Cow unable to get up

Louise1987

Hi, I've a 4yr old cow in calf which is due in approx 1 1/2 months.

The cow was found lying in muck on Monday as she is unable to stand. We moved her into the shed and have supported and hoisted her up but it's no use. Some power in front and back legs when she tries to get up but she can't.

Vet was out and gave anti inflammatories and will call him back tomorrow..
Is there anything else we can try to get her up?

Lady Haywire

Has she been getting feed along with silage or just silage/hay by itself? Is she eating/drinking ok while she's down now?
Shed is nearly worse for downer cows than outside as they'll slip on the concrete and they won't be confident of trying to get up if they slip a few times.

K.G.

The big question with downers has she done the splits.if she has day day.does she look like carrying twins

Say my name

Very unusual for a cow to go down outside.

Had you other stock with her in the field?

I'm thinking another animal hurted her in some way.
If it is a hurt did the vet give any indication where she's hurt?
If it's her back she could be goosed.

How did you move her?

tanko

A fifteen month old heifer went down in the field here a couple of years ago, couldnt get up and was blind.
Had meningitis, treated her for a week, she never improved and had to be put down.

Base price

Louise1987 wrote: »

Hi, I've a 4yr old cow in calf which is due in approx 1 1/2 months.

The cow was found lying in muck on Monday as she is unable to stand. We moved her into the shed and have supported and hoisted her up but it's no use. Some power in front and back legs when she tries to get up but she can't.

Vet was out and gave anti inflammatories and will call him back tomorrow..
Is there anything else we can try to get her up?

What was your Vet's diagnosis's ?
Your cow could be a downer due to malnutrition, injury or a number of other ailments.
Since your Vet attended the cow then he/she is best treating her.

Landr

Could the vet induce her to bring her it will lighten her body weight.might have some chance of standing and use glycerine replaces lost energy get in chemist.

White Clover

Base price has posed the pertinent questions here. Until the op replies to that post, it is near impossible to give advice.
Being the year that it is, providing shelter and getting energy into stock was never more important, especially on those days when it was exceptionally cold and also when we had driving rain.

greysides

Induction 6 weeks out is problematic. The necessary drugs may not be to hand and the response time may be too slow to be useful. Complications afterwards too and probably a dead calf. Pregnancy Toxaemia is a possibility, especially if she were a bit closer to calving than expected. Half pint of glycerine twice a day would help with energy intake but get from CoOp rather than baking shop, cheaper.
Covering bases, has she been adequately dosed, especially if out-wintered?
How are her comrades, condition-wise? If they are better than her it may be an individual problem. If they are the same and all showing the effects of a desparately long winter then you may need to take further action.

If she's eating don't overdo the meal or you may create other problems.

Louise1987

Lady Haywire wrote: »

Has she been getting feed along with silage or just silage/hay by itself? Is she eating/drinking ok while she's down now?
Shed is nearly worse for downer cows than outside as they'll slip on the concrete and they won't be confident of trying to get up if they slip a few times.

She is eating fine and drinking fine, she is on a bed of straw. Giving extra water and electrolytes every few days.

Lady Haywire

Louise1987 wrote: »

She is eating fine and drinking fine, she is on a bed of straw. Giving extra water and electrolytes every few days.

But what was she getting up to going down? I'd be of the same thinking of Base price if she was only on fodder with no minerals or ration.
Vet was saying to me last week that there's an unreal amount of downer cows this year, mainly due to malnutrition as a lot of silage wasn't worth a damn. I'm not saying that's what's wrong with yours but to give any advice we need to the broader picture.

Mooooo

Tbh if a cow won't get up outside it's less likely they'll get up inside. I would turn her from side to side every few hours instead of lifting as it would do more harm than good. For a cow to go down that long before the due date it seems like an injury. Id give her a week but if she hasn't improved I would put her down