Downed Heifer-how long down and still recovered

Found one of my heifers down on Sunday(about 9 months old) and not sure why she is down. Called my Vet Monday and they were booked solid where they said they can come to me and described situation. Heifers is down-no physical signs of trauma. She is alert, eating and drinking but makes no effort to stand-even if pulled to her feet. Vet asked me to come by and pick up Dexamethasone to be given twice 24 hours apart with last night being the 2nd dose. Having to haul fresh water and hay to her-has very little movement in her front legs and no real movement in her rear legs but they are not stiff. Tried to sling and lift her with front end loader last night-she would paw and the ground but no weight bearing support. I personally have never had a cow recover after being down longer than 48 hours. The vet said she has seen them recover on rare occasion after a week. How long have yall had one down and still recover? When has it been long enough-keep trying as long as eating/drinking or just delaying the inevitable? Another concern would be Why-would a otherwise healthy young heifer go down, but thats something that may not get answered.

This time of the year is always hard on them. I lost a momma cow during the freeze and then a newborn got stepped on at a hay ring this week and broke rear leg. When they get down like yours it is usually the end in my experience.

I had one go down for no reason. The vet said after 2 days I needed to put her down. I wish you luck.

After being down 3 days and no signs of improvement I butcher them if they are young enough and in good shape otherwise. Get something for my money. Ran cattle all my life and never seen many come back after 2-3 days. Many causes.

I have never had one get up. Like flushing hundred dollar bills down the toliet.

It won't end well, sorry to hear this.

Same

Damn that sucks.






Please for give me, but I have to say it.......ground beef?

I honestly hope for a full recovery and hope there is no suffering and feel for ya.

How long to leave down: Totally your call. 3 days down and still alive, nobody knows, But I don’t she will get up now. Might try front end loader again, but probably nerve damage.

Why: Cause they are animals. No rhyme or reason why. Cause they breathe and live in the wild. Some get sick and die, some recover you thought never would. Do the best you can and move on.

Hang in there. Life is hard enough, with cattle, some days it’s harder.

Hate to agree but I do.
I was at a ranch years ago they built a contraption that held the calf in the air like looked like a cot with holes for the legs. I laughed at it but the guy said it has saved many a downed cows.

If you have them, you are going to lose them.

It's usually never good when they are down like that.
Sounds like nerve damage or possibly a broken back even.
Is it possible a bull topped her and broke her down?

I'll say what my favorite uncle told me God rest his beautiful soul......you can't lose em if you aint got em.

I wish you the best but you may want to salvage some ground beef if she doesn't get up today.

FWIW, I have a story. My pasture guy had one down that he had doctored with Dex and some injections to no avail. He had tried and tried getting her to her feet but no go. On day 3 I saw him with her down by the pond and me and the pizz hound drove down to check on progress. My guy was getting his gun out to shoot the animal when out of no where the pizz hound goes ballistic barking at this cow...and barking....and barking....AND THE COW GOT UP! Now up to this point the dog had never paid any attention to the cattle so it was kind of extraordinary. This was 3 years ago and she has birthed some nice calves then.

Thanks-that is what my gut and past experiences have showed me that they usually will not get up, in all the years just haven't had one this young go down. Stay in it long enough bound to see all sorts of new things . Just wanted to hear others experiences as far as younger ones. Thanks for sharing

Take care.

After watching lots' of Dr. Pol it's a wonder any cow lives and breeds.

i would try to get something like this down her, https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/vets-plus-power-punch-32-oz
We've used it a time or two with lethargic cows and even 1 that wouldn't get up after calving.

What does it taste like?
I might try some.

I haven't tried it, but it smells like Sweet Feed/ All stock feed

Add in banamine…

On downers when pre conditioning, my last resort was to main vein with banamine. About 50% chance they would get up.

This time of year grass tetany can be bad if running on green WW, rye etc. Acting Crazy is dead give away.

Main vein rig with cmpk or any other high magnesium solution reverses it quickly

That has always been the case with all the men I know who raise and sell cattle.

any word on how this turned out?

Thanks for the information TCM3 and Bobo. She was still alert and drinking yesterday morning-eating slowed down quite abit. I had to run into the shop for afew hours to get some work done and on the way back out stopped at TSC to pick up Power Punch. When I got back early yesterday afternoon she was gone and passed on her own.

Pulled them off WW/Triticale about month ago due to lack of rains and was getting grazed pretty low.

Dang. hate to hear that...
Power Punch is handy to have around.

Sorry man, Been there.

Where you running any magnesium blocks? I don’t think we have had enough moisture for GT but magnesium block are cheap winter insurance.

I had a bad late winter one year as I had 5 in two weeks go down with GT. Lost the first one because I had no clue. After that I became a main veining expert, but didn’t loose any more. Got serious with mag blocks with any heifer or potential bred/wet cow after that.

I’d keep a bottle of Cal Dex CMPK & main vein rig in truck at all times

Hate to lose them like that.

Sorry to hear that. You have a tough job for sure.

Hated to hear that.

Today I was wiring some lights in a barn for a guy I was looking at his pasture and saw a coyote this is 130 this afternoon. We hopped in the truck and it was eating on a big headed dead calf. The mom was about 20 feet away and couldn’t get up. He called the guy that leases his pasture and told him. The cow was trying to get up so hopefully they don’t lose her too. Sooner or later it happens to everyone.

Like BoBo said, get mag blocks, rumensin blocks or high mag mineral out quickly. Especially before you turn back out on grain.

You might also get some tubes of Magna Gel, if your uneasy with veining one They look like tubes of caulk. As it greens up and grass tetny becomes more possible for bred and older cows with calves, it can be a lifesaver. It’s an oral supplement but, Instead of oral, insert tube into downed cows rectum and use long screw driver or dowel rod to empty tube into cows anus. Instant magnesium into bloodstream. It’s saved several of my old wheat picker cows with calves on them thru the years.

I haven't had mineral blocks on the ground this year- but do now. Was feeding hay(klein-is what is planted/baled on my place) and keeping Accu Hi-fat tubs.
Will get a bottle of Cal Dex CMPK to keep on hand.

Damn man, sorry to hear you lost her.

I agree with the others here that getting them minerals is very important, especially in this part of the year when everything is dead.

I feed trace minerals and they take it as they need it so there is literally no waste.....thankfully because that chit is near $30/bag now!

I just put it out about 15-20 lbs at a time in a trough under the barn and they take it only when they need it. Sometimes it will stay there 2-3 weeks and other times they clean it up overnight and I'll add more the next day.

Now that’s a cool new trick!! Makes sense on the absorption too. Learned something new today!!

Thanks 3k!

I have 300 sheep/goats and 35 cows. Usually they pound the salt/mineral combo when it's green but this year they've hammered it the entire year. The cows have been particularly hard on it. I mix a bag of mineral to three bags of salt. They can knock off 300lbs in a two-three weeks.