Floating a cow

lab man

Lads I've a cow down with paralysis I've seen a tank that you put the cow into on you tube has anyone seen it done or an idea of how it could be done thanks lab man

SuperTortoise

lab man wrote: »

Lads I've a cow down with paralysis I've seen a tank that you put the cow into on you tube has anyone seen it done or an idea of how it could be done thanks lab man

I have'nt seen it done before so can't help with that, is the cow just after calving?

lab man

SuperTortoise wrote: »

I have'nt seen it done before so can't help with that, is the cow just after calving?

Calved 2 days ago a 3 yr old black Whitehead she calved up against a Ditch in a fecking 8 acre field

TooOldBoots

Use a hip lifter on her, it's less severe than those float bags which put pressure on her insides.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2OOK0bD7To

Westernrock

TooOldBoots wrote: »

Use a hip lifter on her, it's less severe than those float bags which put pressure on her insides.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2OOK0bD7To

Throw a bottle of calcium under the skin, (maybe you already have) won’t do any harm especially if she was a while calving. Seen a lim 4y.o. cow on Saturday about a month of calving down with milk fever!!

SuperTortoise

lab man wrote: »

Calved 2 days ago a 3 yr old black Whitehead she calved up against a Ditch in a fecking 8 acre field

I had a cow like that a few years back, really hard pull with the calf, cow sort of stood and collapsed again, she was down for 6 weeks but eventually came right, i tried lifting her with front loaders/slings/ chain blocks without much luck.


Kept her in a sheltered garden, gave her good meal and hay and turned her twice a day every day for 6 weeks, just happened to be giving her the meal one morning and she made an effort to stand, i put my shoulder to her arse and helped her up, she had a slight limp for a few months after but she did come good., I kept that calf for a cow and still have her, she's the best cow i have.


Never tried those hip lifters as posted above, some co-ops may rent them out and might be worth a try, your cow has age on her side she'll probably come good.

Albert Johnson

SuperTortoise wrote: »

I had a cow like that a few years back, really hard pull with the calf, cow sort of stood and collapsed again, she was down for 6 weeks but eventually came right, i tried lifting her with front loaders/slings/ chain blocks without much luck.


Kept her in a sheltered garden, gave her good meal and hay and turned her twice a day every day for 6 weeks, just happened to be giving her the meal one morning and she made an effort to stand, i put my shoulder to her arse and helped her up, she had a slight limp for a few months after but she did come good., I kept that calf for a cow and still have her, she's the best cow i have.


Never tried those hip lifters as posted above, some co-ops may rent them out and might be worth a try, your cow has age on her side she'll probably come good.

Fair play to you for putting in such effort for so long but I always think if they don't get up or at least show strong signs inside a week to 10 days that it's often all in vain. It's vital to keep them turned to prevent sores and fluid from settling although I'm not a fan of lifters or the like as it's easy to do more damage to muscles ect. You'll always hear of the cow that got up after 6 weeks but she's usually in the minority and most will have to be carted away.

It's important to leave them in a nice sheltered spot with good grip underfoot and no drains or holes for them to stagger into if they do rise. Out from that patience is key and lots of luck. The auld lad often tells me of a neighbor's cow year's back that was down for near 2 months before her owner finally gave in and called the knackery. It was during the summer and when the lorry arrived it was half full and a good strong smell off the cargo. The driver pulled into the field beside the cow and was just getting ready to shoot her when she jumped up and staggered off down the land. Dad said she never showed any interest in rising until then but she obviously figured out what was coming next and fear put her up.

SuperTortoise

lab man wrote: »

Lads I've a cow down with paralysis I've seen a tank that you put the cow into on you tube has anyone seen it done or an idea of how it could be done thanks lab man

How's your cow lab man? did you try the lifters?

lab man

SuperTortoise wrote: »

How's your cow lab man? did you try the lifters?

She's still down I'm turning her twice a day she's very gay and slot of life we are lifting her too with a wide belt to try give her confidence so hoping all the time thanks for asking

C0N0R

Use the water baths here, find them a great job for cows that are able to stand but struggle to support full body weight, put them in with a full body harness on twice a day for a few days, as for hip lifters, they serve a purpose but god they’re rough on cows

JustJoe7240

C0N0R wrote: »

Use the water baths here, find them a great job for cows that are able to stand but struggle to support full body weight, put them in with a full body harness on twice a day for a few days, as for hip lifters, they serve a purpose but god they’re rough on cows

Any chance you'd get a picture next time you're using one? (Hoping that's not any time soon)

lab man

I sent you a PM there Conor

Buford T. Justice XIX

C0N0R wrote: »

Use the water baths here, find them a great job for cows that are able to stand but struggle to support full body weight, put them in with a full body harness on twice a day for a few days, as for hip lifters, they serve a purpose but god they’re rough on cows

Where do you get them, Conor? I've often wondered about trying one for a cow that's down.

C0N0R

This is the best picture I have, not very good but will certainly take a better one next time we have a cow in one. I’m not in Ireland, I’m sure you could make one, I’ve seen them built into the ground - basically a tiny tank and we have portable ones which I’ll grab a pic of tomorrow. Block hoist above it to hold the harness incase the cow goes down in it but if they don’t stand in it we won’t leave them in it.

smallcows

The hip lifter has got to be the roughest way of lifting a cow. You have to squeeze it tight or it will slip off and then the next day squeeze it on the bruised hips.

lab man

Small update lads, the cow is down now since last sat week she has came on alot if we lift her with the loader on her front shell get up but not balance but she is doing a lot of going round herself and when we come to feed her she is very alert I gave her a bottle of calcium on day 4 could I give another bottle or would it do harm thanks lab man

lab man

Well guys my cow got up today and is fairly ok in all fairness she has started grazing and drinking fairly soon thanks for her advice mod you can close the tread if you see fit thanks lab man

RobinBanks

I would be no expert but a few years I had a cow that was unable to get up after calving. My own fault for trying to pull calf.

I had no fancy lifting gear so I got a half ton meal bag and cut 2 opposite sides out of it. It was U shaped if you know what I mean. I kept it underneath her and lifted via the lugs on the bag with front loader. It worked in terms of lifting her but not easy getting the bag spread evenly under her until she started to move herself after a week.