older down cow

[aafarms89]

I have a 11 yr old Brahma cow that is down and wont get up or stay up when she is lifted. This cow is more of a pet that I just cant bring myself to get rid of, if it wasn't for that she would have been sold a long time ago. A little history on the cow, the mother' my grandfathers cow' died apparently giving birth unknown why. I found the calf with its 2 rear feet still inside the mother. The calf never got any cow milk I tried putting her on another cow but none would take her so I bottle fed her and raised her. The cow is more like a pet dog. She has had 4 calves. She was recently with my Brahma bull and other Brahma cows and heifers but I seperated her. I know she was getting older for a bottle fed cow. 3 days ago she layed down in the dirt floor barn. She was down for approximately 6 hrs before it raised my attention he hadn't moved. I have been giving her fresh water with bounceback and approx 8-10 gallons of creep feed Plus hay a day. She is alert ears up and wags tail. She is 'creeping' crawling around the barn and trying to get up. Her stool appears normal. I have been lifting her 3 times a day with a hip clamp and 3" straps on front end, she will stand for approximately 30-60 min a day. Ive noticed it changes depending on weather, were in Texas the weather is a rollercoaster 60 high one-day 35 high the next. I don't know what next besides a vet or lead which I don't want to happen. Any ideas?

 

[chippie]

Since she is important to you, I would get a vet to check her and see if this is something that she can recover from and what medications will help her.

 

[Limomike]

I agree with chippie. Get a vet to check her out, and see if she is salvageable. I am not as attached to my cows.. would try to get her to the sale barn (if she would stand that long) or just put her down. I dont have the time to mess with cows like that.

 

[dun]

When Granny got too infirm to get around we had the vet (as a personal friend deal) come over and put her down. She got stirred up so he slipped her a shot of tranq to settle her down so he could shoot her. She was so weak that she took 2 steps and collapsed. He still had to shoot her and had a tear in his eye. The three of us sat down next her and talked about the memorys of her and stroked her and said our goodbyes. The vet had dealt with her for over 15 years just like we had and had gotten attached to her just because she was Granny.
Wish she was still with us to teach the youngsters the ropes but am happy that she's out of pain and had a restfull parting.

 

[inyati13]

When Granny got too infirm to get around we had the vet (as a personal friend deal) come over and put her down. She got stirred up so he slipped her a shot of tranq to settle her down so he could shoot her. She was so weak that she took 2 steps and collapsed. He still had to shoot her and had a tear in his eye. The three of us sat down next her and talked about the memorys of her and stroked her and said our goodbyes. The vet had dealt with her for over 15 years just like we had and had gotten attached to her just because she was Granny.
Wish she was still with us to teach the youngsters the ropes but am happy that she's out of pain and had a restfull parting.

dun, you're a good man there. What you wrote made my eyes water. We get a little softer as we get older, don't we! I trapped furbearing animals as a young boy growing up. Made enough money that it helped pay my way in college. I loved the sport. Back then, it hardly bothered me at all. I just thought it was the natural order of things. I thought about doing it again, but I look at my dog and think about how I would feel if he was somewhere caught by a trap. I am not anti-trapping. I could make water sets maybe that drown the animal like muskrat, mink, beaver, etc. But would hate to catch a fox and have him struggle all day.

 

[Beefy]

the vet sounds like a good idea. he may be able to give some stuff intraveinously to get her back up and moving. maybe its just a deficiency of some kind. or possibly an elusive or freak case of pneumonia or something that he can treat.11 is young for a brahman. what kind of condition is she in? has she been dewormed lately? free choice minerals?