Part 2: If Ifs Not Milk Fever ; What Is It?
Peter Dippel, DVM
This article is the second in a
three-part series discussing down
cows. This article explores more
reasons of why a cow may be
down. Watch for the last article
'n an upcoming issue that exam
ines treatment options. Dippel is
a veterinarian with Lancaster
Veterinary Associates, Salunga.
SALUNGA (Lancaster Co.)
Thus far we have covered the most
common cause of cows being down.
Now, let’s say that the dairy pro
ducer is positive that it is not milk
fever, or has given her a bottle of
calcium in the vein and she still
won’t get up.
There are three likely possibili
ties as to why she is still down.
If she is recently fresh, chances
are she is down due to calving pa
ralysis (calving paralysis usually
results from a big calf coming
through the birth canal and com
pressing the obturator or sciatic
nerve inside the canal).
If she had milk fever, and was
down for a long time, possibly
After being assisted her
to get up, she stands with
one of her fetlocks buckled
forward. When she walks,
both buckle forward. This
is a classic symptom of
“calving paralysis.”
overnight, she probably is down
due to pressure necrosis of muscle
or nerve damage in her legs.
If she is not recently fresh, and
did not have milk fever recently,
she would most likely be down
from trauma, i.e. falling on the ce
ment, etc. Whether or not one of
these is more likely than the others
depends on the history of the cow
and the circumstances the cow is
in.
All three of these can be put
under the category of muscle/nerve
damage, or paralysis. But before
producers assume that it is
muscle/nerve damage, they first
must rule out other disease pro
cesses.
Simple Observations
This may be determined by sim
ple observations, her history, and
by examining the cow. One of the
best ways to determine if some
thing else is causing her to be
down, other than muscle/nerve
damage, is if she is eating or drink
ing.
This assumes that there is fresh
water and feed in front of her. If
she is down she can’t make it to the
water feeder or the bunk, it must
be brought to her.
If she is eating and drinking nor
mally this will rule out many other
disease processes, and point toward
muscle/nerve damage as the proba
ble cause.
For example, if a cow is down
from heat stress in the summer, she
will not be interested in eating, not
to mention her temperature usually
is sky high (greater than 105).
If she has suffered severe blood
loss, her eyes will be sunken and
she will most likely not be interest
ed in eating until you correct her
dehydration.
If she has nervous ketosis, it is
possible to smell ketones on her
breath, and she most likely will not
be eating normally. As there are
many potential possibilities, veteri
nary assistance might be needed in
helping you determine what the
problem is, as well as advice about
the prognosis for the future.
For example, diagnosing spinal
cord cancer can be difficult because
cows usually will still eat when
they first go down. Sometimes bro
ken legs can be difficult to diag
nose depending on where the frac
ture is or if there is a lot of swelling
in the area. Fractured pelvises are
not too common, but they should
be checked for as well.
If the producer or the veterinar
ian has not been able to find any
obvious cause as to why she is
down, then she may be down from
muscle/nerve damage, whatever
the initial reason a hard calving,
too long of recumbency from milk
fever, or trauma.
Sometimes the cause is obviously
muscle/nerve damage and it is not
hard to diagnose. For example, the
cow had an extremely difficult
calving, or the dairy producer saw
her go down in the frees tall when
she was being ridden by another
cow.
If there is no history that can be
depended on, then prodding her
lower extremities is one way to
help with diagnosis. If the produc
er prods her and she has no re
sponse, then there is a good chance
she has nerve damage.
However, many times they will
still be responsive, and yet they
cannot rise to their feet.
Also, if she favors one leg while
attempting to get up, this is a clue
that she might have muscle/nerve
damage in that leg.
Keep Treating?
If the producer or the veterinar
ian determines that muscle/nerve
damage is likely, they are now
faced with a decision should the
producer spend time and money on
treating her, or send her to a down
cow Tenderer?
Since dairymen nowadays do not
receive much money anymore for
down cows, they are slightly more
willing to try and save her.
However, there are some good
Tenderers that will do it on the
farm, and the dairymen can
use the meat for themselves.
Whether or not the meat
will be good, and what she has
been treated with, are certain
ly factors in deciding on this
option. The extent of her
muscle/nerve damage should
be one of the factors in deter-
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mining if treatment should be
tried.
If the cow makes no attempt
whatsoever to get up, and she has
no feeling in either of her legs, than
treating her might not be the best
option. If she can almost rise to her
feet getting of the way up, then
treatment would probably be
worthwhile. Anything in between
can make it a difficult decision to
make.
The value of the cow should also
be a factor in considering whether
or not to treat, as well as the time
the dairyman has available to
spend on her.
Treating down cows properly
can be a big time commitment. If
treatment is decided as the course
to take, there are many things that
a dairyman can do to give her a
better chance of standing on her
own.
The very first thing to do is to
make sure she is on soft ground or
in a well bedded area or manure
pack. A mattress in a stall is soft
enough, but it is not ideal because
of the restraints and confinement
of the stall which can make it diffi
cult for her to attempt to get up
when she finally does try.
This is especially true in a tie
stall bam because of the risk of the
cow sliding back into the gutter,
which is one of the worst situations
a cow can get herself in.
After she is moved slowly to dry ground, the cow has
much better footing, and is less likely to slip and fall and
damage herself further.
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A boxstall with cement as the
floor with one inch of shavings on
it is not soft ground. If the cow can
dig herself down to the cement in a
pen, move her someplace else.
None of her body should be touch
ing cement this simple fact is
very important in down cow treat
ment.
Down cows should not be on ce
ment, and the sooner the cow gets
her off the cement, the better her
chances of getting up are. This
should be one of the first priorities
with a down cow.
The longer she is down on the
cement, the worse her prognosis is
with each passing hour. There are
many ways to move a cow, but it is
preferable to push her on a gate or
a big board and pull that, rather
than drag the cow. Be very careful
of her teats when doing this.
If she is down outside on pas
ture, make sure she is protected
from the elements, with a canopy
in the summer to protect her from
the sun, and a windbreak in the
winter.
After she is someplace comfort
able, make sure she has feed and
water in front of her. Hopefully
there are not other cows around
that might spill or drink her water.
A big, low, tub for the water is
ideal, as five gallon buckets tend to
spill and are sometimes hard for
down cows to drink out of.
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