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Unexplained down cows
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<blockquote data-quote="Lucky_P" data-source="post: 1308666" data-attributes="member: 12607"><p>Check nitrate levels in the sudan and milo. If high, that could cause cows to go down. I'm doubting that it's the Corid.</p><p></p><p>But...the most common things happen most commonly...</p><p>Not having seen the cows or the situation, I'm not saying that this is the case, but it sounds like what I see almost every winter... and I have been seeing these cases rolling in to the diagnostic lab in just the past week or so... I could be wrong, but here goes...</p><p></p><p>Cows - usually older - toughing it through the winter on poor quality hay and nothing else, either with a big calf in them or at side... going down... dying despite attempts at 'treatment'. What I see at the lab is a cow at BCS 1.5-2.0, with total depletion of body fat stores and a rumen full of hay - that often 'looks' OK, but if you test forage quality, it may have crude protein down around 2-3 and TDN well below 30. If it's even a moderately tough winter, they can't eat or digest enough of that stuff to survive, even if they have all that they can eat in front of them at all times. </p><p></p><p>Producers often don't 'see' it. They're putting out hay, and counting heads, but not really LOOKING at the cows. I know, I've <u>been</u> that person. A belly distended with poor quality hay is not the same as a well-conditioned cow with full rumen; you can tell the difference if you look.</p><p>What I don't understand is veterinarians who see these cases and are afraid to say, "John/Jane, your cows are malnourished. we need to examine your feeding program and make adjustments for stage of production and weather conditions." I guess they're afraid that the client will get mad at them, as if they were suggesting that they're purposely starving the cattle to death. </p><p>It's all well and good to check Ca/Mg and micronutrient levels,and explore toxic possibilities... they do occur... but sometimes the answer is right there in plain sight.</p><p></p><p>Older veterinarians whom I know say "February breaks 'em, March takes 'em" ... and unfortunately its all too often true. These ol' gals will often tough it out and 'run out of gas' with green grass and warm weather just over the next little hill. </p><p></p><p>The fact that your mature bull is having clinical coccidiosis suggests to me that something is amiss from a nutritional standpoint.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lucky_P, post: 1308666, member: 12607"] Check nitrate levels in the sudan and milo. If high, that could cause cows to go down. I'm doubting that it's the Corid. But...the most common things happen most commonly... Not having seen the cows or the situation, I'm not saying that this is the case, but it sounds like what I see almost every winter... and I have been seeing these cases rolling in to the diagnostic lab in just the past week or so... I could be wrong, but here goes... Cows - usually older - toughing it through the winter on poor quality hay and nothing else, either with a big calf in them or at side... going down... dying despite attempts at 'treatment'. What I see at the lab is a cow at BCS 1.5-2.0, with total depletion of body fat stores and a rumen full of hay - that often 'looks' OK, but if you test forage quality, it may have crude protein down around 2-3 and TDN well below 30. If it's even a moderately tough winter, they can't eat or digest enough of that stuff to survive, even if they have all that they can eat in front of them at all times. Producers often don't 'see' it. They're putting out hay, and counting heads, but not really LOOKING at the cows. I know, I've [u]been[/u] that person. A belly distended with poor quality hay is not the same as a well-conditioned cow with full rumen; you can tell the difference if you look. What I don't understand is veterinarians who see these cases and are afraid to say, "John/Jane, your cows are malnourished. we need to examine your feeding program and make adjustments for stage of production and weather conditions." I guess they're afraid that the client will get mad at them, as if they were suggesting that they're purposely starving the cattle to death. It's all well and good to check Ca/Mg and micronutrient levels,and explore toxic possibilities... they do occur... but sometimes the answer is right there in plain sight. Older veterinarians whom I know say "February breaks 'em, March takes 'em" ... and unfortunately its all too often true. These ol' gals will often tough it out and 'run out of gas' with green grass and warm weather just over the next little hill. The fact that your mature bull is having clinical coccidiosis suggests to me that something is amiss from a nutritional standpoint. [/QUOTE]
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