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Sioux Center, Iowa | Every fresh cow has milk fever, to some degree. Few should need calcium assistance, but when they need it, they may need up to two bottles, or more than one treatment. Also, I'll second the aforementioned hip clamp assist. We've had one for as long as I can remember, and wouldn't be without one. I'd lift her at least once a day to make sure her muscles don't atrophy. If you give a cow two bottles of Ca, be sure to run the 2nd one in slow and watch her vitals. You can kill a cow with the 2nd bottle (cardiac arrest), so if she starts to breath fast just quit. When you lift her with hip lifters, you should be able to determine if she has nerve damage or not. Watch for foot knuckling and see how much she is "trying" to stand. Another thing I'll do to spread out the Ca punch, is IV a bottle, and also administer a tube of oral Ca. The oral takes longer to absorb so gives you sort of a timed release and may prevent her from having a Ca crash again. | |
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cow down after birth
