Help! My cow is down!
A down cow is a terrible thing.
Down cows are also called “Downer Cows.”
One day your cows are looking fine, munching hay and chewing cud, and the next day you have a cow who seems to be permanently fastened in a reclining position.
A downer cow is a cow who is laying down and can’t or won’t get up. A downer cow is never good.
A cow is usually down because of trauma. Illness (milk fever, mastitis, or other problem), injury, or a deficit in blood mineral content can all contribute to taking a cow down.
As soon as a downer cow is discovered steps must be taken immediately to try to get it back on its feet.
In as little as 24 hours of being down, a cow can experience damage. Nerve and muscle damage occurs because a cow is an enormous animal who is not built for longterm reclining. All of that weight and pressure on the muscles, veins, and nerves take a toll, not to mention, many downer cows cannot shift or reposition themselves making the problem even worse.
FIRST STEPS
ONE: BREATHING
Make sure the cow is up on his or her brisket and is breathing.
Next, try to encourage your cow to get up on his/her own. Grab their favorite treat, so alfalfa hay or a bucket of feed and see if you can lure them to their feet.
Once you have determined that the cow is not interested (or can not) get up on its own, be sure to stabilize them on their brisket (the brisket is the front portion of the cow’s chest between its front legs).
If an adult cow lays flat on its side it will bloat. Bloat is a death sentence. It’s just a matter of time.
When cows lay down, they must always remain up and on their briskets. When they sleep they usually curl into a ball – always on the brisket.
The brisket is the front breast portion of the cow. As long as they are up on it, they are good. If a cow ever lays on its side it is a dead cow (except baby cows, they do it all the time). When a cow goes flat on their side they can’t release gas. The gasses (from the fermented hay) build up and with no way to escape, the gasses will eventually kill the cow. It is basically suffocation. The gasses build up in the cow’s stomach(s) and press against the lungs until the cow can no longer breath and dies.
If you have a downer cow who continues to bloat (fall flat on its side) and won’t stay on its brisket use a bale of straw of some sturdy object to prop them up.
TWO: RING THE VET
The next step is to seek medical advice/ attention. Over the years of owning livestock, I have learned how much I have to learn. Ignorance is bliss, I tell you. When I was just a newbie with my first pig and a beautiful jersey milk cow, I had no idea how much I didn’t know.
Here I am many many years later. I have owned several dairy cows, raised many calves, kept a couple of bulls and even raised a herd of beef cattle and I promise you, I still feel inadequate and unqualified.
I ALWAYS call the vet when something is wrong.
Treatment for a down cow will vary depending on how the vet exam goes.
THREE: GET THE COW UP
Once you have the cow on its brisket and breathing and have alerted the vet that something is wrong, it is time to get the cow up. Your vet may want you to wait until they can do an exam before taking measures. If your vet advises you to wait – do that.
If your vet tells you to try to get the cow to rise, here are some suggestions:
#1: Sweet Treat – Whatever your cow’s favorite treat is, get a bucketful of it and put it just out of his/her reach. I let my cow taste it and then set the bucket just in front of her.
#2: Lead Her – if your cow is lead-broke fasten a lead to their harness and simply try to pull the cow forward. If they are able to get up (and lead broke) this can motivate them to stand.
#3: Energy Drink – Drench the cow full of good vibes in order to give her some extra energy. This can be in the form of a drink or an IV.
A downer cow will typically be treated with fluids to replenish their system in a hurry. Typical IV fluids (administered by the vet) are: Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and dextrose. Furthermore, your vet may also use a feeding tube to rehydrate them with a few gallons of fluids, electrolytes, stool softeners, and vitamins.
Once the cow has been fully medicated with energy galore, give it an hour to kick in.
#4: Hot Shot – There is nothing like a little shot to the backside to get a cow moving.
If you don’t know what the “hot shot” is, it is the current, politically-correct terminology for the electric cattle prod. Simply touch the cows rear end with the prongs and pull the trigger.
#5: Tummy Spank – I have not personally used this method, but I am told that cows hate to have their stomachs spanked. Repeatedly spanking a cow on its stomach can be the annoyance it needs to stand up and get away from you.
#6: Hip Lift – If nothing else is working and you have a tractor, find a set of bovine hip lifts.
Hip lifts are a couple of loops connected to a bar that you fasten around the cow’s hips. Then you use the tractor to lift up the back end of the cow. Once the back end is up – you hope she lifts her front end and stands. If she won’t do her part and get the front up, you can use a strap on the front of the cow and hoist her up to her feet.
