pinched nerve prior to calving?

[milkmaid]

Some of you folks have mentioned that heavy bred cows sometimes limp prior to calving due to pressure of the calf on nerves of the hind limbs. Would it ever be severe enough to cause a cow 6 weeks from calving to not voluntarily bear weight on one hind leg? or is it generally mild lameness on both back legs?

Thanks-

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

I haven't seen it in cattle but we had a ewe that pinched a nerve during lambing and it was so severe she couldn't stand so we had to sling her up and milk her to feed her lambs.

 

[dun]

Coulkd be one or the other or both. When I see a cow gimping on one hind leg then on another day the other I just assume it's the position of the calf.

 

[Bez+]

Would it ever be severe enough to cause a cow 6 weeks from calving to not voluntarily bear weight on one hind leg? or is it generally mild lameness on both back legs?

Thanks-

MM

I have never had this type of lameness in heavy calvers.

So. I cannot give you an answer more than to say I personally have never seen this.

However, you do not suppose she has a little rot in her foot do you? There is not always swelling with rot.

You might check between her toes as well. I took a sharp rock out from between a cows toes about three years ago - it was high up in there and not easy to get to - it would never have come out on its own - soon as it was out she walked fine - but it was hurting her bad.

With a "no weight at all" step - it sounds more serious than the above - and I suspect along with you it might be a nerve problem.

Sounds like she might need a trip up the chute and a short stay in the squeeze.

Best of luck and best to you

Bez+

 

[milkmaid]

Thanks.... I was suspecting she stepped on something, but mom said she looked the cow over and didn't see any swelling or foreign objects (the cow is relatively tame), so I figure outside of footrot and foreign objects the next option would be a pinched nerve? I've only seen heavy breds a little stiff and uncomfortable, not lame, so I wasn't sure how severe it could be. I'm not home, so mom's going on the assumption it's footrot and soaking her hoof in epsom salts for the weekend, and if she's not better by Monday she goes to the vet.

FWIW, she's a 9 y/o Holstein cow and the leg she's lame on is the same one she had a severe case of footrot in 4 years ago. She's been sound up until now however.

Any other thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[bigbull338]

yes the calf could be pinching a nerve in her hind leg causing her to limp.we had a hostein cow back in the 70s that had 2 sets of twin bulls back to back.an she would get some heavy with the calves.that she couldnt get up an walk.an she would go down 3 or so weeks before she calved.an then 2wks after she calved she would be getting up on her own.

 

[milkmaid]

Update: Mom called my dairy boss and both of them examined the cow this afternoon, couldn't find anything between the claws. Boss's opinion was that it looked infected and Mom commented that the area was very tender to the touch, so they're treating her for footrot with oxytet and sulfas. Hopefully that's the only problem and she's back to being sound again quickly.

Miss my cows, wish I was home.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Hopefully that's the only problem and she's back to being sound again quickly.

I hope so too. Isn't that the same cow you posted pics of the foot-rot issue and it seemed to take forever to go away?

Hopefully it will clear up pretty quickly.

Katherine

 

[milkmaid]

Katherine -- it is. She was really bad off by the time I acquired her and it was close to 6-7 months before she was sound again. Hopefully we caught this soon enough it's not going to be a major problem.

Thinking I need to work on my mineral program though; two mature cows in my "herd", one has lumpy jaw and the other has footrot. Not good statistics.