putting down sick cow

[mountainranch]

We have a 400 lb. steer that's had pneumonia and then bloated several times. We've given antibiotics, then med. for bloat. He is eating, but is down to skin and bones,and can't get up. I'm considering a 38 between the eyes. I hate to destroy him,but don't want to see him suffer. Anyone else had to do this, or have advice?

 

[KNERSIE]

as long as he is still fighting I would give him every opportunity to heal. Tube him with 2pints grape vinegar, 2 pints water, 1 cup brown sugar and 1 tablet brewers yeast. That will give him energy and boost his apetite whilst restoring the rumen microbes.

 

[Ryder]

If he is really skin and bones, don't keep throwing good money and time after bad. You said steer, not a breeding animal.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I will shoot one in a heartbeat, you will learn the battles you are not going to win. Does he have the look?

 

[Bez>]

There are animals that get "dead cow disease" and sometimes throwing money at the problem is simply a waste of time and effort if not fiscally foolish.

Draw an imaginary X on the cows head by drawing a line from the ear on one side of the head to the eye on the opposite side of the head. Repeat from the opposite side.

Where the lines cross - put the bullet there.

I too am an executioner - I will drop one in a heartbeat and not think twice about it.

Anyone who cannot destroy an animal when it becomes necessary will find this a tough business.

Do it and get on with life.

You will get over it.

Regards

Bez>

 

[Sir Loin]

Dispatch him, and the sooner the better.
SL

 

[msscamp]

Anyone else had to do this, or have advice?

Anyone who has been in this business for very long has had to make this call at one point or another - shoot him.

 

[shorty]

It's a hard decision to make , I've only ever had to do it one time, but if there's not much hope for him it's best not to keep him suffering.

 

[hillbilly beef man]

This might sound dumb, but use enough gun. You can kill a healthy cow with one shot from a 22lr, but I have shot 20 rounds of 22mag into a half-dead, barley breathing cow, and she still wouldn't die. Now I always use a .30-30. A .38 probably will work

 

[Ryder]

This might sound dumb, but use enough gun. You can kill a healthy cow with one shot from a 22lr, but I have shot 20 rounds of 22mag into a half-dead, barley breathing cow, and she still wouldn't die. Now I always use a .30-30. A .38 probably will work

Hillbilly, I agree with you on this one. But we may well be in the minority, remembering previous discussions on this subject.

 

[Sir Loin]

I use a 12 gage slug.
It's quick and clean. Just like turning out a light.
SL

 

[GMN]

We have a 400 lb. steer that's had pneumonia and then bloated several times. We've given antibiotics, then med. for bloat. He is eating, but is down to skin and bones,and can't get up. I'm considering a 38 between the eyes. I hate to destroy him,but don't want to see him suffer. Anyone else had to do this, or have advice?

Have you tried putting him on a energy supplement or even milk replacer for awhile, mix in some eggs for protein twice a day. They make this product called nutri drench is supposed to work wonders. Also a warm dry environment, maybe some IV dextrose would also do wonders. I had a hiefer about 7 months get real bad, had the vet out, she gave it IV antibiotics, dextrose, I gave it Banamine and long behold she pulled thru, and is A ok, almost 15 months old now. A lil TLC will do wonders.

GMN

 

[mountainranch]

Well, he died last night. I was about ready to put him down myself. we did everything possible to try and save him.
Knersey thanks for your advice, and to all of you. I'm pretty proud of my wife , she found him laying in the field 2 weeks ago
near death, and tubed him. She's came along way for a former city girl.

 

[GMN]

Well, he died last night. I was about ready to put him down myself. we did everything possible to try and save him.
Knersey thanks for your advice, and to all of you. I'm pretty proud of my wife , she found him laying in the field 2 weeks ago
near death, and tubed him. She's came along way for a former city girl.

Sorry to hear this, but at least you and your wife can say you did everything you could for him, and you should not have any regrets over that.

From one previous city girl to another (your wife) hang in there, its sometimes a rocky road, but well worth it.

Gail

 

[Bez>]

Well, he died last night. I was about ready to put him down myself. we did everything possible to try and save him.

Sounds good on paper - but in fact prolonged the inevitable - and the suffering.

Decisions need to be made - doctoring needs to be done and when it is apparent this will not work you shoot them.

Makes me sound like a hard nosed pr ick and such is life. You learned.

Next time do not agonize over things just to make yourself feel better - just do it. And trust me there will be a next time.

Bez>

 

[Sir Loin]

Mountainranch,

It's never easy and I hope it never gets easy no matter how many times I have to do it.
IMO, they are all God's chreachers and we should do all we can to help them. But sometimes what we can do is not enough and we have no choice.

If "Oh it must be rain drops" was playing in your head when he expired, as it does in mine Good, because now I know this grown man is not alone.
SL

 

[msscamp]

This might sound dumb, but use enough gun.

No, it doesn't sound a bit dumb, and I agree wholeheartedly - nothing worse than shooting an animal just to find out you've still got a live animal.

 

[TheBullLady]

If you've got cattle, there's going to come a time you'll have to face that decision. It gets easier over time, but they are hard to kill when you work so hard to keep them alive.

Bez is right on.. they get "the look" and you'll know the fight is over. I always sleep better knowing they arent' suffering any longer.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Well, he died last night. I was about ready to put him down myself. we did everything possible to try and save him.

Sounds good on paper - but in fact prolonged the inevitable - and the suffering.

Decisions need to be made - doctoring needs to be done and when it is apparent this will not work you shoot them.

Makes me sound like a hard nosed pr ick and such is life. You learned.

Next time do not agonize over things just to make yourself feel better - just do it. And trust me there will be a next time.

Bez>

If he stays in the cow business there will be a next time that is for sure, I always like to innoculate with a big bore 44 or 45-70.

 

[Wewild]

It is a part of the business. The first one was when I was around 10 to 12. She had got stuck in a spring feed swamp and had played out as she was old and poor anyway. Granddad showed me where. It wasn't long maybe a year or two maybe less that a cow I had bottle feed as a calve got lock jaw. You can tell about lock jaw if they have a piece of grass hanging out of their mouth when it comes on them.

Back then the twitching after the shot bothered me so I probably gave them more than they needed.

Then I came of age and realized that it was just reflexes.

Now they get one in the head and one in the heart. They don't reflex that much after that.

I like my success stories better.

I hope this part of the business never gets to the point that it don't bother me some from the humanistic stand point and as well I just lost money.