaccinate cattle over two years of age for blackleg. Granted it is very rare that they can get black leg and die from it at that age but I have seen it happen. Had any storms lately? Just wondering as to whether possible lightning strike could be the case although it usually kills more than just one at a time.
novaman
Well-known member
I can agree with older cows being more likely to have these type problems, but I have to disagree with healthy good doing cattle not having the problem. If she lays with her back downhill she is likely done no matter what she does. As was said, heavy in calf makes it that much more difficult.mnmtranching":14sl0hbd said:
talldog
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What breed was she ???
jerry27150
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i have seen sheep do that ,but have never seen a cow that couldn't right herself. have seen some on a steep hill that rolled down the hill two or three times before righting themselves. are u sure there wasn' t something else wrong with her. have seen them die for no reason. poison weeds can do it
moloss
Well-known member
now I've only had cows for 2yrs but this happened to me last fall....one of my younger cows had layed down on her side in a depression and couldn't get up, luckly she had only been down for a few hours....and now for what not to do....I placed a tow strap around her front leg and pulled her over (right in front of me) and she proceded to think that I was the cause of her distress....now in college I could run a 4.6 40 and I think at 38 I ran a 2.6 that day..... she was after me (if I wanted I could of reached back and touched her head) luckly I was able to find a tree, reach out and do a quick 180 (she fell trying to get me as I ran in the other direction) my point is even normally good animals can get crazy when put in a panic situation.....be careful..... and next time I'll have a truck between me and the cow when I pull on the strap.
jerry27150
Well-known member
sounds like she could have had a touch of anaplasmosis, they become weak & crazy. they get strength enough when they come after you. had one throw me right in a brush pile one time
We saw it often in the finishing feedlot. Fat cattle seem more susceptible but I think it can happen to any bovine at any time. We had a bull die on the ranch last year from being cast uphill and several cows that would lay in a frozen depression left by another cow and cast. If you don't find them and flip them they usually bloat up and die rather quickly.
