When Cows Go Down

Rarely a week goes by that the Custom Livestock Solutions phone isn’t ringing with calls for a vet to please come out and see downed cows, bulls, or calves. Because bovines can go down for a number of reasons, and the longer cattle are down, the more detrimental a case can become, the CLS team considers these emergency cases.

Custom Livestock Solutions veterinarians Dr. Caitlin Quinn and Dr. Rachel Anders reenact what a down cow case might look like.

“If you find that a cow is unable to rise, it is an urgent matter,” says Dr. Tyson Strickland, DVM, owner and founder of CLS. “There are many things that can cause down cows, so if you notice one, it’s time to call the vet to determine cause and see if it can be corrected.”

Dr. Scout Josey, DVM, veterinarian with the CLS Northwest satellite truck, says down cattle are typically noticed when they are isolated and laying down while the rest of the herd is, say, congregated around the hay ring.

“On closer inspection, the animal does not get up when you approach or attempt to stimulate the animal to rise,” Josey says. “If the animal refuses to attempt to rise, or if it attempts to get up but struggles and cannot successfully stand, this is immediately a concern. Because mature cows are such large animals, their bodyweight begins to work against them quickly when they cannot get up. Similar to when our feet become numb and ‘fall asleep’ due to sitting on them, a down cow’s extremities will start to lose adequate circulation and nerve input as the body puts pressure on them.”

She says nerve damage can become so severe so fast that, regardless of the animal’s initial circumstances, it is unable to get up even if treated. Added dangers of cows being down for too long include them being unable to reach food and water.

“I have literally seen animals cook in the summer sun if they can’t get to shade,” Strickland says. “There is never a good reason for an animal to be unable to rise.”

Causes of Going Down

“A good way to categorize these cases is ‘the five Ms of down cows’, which include metritis, mastitis, musculoskeletal, metabolic, and ‘mystery’ cases,” Josey says. “For beef cattle, we most commonly see cows go down as a result of musculoskeletal injuries caused by trauma, or for metabolic reasons.”

She says after calving, some cows experience nerve damage in the pelvic canal, which can lead to weakness or hind limb paralysis. Diseases such as anaplasmosis could also cause down cattle. Lactating cows are susceptible to milk fever, the common name for low blood calcium levels. Magnesium deficiency, or grass tetany, can lead to down cows after grazing on lush winter and spring forages. Injuries, spinal trauma, fractured leg bones, malnutrition, parasite presence, nitrate poisoning and acorn toxicity can also make bovines unable to rise.

“Occasionally, cattle can also get ‘cast down’, which occurs when they lay with their legs uphill and cannot physically get up as a result of positioning, not necessarily due to medical issues,” Josey says, adding that if not addressed, this can also be dangerous. “Bloat can also occur quickly and cause mortality in cattle that are cast down on their sides for far too long, rather than sitting up in a sternal position with legs under them.”

To minimize the risk of cows going down, Strickland recommends hay testing for quality and nitrates. Test results will indicate if hay is toxic or if it needs to be supplemented with things like protein tubs, concentrate, or silage.

“Mineral selection, based on time of year, we recommend feeding high-magnesium mineral from November to April, and regular grazing mineral from May to October to prevent grass tetany,” Strickland says.

He says producers should keep an eye on cattle’s body condition throughout the year and ensure they receive biannual herdwork of vaccinations and deworming. Regular monitoring and basic veterinary care also inform producers when it comes to trimming the herd.

“Culling old cows or ‘hard-doing’ cows that seem to have trouble keeping condition is also helpful for avoiding down cow cases, as these individuals are more likely to succumb to musculoskeletal and metabolic conditions,” Josey says.

When It’s Time to Call the Vet …

When producers call CLS for a down bovine, Strickland asks that owners be ready to share some helpful information: the animal’s age, breed, and sex; changes in feed or location; exposure to new feed; if any new members of the herd have been added recently; and if it’s a cow or heifer, time since calving or stage of pregnancy.

If safely possible, the CLS vets recommend attempting to get the animal to sit in a normal, sternal fashion, and offer it water.

“Avoid the use of equipment or hot shots to try to get the animal to stand,” Josey says. “If the cow is all the way down on her side, try to prop her up so she does not bloat prior to the vet’s arrival.”

Once the vet team arrives, the down bovine will be fully assessed for body condition; pain, swelling, or tremors in the limbs and spine; vital signs; and symptoms including diarrhea, jaundice, and anemia.

“If the animal has recently calved, she will be evaluated for mastitis and metritis as well. If milk fever or grass tetany are suspected, sometimes administration of intravenous calcium and magnesium can serve as a diagnostic tool, because the cow typically responds rapidly by getting up,” Josey says. “Grass tetany cases are memorable because following intravenous administration of magnesium, they classically recover quickly and can become quite aggressive — so learning to get the job done and get out of the way is important.”

Treatment of a down cow is case-dependent.

“Metabolic issues, depending on how severe, can often be treated on the spot,” Strickland says. “Trauma or toxin-related issues typically have a guarded prognosis, and take time to overcome. Animals that are in poor condition due to age, nutrition, or parasitism and are down are often too far gone, and chances of recovery are poor.”

Josey says if a down cow is not responsive to treatment and has been down for 24 to 48 hours without improvement, it might be time to discuss end of life care for that animal.

“This timeframe may be extended slightly if the down cow is eating and drinking, and the owner is able to use hip lifts or other appropriate measures to lift the cow and get her repositioned a couple of times a day,” she says.

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The CLS vets offer emergency care, including visits to see down cattle, to clients within set radii of the Comer headquarters and the CLS Northwest satellite truck. For emergency appointment requests, call 762 234 6108 for livestock and 762 338 9756 for equine.