cutterone
Well-known member
I'm somewhat stumped with this.
I have a commercial cow on her 2nd calving that is due 3/22 and 4 yrs old in May. She raised a good calf last year as a 1st time heifer with no special treatment or creep to the calf and bred back with no issues.
All the cows have been on free-choice corn stocks, free-choice A-D-E mineral and 35% protein blocks and then aprox 15lbs/day of very good alfalfa hay since the last of Dec. We ran out of corn stocks about 2 weeks ago and have since upped the hay amount to about 22-24lbs. As the heavies came due and calved they were sorted off the herd and they all have access to shelter. I would rate their stress levels at low all winter and all cows that have calved have had calves with a lot of vigor and cows are milking very well and doing great. The entire herd was vaccinated a little over a week ago with CM 5L5. She has never been a heavy fleshed cow and is currently at 5+ on BS
Yesterday morning she did not get up and come out of the barn for hay. I went to get her up and she refused. She is alert and no physical signs of any issues. She did attempt to get up at one point but acted as is if her legs just could not do the job and would only attempt to crawl so showing no signs of paralysis. She is urinating and passing feces but it is loose. She is segregated from all others in the barn.
I called the vet and he came around noon and said she most likely had electrolytic shock – meaning that she was deficient on Calcium & Phos. (said it was like starving with a full belly) and thinks she has twins and because of that they are robbing her of enough of those elements that her muscles are tying up. He gave her a IV of 2 liters of glucose and electrolytes and told me to give her sweet feed, hay, and water and try to get her up every few hours. She eats and drinks. As of this morning she still will not. She has crawled around somewhat and I put the hay and feed out of reach so that she must attempt to move to eat.
Not saying that I disagree with the diagnosis but think that by now she should have gotten up. Has anyone else experienced this and if so what was your treatment and outcome. I presume that if things do not improve that at some time I will take the calve(s) but cannot justify a lot of money IMO in this cow and no matter what happens if she lives this will be her last spring here but with current prices every animal helps pay the bills. Any suggestions?
I have a commercial cow on her 2nd calving that is due 3/22 and 4 yrs old in May. She raised a good calf last year as a 1st time heifer with no special treatment or creep to the calf and bred back with no issues.
All the cows have been on free-choice corn stocks, free-choice A-D-E mineral and 35% protein blocks and then aprox 15lbs/day of very good alfalfa hay since the last of Dec. We ran out of corn stocks about 2 weeks ago and have since upped the hay amount to about 22-24lbs. As the heavies came due and calved they were sorted off the herd and they all have access to shelter. I would rate their stress levels at low all winter and all cows that have calved have had calves with a lot of vigor and cows are milking very well and doing great. The entire herd was vaccinated a little over a week ago with CM 5L5. She has never been a heavy fleshed cow and is currently at 5+ on BS
Yesterday morning she did not get up and come out of the barn for hay. I went to get her up and she refused. She is alert and no physical signs of any issues. She did attempt to get up at one point but acted as is if her legs just could not do the job and would only attempt to crawl so showing no signs of paralysis. She is urinating and passing feces but it is loose. She is segregated from all others in the barn.
I called the vet and he came around noon and said she most likely had electrolytic shock – meaning that she was deficient on Calcium & Phos. (said it was like starving with a full belly) and thinks she has twins and because of that they are robbing her of enough of those elements that her muscles are tying up. He gave her a IV of 2 liters of glucose and electrolytes and told me to give her sweet feed, hay, and water and try to get her up every few hours. She eats and drinks. As of this morning she still will not. She has crawled around somewhat and I put the hay and feed out of reach so that she must attempt to move to eat.
Not saying that I disagree with the diagnosis but think that by now she should have gotten up. Has anyone else experienced this and if so what was your treatment and outcome. I presume that if things do not improve that at some time I will take the calve(s) but cannot justify a lot of money IMO in this cow and no matter what happens if she lives this will be her last spring here but with current prices every animal helps pay the bills. Any suggestions?
