Signs of grass tetany death?

[jasonleonard]

I lost a 6 yr old cow today that was grazing a pasture that had been given a shot of nitrogen two weeks ago. She has a really nice 10 day old bull calf.
Neighbor called and said a cow was struggling along the edge of the field.
She died just as I got to her. Looks like she had been thrashing....and was bloated.
She was one of my best cows.....had high- mag mineral available and some dry hay also.
She was very well up to date on vaccinations.

What do you all think??

 

[fenceman]

Check nitrates. More likely than tetany. Fertilizer could have gotten overapplied in one small area.

 

[kenny thomas]

I lost a 6 yr old cow today that was grazing a pasture that had been given a shot of nitrogen two weeks ago. She has a really nice 10 day old bull calf.
Neighbor called and said a cow was struggling along the edge of the field.
She died just as I got to her. Looks like she had been thrashing....and was bloated.
She was one of my best cows.....had high- mag mineral available and some dry hay also.
She was very well up to date on vaccinations.

What do you all think??

Jason, how long had the high mag mineral been out for them and was it loose or block. Also what % high mag. What you describe could easily be tetany.

 

[jasonleonard]

Cows have had a good loose mineral available all year long. I will look up the % of the magnesium. I use the round feeders that sit in the pasture and the cows flip up the rubber flap to eat the mineral.
I just HATE to lose a cow....especially a good one! I am trying to be mad at myself for spreading fertilizer in an occupied pasture.....but I have done that in the past with no problems. I am thinking maybe she didn't hit the mineral feeder as much as she should have, and got herself in trouble.

 

[fenceman]

Yea it sounds like you spread granular. Sometimes a good bump will cause a spill. The fertilizer has a salty taste and cows will eat it if they find a pile. If you have a good mineral program. It sounds like you do. Also hay usually contains mag. As its cut from fairly mature grass. Then you've done what you can due as far as tetany.very sorry for your lose.