Gagging heifer

[susie]

We have a heifer, maybe 8 months old. I'm not sure. we bought her at the sales barn... a mistake to have purchased her as she's a real poor doer. (I think she's a dwarf.) We won't be making that mistake again!
Anyway, she's a hereford very small... we've been trying to get her in better shape, wormed, minerals, etc.
One thing I do is feed the cows vegetable scraps, mostly lettuce carrots, apples, etc. I chop them up into fairly small pieces .
This heifer always gags and chokes when she eats these. I don't know if cows can vomit, but that's what she appears to be doing. Lotsa drooling, mouth breathing etc. She gets all hunched up, walks backwards. Obviously she's in pain. lasts 10 minutes or so. Each time I wonder if she's gonna die.
I won't give her any more treats but I wonder what is causing this? I thought it was coincidental or a bit of apple or something too large, but today it happened when I had given them lettuce only.since it has happened the last 2 times I won' be giving her any more treats.
i have also seen her do this on just pasture a few weeks ago, one of the first days they were out on the grass.
Does this sound like hardware disease? I have a magnet being shipped to me to put in her-- do you think it will help, or could it do any harm?
Sorry if this is a beginner question.
Thanks,
Susie

 

[Farminlund]

I don't think it is hardware disease - although I have no direct experience with it. That issue is usually seen in weight loss & diarrhea, but the magnet shouldn't hurt anything. Maybe just stay away from the "treats" & see how she responds. Given they were cut up - seems like it should not have been a problem, but I can say I've seen apples caught in the throat.

 

[Beefy]

tomatoes make me gag.

 

[susie]

I don't think it is hardware disease - although I have no direct experience with it. That issue is usually seen in weight loss & diarrhea, but the magnet shouldn't hurt anything. Maybe just stay away from the "treats" & see how she responds. Given they were cut up - seems like it should not have been a problem, but I can say I've seen apples caught in the throat

Yeah, that's what I thought, but I also saw her doing the same thing from the grass....that's what got me wondering.
Maybe she just eats too fast-- perhaps that's what happens to you Beefy? Love them 'Maters!

Susie

 

[cloone]

Whats the purpose of the magnet

 

[susie]

Whats the purpose of the magnet

In case she ingested a piece of wire or nail that is causing her pain or stuck in her stomach or causing some internal injury. It's called Hardware disease. The magnet will lie on her first stomach and collect any metallic oblects she might eat accidentally.

Susie

 

[TheBullLady]

Hardware wouldn't cause her to gage.. she sounds like she has something in her throat or a partial obstruction when she swallows.

 

[KMacGinley]

That is what is sounds like to me too, your magnet, won't hurt anything, but it won't solve the problem either. Does this happen everytime she eats?

 

[susie]

Does this happen everytime she eats?

No, it's an intermittent problem, but seems to happens on more fibrous feed, such as grass or veggies, or maybe she's just eating faster because it's good.

Any ideas as to what would cause an esophageal stricture? Birth defect or disease?

Thanks,
Susie

 

[TheBullLady]

It may well be a physical defect of some kind. Years ago I had a Guernsey bull calf the vet brought over for me to feed, and he would choke when he tried to regergitate (sp?) his cud. We got a scope from the horse vet and checked him out, and found a flap of skin that was making the contents go down his wind pipe. I ended up putting him down, because there was nothing we could do for him, other than surgery which didn't make any sense.

 

[MikeJoel]

Thank you cloone for asking that (I was going to).

What happens to the magnet (eventually it has to do something?)?

Mike

 

[KMacGinley]

They keep it for life.

 

[dun]

They keep it for life.

And when you slaughter them you take it out, clean it off and put it in another one.

dun

 

[MikeJoel]

They keep it for life.

So if your out in the country and your compass starts going crazy..... make sure your not standing to close to a herd of cows :lol:

 

[AngusLimoX]

They keep it for life.

And when you slaughter them you take it out, clean it off and put it in another one.

dun

I never got any of mine returned?? And who profits from this??? Cargill - Tyson I want my magnets back you bastiges!!

I never thought of this but at almost 2 bucks a pop those boogers at the slaughterhouse owe me a case of beer!!

:lol: :lol:

( you normally only put em in cattle you are keeping or care for ).

 

[susie]

I never thought of this but at almost 2 bucks a pop those boogers at the slaughterhouse owe me a case of beer!!

Well, maybe I can help you out-- I got the magnets I ordered, and instead of being three magnets, there were 3 BOXES of magnets--- I wondered why the shipping weight was 9 pounds!! Good thing I spent the 49 bucks and got free shipping- only was charged for 3 magnets. Don't know what I'm gonna do with 36 magnets and 3 cows

BTW I cut the treats up real good for the cows and she didn't have any problem with them-- perhaps she was just eating them too fast.... I dunno but not gonna worry about it anymore--Thanks,
Susie

Susie

 

[Farminlund]

Refrig magnets? :lol:

 

[Monica]

How old is the heifer? I had one gal that was about 20 mo. old and she started to refuse treats then I noticed that she would spit up some balls of hay and was not gaining like the rest. A few weeks went by then I found a few molars in the feed bunk. Now she is doing fine, taking treats again and no balls of hay near her.