Please don’t try this without talking to your vet and getting some professional assistance.
FOUR: PROPER DOWNER COW MANAGEMENT AND NURSING
While you are waiting for your cow to recover and get her energy back, you will need to make sure her environment and nutrition are the best possible accommodations for her recovery.
Ask your vet what the best course of action is for your cow and follow their advice.
TIP 1: FLAT GROUND
It is very important that the place where you intend to care for your downer cow is easily accessible and flat.
When the landscape is sloped, a cow can get itself facing the wrong way on a hillside and become unable to get up. Flat land gives the cow the best chance of being able to rise when the mood hits.
TIP 2: AVOID WOODS
Be sure to keep the cow away from wooded areas or places that would make it hard to get to him/her.
You may need to lift your cow several times before she is getting up on her own. Contain the cow to an area where you can lift him/her as needed.
TIP 3: CLEAN UDDER
If she is a milk cow keep her udder clean so mastitis does not develop.
TIP 4: SHELTER
They will need shelter from the wind, rain, and weather.
Keep the shelter clean and filled with plenty of fresh straw or other litter.
- When the cow relieves herself, the straw will soak up the sewage, instead of your cow’s fur coat
- The straw will give her a clean, comfortable place to lay
- The straw will provide traction should she decide to stand
Use a fork to clean all the manure out of the shelter each day.
TIP 5: FOLLOW VET’S PRESCRIBED PLAN
Do what your vet tells you to. They have so much knowledge.
A NURSING PLAN
CALCIUM THERAPY
Many downer cows are low in calcium or magnesium.
Calcium and magnesium can be given through IV or orally.
PHOSPHORUS, MAGNESIUM, POTASSIUM AND MORE
If a cow doesn’t respond to calcium treatment, often phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium are given as additional therapies (pending lab testing). This therapy is done by a veterinarian.
In addition to the IV treatment and oral meds, cows are sometimes given an extended dose of phosphorus. If you live in an area low in phosphorus, this can often get a downer cow on its feet again.
VITAMIN B12
B12 shots can also help. B12 can make the cow feel better and increase its appetite.
LAB TESTING
Your vet will also be able to test a stool sample (for worms/ parasites) and run a panel on the bloodwork to see if anything unusual shows up.
SIDE NOTE: Talk to your vet about dewormers. The version provided by the vet are usually stronger, more effective and last longer than over the counter products.
HEALTHY FOOD
“Hay doesn’t get any better than this.”
This is what our vet said about the hay we feed our cows. Be sure your hay is of good quality. If you are not sure, ask your vet to look at it.
In addition to the hay, we give our milk cows 6 pounds of cattle feed (16% protein) per day. Three pounds in the morning and three pounds in the evening.
Be sure to ask your vet how much feed to give your particular cow. Too much grain can cause stomach problems.
JERSEY DOWNER COWS
If you have any breed other than a jersey, things will probably go better for you.
Jerseys are stubborn and difficult to get up. Once they make up their minds that they are going to lay down – it is hard to convince them to stand. Other breeds (like Charolais) usually pop right up. Not Jerseys, they are lazy.
Why don’t you just let the cow lay down?
A downer cow is no good. Our vet continued to stress the importance of our down cow getting up each day and eating and drinking. It is OK to let them rest, but make sure to get them up at least a couple of times each day.
LIFE AS YOU KNOW IT
A downer cow is consuming. Plan for your life to revolve around the cow until she/he is better.
Here is a glimpse of daily life with a downer cow-
- Every day starts before 6 am with the process of checking on the cow
- If she is unable to stand, get the tractor & use the hip lifts to get the cow up (you may need to lift the cow a couple of times each day)
- When the cow is down, prop her with bales of straw to keep her upright if necessary.
- Fill her manger with fresh hay as needed throughout the day
- Deliver the twice-daily ration of cattle feed
- Clean out the shelter a couple of times each day and lay fresh straw
- Make sure her udder remains clean so an infection doesn’t develop (yes, cows can get mastitis even when they aren’t producing milk)
- Give any medications/ vitamins prescribed by the vet (our cow received calcium for 2 days, B12 twice a week and phosphorus injections for 3 days)
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you have a down cow, I want to encourage you not to give up.
As long as your cow is eating and drinking and pooping (the rumen is moving) there is still hope. Continue to stand them up. Continue to feed them and hand-deliver water to them.
It is hard and frustrating and so difficult to continue to care for a downer cow. Hang in there and follow your vet’s orders and they should get better.
XO,
Candi
