• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

Upside Down Cow

randiliana

Well-known member
This one is a VERY lucky cow. In fact, I am very surprised she was still alive when we found her. We were at a community supper tonight, when the fuel truck (co-op) driver informed us that he had seen a dead cow in our pasture along the grid this morning. I had seen him go by that morning, at about 10:00 or so. I was done chores, and was taking a walk through the heavies.

Well, we kinda thought he was pulling our leg, but as soon as we left the supper we headed up the road to see for our selves. Well, he was pretty much telling the truth, except she wasn't dead. Had she not moved, however, we likely would not have actually gone down to check her. She had found a little hollow/rut to lay in last night, and somehow managed to get her feet out from under her and once she did that she was stuck. Her feet were above her head, and there was no way she could get herself out of her predicament. We were fortunate that some locals stopped to help us, because it took 4 of us to roll her over and out of the rut. She was bloated pretty badly, had prolapsed her rectum, one side of her face is swollen enough that she probably cannot see out of her eye, and her tail was partially frozen into the manure behind her. We had to roll her twice to get her on level enough ground for her to sit up on her own, but as soon as she was upright, you could hear her burping the extra gas out, and you could see the bloat go down. Once she was sitting up for a couple min, we left to get som OB gloves, and get into some warmer clothes. Then, came back, put the prolapse back. She is still pretty swollen up in the back, and hopefully she won't reprolapse. Got her on her feet, she was extremely wobbly, but was able to keep her feet under her. Gave her a couple minutes to steady herself, and then walked her up to the corral (1/2 mile away). Hopefully she will be OK.

She is one lucky cow, she had been like that since at least 10 am, and probably a lot longer than that. And we didn't find her until about 7 pm. I am amazed she is alive, usually when they get like that they don't last a couple hours, let alone 10 or 12 hours!! May have been because of her age, she is just a 3 year old. Hope she comes out of it cause it would really suck to lose such a young cow.

Sorry, no pics, didn't have the camera, and we were too busy trying to save her to take pics. I will get some of the hollow she was in, in the morning though.
 

Silver

Well-known member
There is generally nothing as unthankful as a cow saved from such a predicament. More often than not when I've rolled 'em back over I've had to make some pretty fast tracks. Perhaps you were lucky she'd been down long enough to take the fight out of her :wink:
 

Shortgrass

Well-known member
Usually a cow with her back downhill will expire pretty quick. You are right about her being very fortunate to be helped in time. Bet she'll do OK now.
 

Big Muddy rancher

Well-known member
A couple of years ago during round up i was bring some cows out of some pretty rough country up in the badlands. These cows headed up this coulee full of springs. I almost lost my horse in the mud but stepped off and he got out. We then proceeded to get ahead of the cows and turn them in the right direction. They went up a hill threw a gap and down the other side. I was following along when I saw this big Sage brush waving back and forth. In a wash out behind it was a cow that had stumbled into a hole and landed head down. I had to tail her around so she could get up. Then she wanted to take me. I just rode off and she followed as the other cows were going the right direction by this time.
 

Mike

Well-known member
Sold some bulls to a guy once that found two of them upside down in a 10 foot deep washout.

Only explanation he had was they had been fighting and both fell in the ditch.

They had been there for a few days and didn't make it.
 

randiliana

Well-known member
Yes, she is a lucky cow. Still alive this morning, and most of the swelling has gone down. Except for around her eye. Now that we know she is OK, I sure hope it didn't hurt her calf.

I have found a few dead ones in my time too. Saved a few, but more often than not they are dead when you find them.
 

Triangle Bar

Well-known member
Sounds like a good save. I hope that holds true for calf too.

I had a cow calve with her back downhill a few years ago. No way she could get up on her own. The calf was out except for its hips. So, I pulled it out rest of the way and the hill was steep enough I just rolled her over. I thought for sure I was going to have to make tracks but she just got up and started licking her calf.

Sometimes the luck of the draw comes your way. :)
 

Latest posts

Top