sick cow, help

[khfarms2000]

I have a 3 1/2 year old cow that has either been pushed out of the herd or left the herd. She has been out for about 6 weeks. She was the number two cow in the ranks. She would always come running when I would call the cows up for feed, now she will not come at all. She will not even come close to the other cows. In this time she has lost all of her pep, and has lost some weight. I believe she is now blind in one eye.m The blindness has happened within the last two weeks, and weight lost has also happened in this time frame. She moves very slowly and does not eat like she did before. Can anyone help with this? Is there someting I can do or should I sell her. I am afriad that this winter she will not eat with the others and will starve to death. I have a small herd of 10 cows and she was one of my best cows for calving.

 

[dun]

What has your vet said or recommended?

dun

 

[txshowmom]

Hard to say what might be wrong with her. Has she been wormed?? This may sound harsh but if she was on my place I would sell her if I knew she has been wormed and vaccinated because it sounds like its something that has been going on for a while now..

 

[sidney411]

Are the other cows beating up on her? Has she calved recently or do you expect her to calve soon? Why do you say she is blind in an eye? Is that eye draining or watering? Maybe something got stuck in it and she is having difficulty with perception, that could be why she is not getting around much. Just a thought.

 

[Texan]

I believe she is now blind in one eye.m The blindness has happened within the last two weeks, and weight lost has also happened in this time frame. She moves very slowly and does not eat like she did before. Can anyone help with this?

In my experience, this is not at all unusual in a cow that is trying to adjust to losing an eye. Many of them will get back with the herd and resume normal grazing habits after they adjust.

 

[khfarms2000]

Are the other cows beating up on her? Has she calved recently or do you expect her to calve soon? Why do you say she is blind in an eye? Is that eye draining or watering? Maybe something got stuck in it and she is having difficulty with perception, that could be why she is not getting around much. Just a thought.

I have one or two cows push on her. She is not due to calf until Feb.2005.
I say she is blind in one eye because she run run into this on her left side (ie me, 4wheeler, Trees, fence,and step in holes on that side) If i walk up on her on her left side she does not move, if i walk up to her on her right side she will become flighty. I have stood beside her on the left side even with her eye and waved a hat and she does not even flintch.

 

[jt]

what does her eye look like? normal? glazed over? poked out? pinkeye? etc?

i would try to get her up and let my vet look at her or at least talk to him/her about it.

good luck

jt

 

[khfarms2000]

what does her eye look like? normal? glazed over? poked out? pinkeye? etc?

i would try to get her up and let my vet look at her or at least talk to him/her about it.

good luck

jt

her eye looks normal

 

[jt]

dont know what to tell you except.. right or wrong, i would get her up, talk to the vet or get the vet out, give her some probios or something to get her appetite up, and give her a little grain along with all the good grass or hay she wanted.. then i would follow the recommendation of my vet.

i think calling the vet and getting the cow to eat at this point are both important.

if she just lost sight in that eye, get her to eating and she may come around. but if it is something else, you will be glad the vet was called, and how much more weight can she afford to lose??

good luck

jt

 

[sidney411]

I would agree with JT. Sounds ike she lost her sight in that eye and is having a hard time getting adjusted. She is probably afraid of getting beat up by the other cows, that is why she is staying away from them. I would put her up in a pen and feed her to get her weight up.

 

[TheBullLady]

If she's one of your "Best cows for calving" she should be worth a vet visit. It will be interesting to see what he says

 

[Rodeo_tuff]

Sounds like the same thing happening to us...but only with our calves. We have one that is only a few months old and has become totally blind in her left eye, her face is wrotting away. Vet said it was Low Copper, since alot of them have died already. Another one said it was low minerals. Try and put a crystalic block near her and see if she'll lick it.

 

[SPRINGER FARMS MURRAY GRE]

Sounds like the same thing happening to us...but only with our calves. We have one that is only a few months old and has become totally blind in her left eye, her face is wrotting away. Vet said it was Low Copper, since alot of them have died already. Another one said it was low minerals. Try and put a crystalic block near her and see if she'll lick it.

Cancer??

 

[Rodeo_tuff]

We considered that, however someone recently told us that it was lack of minerals....but that cannot be an option with this calf! Something strange happened to this calf, and we dont know what it is!!! None of the other cows got swollen like this....I will get a picture of it tomorrow if I can...The only way that the "minerals" could be the problem is, if she got too many flies in her eye and it got infected and the mineral tissues werent effective...however I dont see that as the problem.

 

[Mahoney Pursley Ranch]

Don't know where your located but maybe she got bit by something. A snake maybe?

 

[Chuck]

There was a post a few days ago-don't remember who, other than I think it was a lady who had a calf whose face and tongue were rotting. I'll see if I can find it.

 

[Chuck]

Rodeo_Tuff I found the post but it was only the tongue that was rotting. Anyway,It was posted by Erin on August 28 in Health&Nutrition if you want to see it.

 

[Rodeo_tuff]

We are located in Central Minnesota...Snakes arent real common, and the ones that are around arent that big....

 

[Rodeo_tuff]

We are located in Central Minnesota. Snakes arent real common around here, only little gardner snakes really.... I guess its from lack of minerals, however It seems strange to me. She is away from the herd, her mother left her, I dont know how shes staying alive as far as food goes...unless the Heffer comes back and feeds her often? She just stinks...like wrotting flesh, and thats exactly what it is..wrotting flesh.