Thirsty Cow

[dirtdoctor]

Hi, since everyone was most helpful with my other question I thought I would ask the experts another one! I bought 2 - 4 y/o bred cows last month due to calve in mid March. They had mixed in well with the others until yesterday. When I went to feed I noticed one of them hanging around some mud puddles, drinking water and not really interested in what I was doing with the hay. This morning I went out to check and she was laying by the water trough as I walked up and rubbed her on the head, she got up, but I had never touched her before except when she was vacc. When I went out to feed tonight she was over by the other water trough laying as I walked over she got up and got a drink, I gave her some sweet feed, after studying the feed she took one bite then turned away and got some more water. Her nose looked wet but she was drinking so I'm not sure if it's runny or if it's just water from the trough. She just seems to stay by herself close to water and she doesn't look like she has the weight the other on has. Any ideas??

 

[angus9259]

What's her poop look like?

Are you sure the water is going in? Blockage?

Taken her temp?

 

[dirtdoctor]

All the poop around her is firm and makes a pile.
She goes in the shoot tomorrow to be checked out, will sure look for blockages as I check her mouth. Same with the temp.
Thanks for suggesting the blockage check!

 

[bandit80]

Watch her drink the water. If she has a blockage, she will attempt to swallow, and the water will just come right back out.

 

[angus9259]

Watch her drink the water. If she has a blockage, she will attempt to swallow, and the water will just come right back out.

Check for blockage as Bandit suggests. Checking her mouth won't say much. There's 6 feet of hidden terrain between the mouth and stomach.

 

[dirtdoctor]

While watching her drink this evening it wasn't really noticable and I was looking for a snotty nose until I realized it just came out of the watering trough but I will pay more attention to that tomorrow.
Thanks, this is exactly the type of replys I was looking for!

 

[dun]

Are you by any chance feeding fescue hay nad is the cow from a local area that would have been on fescue in the past?

 

[Roadapple]

The mouth could tell if she has wooden tongue. But i would also think about slipping in a magnet.

 

[Limomike]

Are you by any chance feeding fescue hay nad is the cow from a local area that would have been on fescue in the past?

dun, just curious as to why you are asking that question about the fescue?

 

[dun]

Are you by any chance feeding fescue hay nad is the cow from a local area that would have been on fescue in the past?

dun, just curious as to why you are asking that question about the fescue?

Cows not accustomed to fescue can have serious problems with the endophyte. Besides inhibited cblood circulation it can cause higher then normal temperatures.
That's the reason one of my selection criteria for buying cattle is that they are from a fescue forage system.

 

[bandit80]

Are you by any chance feeding fescue hay nad is the cow from a local area that would have been on fescue in the past?

Excellent thought dun. Some cows don't handle the endophyte very well. Increase in body temp from the endophyte could be leading to an increase in water consumption.

 

[dirtdoctor]

Now I see why I come here to read post all the time. Yes, Dun, there is a small amount of fescue in the hay and Bandit thanks for explaining why he asked. But now back to the cow, she just came out of the head gate where I found a very warm nose, but since the boys had broken the thermometer (w/o telling) I have no way of really knowing. I looked at her teeth to check for a broken one or if something else was wrong there. Oh and she is able to drink so no blockage, I assume. As to her stool it's turned a yellowish liquid in very small amounts and her nose is runny along with her eyes. She is very mellow as I can just walk up to her in the field; also she hadn't eaten anything I left with her yesterday. Called an "experienced" farmer and he came over to tell me his thoughts (pneumonia) and that he'd recommend 55cc of LA200. Regular vet is out of the state and since I haven't dealt with the other big animal vet (75 miles one way) he said (phone) to go with the LA200 and if she wasn't better to get hold of my regular vet. So that's what I did sure do hope she's feeling better soon. OK so now tell me did I do good or bad.

Thanks for all the help

 

[dun]

OK so now tell me did I do good or bad.

Thanks for all the help

You did all you could under the circumstances. As soon as your regular vet gets back I would get some real antibiotics from him. Excenel, Nuflor or one of those types.
A small amount of fescue wouldn;t be causing a problem.
There was a woman that moved to the bootheel from CO and had most of her cows die before the vet finally figured out it was fescue toxicity. As soon as she put the ones she had left on non-fescue hay they did fine.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

She has all the symptoms of running a fever. LA200 "might" help (its best for Pinkeye & footrot). I would rather see you use straight Penicillin G - in VERY HIGH dosage - like triple the recommended since you can't get ahold of "real" antibiotics. Draxxin is drug of choice with the vets around here. One shot works for 7 days. REAL EXPENSIVE!!! but rarely ever need to repeat any treatment.

 

[kenny thomas]

A very highly thought of purebred breeder from texas a couple of years ago tried to get us to come to a sale he was having on his ranch. I ask if his cattle had ever grazed fescue and he thought I was crazy. Needless to say we did not go. Cows from non fescue areas take a long time to adapt if ever.
Some research shows that if the calves are introduced to fescue by around 18 months the digestive system will adapt pretty soon and they will be ok. Any other thoughts?

 

[dirtdoctor]

Well, after returning from a basketball game that we almost didn't go to because of the therometer incident, I went to check on her. She's up and had her nose in the feed box, I'm thinking this is a good sign. Thanks for the encourgement it sure makes a newbie feel better to be able to hear others opinions.
Dun, I just talked to the neighbor that recommended the LA 200, he told me he had a bottle of Nuflor if she's doesn't start acting better. Should there be a waiting period before giving other meds?

 

[dun]

Well, after returning from a basketball game that we almost didn't go to because of the therometer incident, I went to check on her. She's up and had her nose in the feed box, I'm thinking this is a good sign. Thanks for the encourgement it sure makes a newbie feel better to be able to hear others opinions.
Dun, I just talked to the neighbor that recommended the LA 200, he told me he had a bottle of Nuflor if she's doesn't start acting better. Should there be a waiting period before giving other meds?

Unless she goes down hill, whatever the LA calls for for the second shot is when I would give herthe Nuflor just to be safe

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Be sure to follow up with another shot - Nuflor is a great product.

 

[angus9259]

Make sure to check the thread on "no Nuflor for breeding age cattle". Vets are still recommending it even though it's not recommended on the label.

 

[dirtdoctor]

Well, this morning she was lying in the same area where she was last night with her head up but she had eaten very little. Wasn't sure what to do so I moved some hay closer to her and went to work. I studied the LA 200 to see when I could administer more but dumb me, could only find the words "single dose". My wife and the other farmer (George) checked her about noon and the report was the same. I stopped by his house on the way home and picked up the bottle on Nuflor, when I got home she was just laying in about the same spot and looking no better, with nothing better to do i gave her 15 g. of probios+ just in case the micro. needed a boost. OK I'm getting worried and scared for the cow now if she's not moving around by tomorrow morning she's getting the Nuflor.
Oh and by the way vets should never go on vacation! I called 4 other vets today but NONE of them work big animals or will even give advice.