GRASS TETANY

Charliebull

Has anyone ever heard of a cow dying in a slatted shed with Grass Tetany

neighbour found a cow dead in slatted shed, vet proclaimed grass tetany but cow is still dry and on silage and bagged minerals

seems a strange call

whelan2

Charliebull wrote: »

Has anyone ever heard of a cow dying in a slatted shed with Grass Tetany

neighbour found a cow dead in slatted shed, vet proclaimed grass tetany but cow is still dry and on silage and bagged minerals

seems a strange call

was there a pm done?

Charliebull

whelan2 wrote: »

was there a pm done?

no, was not an option at the time

ganmo

Grass tetany is magnesium deficiency
Get mag into them buckets or something.

Were they just on silage?

whelan2

ganmo wrote: »

Grass tetany is magnesium deficiency
Get mag into them buckets or something.

Were they just on silage?

he said earlier they where on silage and bagged minerals. Seems strange, could be anything from a heart attack to a twisted gut.

Charliebull

ganmo wrote: »

Grass tetany is magnesium deficiency
Get mag into them buckets or something.

Were they just on silage?

knew what it is and cause just seems unusual in a dry cow on silage

silage and rolled oats i believe

also lick blocks freely available as well as mineral dust been administered on silage

Charliebull

whelan2 wrote: »

he said earlier they where on silage and bagged minerals. Seems strange, could be anything from a heart attack to a twisted gut.

id be with you on the twisted gut only he says she had so signs of being sick before that, possible heart attack

3 weeks from calving as well

whelan2

Charliebull wrote: »

id be with you on the twisted gut only he says she had so signs of being sick before that, possible heart attack

3 weeks from calving as well

had one died in milking parlour a few weeks ago, walked in fine, died in parlour, vet said either an embolism, heart attack or twisted gut

Capercaille

Neighbour had a cow with tetany in sheds before. It was defo tetany. He called the vet out as he didn't know what was going on. Vet gave the magnesium/calcium into the vein and the beast came good near straight away.

greysides

At this time of year it's known as 'Winter Tetany'.

ganmo

I'd be getting the silage tested for K

It binds mag and locks it up

freedominacup

greysides wrote: »

At this time of year it's known as 'Winter Tetany'.

Close to calving, a bit of age, being bullied and suddenly she's in deficiency territory. Cows have to get their mg intake daily as they can't store it at all AFAIK. Greysides will correct me if I'm wrong . Very little warning with tetany.

frazzledhome

freedominacup wrote: »

Close to calving, a bit of age, being bullied and suddenly she's in deficiency territory. Cows have to get their mg intake daily as they can't store it at all AFAIK. Greysides will correct me if I'm wrong . Very little warning with tetany.

Couldn't agree more. Not one day passes here that all milking cows or heavily pregnant don't get Cal Mag in some form. I can be mins, meal or Calmag dust on paddock

Charliebull

greysides wrote: »

At this time of year it's known as 'Winter Tetany'.

Yes heard it called that before but is it not more common on a grass diet and cows with calves at foot

ganmo wrote: »

I'd be getting the silage tested for K

It binds mag and locks it up

He was feeding second cut so that might explain the def

freedominacup wrote: »

Close to calving, a bit of age, being bullied and suddenly she's in deficiency territory. Cows have to get their mg intake daily as they can't store it at all AFAIK. Greysides will correct me if I'm wrong . Very little warning with tetany.

Close to calving yes, but 7 year old and queen of the pen she was in, fcuk all warning alright

frazzledhome wrote: »

Couldn't agree more. Not one day passes here that all milking cows or heavily pregnant don't get Cal Mag in some form. I can be mins, meal or Calmag dust on paddock

Licks freely available and powder on silage

Charliebull

He was telling me there this evening that one of her calves a few years ago had an epileptic fit, he thought she might have had some form of it too and got a fit from pregnancy hormones,
Who knows, dead is dead but would be good to know

Capercaille

Charliebull wrote: »

He was telling me there this evening that one of her calves a few years ago had an epileptic fit, he thought she might have had some form of it too and got a fit from pregnancy hormones,
Who knows, dead is dead but would be good to know

Would a post mortem show tetany if done?

LostCovey

Capercaille wrote: »

Would a post mortem show tetany if done?

It would if that was the cause of death, & would also rule out other causes of sudden death as discussed above.

LC

Capercaille

LostCovey wrote: »

It would if that was the cause of death, & would also rule out other causes of sudden death as discussed above.

LC

A beast with tetany dies very quickly, would there be any changes in the body noticed.

Charliebull

Capercaille wrote: »

Would a post mortem show tetany if done?

Fluid test from behind the eye will

greysides

Charliebull wrote: »

Fluid test from behind the eye will

I believe that test isn't considered 100% reliable. But I don't know of any test that is. Serum electrolyte levels change after death I believe.