What to do if the cow does not stand up after calving
Many farmers have a specific problem - the cow does not get up after calving. For a beginner who has recently started running his own household, such a misfortune can cause fear and even panic. "The cow does not stand on its hind legs, what should I do?" He will ask. A little trick and special care can make a sick cow stand up. This article just tells you how to get the heifer to stand up and nurse the offspring.
The cow does not get up after calving
Ailment in cows
Cattle grows up and approaches the most important part of the life cycle - puberty sets in, readiness to give birth to offspring. The cow rises to her feet after calving already for 2-3 days, and there is no need to look after the heifer for a long time. The correct feeding and care of the owner of the farm helps the cow to stand up.
However, there are also cases when diseases after childbirth in a cow or external factors prevent her from getting back on her feet. How to get a cow to stand up? It is no coincidence that a cow cannot get up after the first birth, such behavior of an animal indicates serious problems that a person cannot ignore.
The structure of the female's body is quite simple, and I her gluteal muscles are responsible for all the muscles from the buttocks to the legs. The thigh muscles connect to the sacral muscles, which are located on the lower back of the calf. The nerve endings around the pelvis are vulnerable and weak, so at the slightest discomfort, the cow does not get up after calving.
It is the muscles of the thighs and buttocks that are damaged. What are the causes of such diseases in cows, especially if they are calving for the first time? A young cow can only get hurt on one side, she will be able to get to her feet, but she will not be able to walk. The skew to one side will be very noticeable. Periodic seizures in the female after childbirth also indicate negative changes. Why does a cow calve and does not get up for a long time? It is necessary to find an answer to this question as soon as possible, otherwise the animal will not return to normal.
Causes of the disorder
A calf is not always born easily, and it is almost impossible to guess the size of the offspring in advance. As a result, due to the large size or difficult calving, the cow does not stand up. If the calf has a normal weight, then the reasons that the cow cannot stand up should be sought in other phenomena and processes. Common root causes of calf malaise:
- a narrow pelvis (during calving, the bones did not disperse evenly);
- pathology of bone tissue (manifests itself after the first birth in a young heifer);
- the first complicated childbirth in a weak female.
You should look for the cause of weakness in a cow, based on the structure of her pelvis. A cow, especially a young one, may not be ready for calving. If the heifer does not stand up on its hind legs a few days after calving, it is better not to risk it and call the veterinarian. After the diagnosis, the doctor will make a verdict on whether the structure of the pelvic bones could affect the well-being of the female in the postpartum period.
The cow is a strong animal, but sometimes she needs human help, especially right after the calf has appeared. The consequences of improper calving can be the most unexpected and life-threatening cows. The first sign of weakness is noticeable if the cow cannot get up on its hind legs, if the cow does not get up for a long time and is breathing heavily.
Winter calving
For winter calving, malaise of the heifer is characteristic due to a lack of vitamins and nutrients.
Preparation of a cow for launch takes place in several stages. First, milking of the heifer stops, and the amount of expressed milk gradually decreases. Refusal of milking is due to the fact that the born calf will need milk, which contains all the substances useful and necessary for its growth.
The nutrition of the cow determines how healthy her offspring will be. With a decrease in milking, the cow is fenced off from other livestock and switches to a special complementary food. Hay and straw are consumed by the female in small quantities. If winter calving is organized correctly, the cow's vitamin deficiency will be minimal. An unbalanced diet, in other words, a heifer's hunger strike, leads to the fact that at the end of calving, she cannot rise to her feet.
Problems that can lead to weakness in the cattle and fall on the hind legs:
- cramped space and small living space;
- lack of exercise;
- trauma during childbirth (in young heifers);
- improper diet during lactation.
The cow does not stand on her fours, not only because of severe trauma, sometimes transferring the heifer to another place solves all the problems with her well-being. Don't jump to conclusions. The farmer's primary task is to find the cause of the cow's weakness, until a simple malaise has developed into a serious illness of the internal organs. It is difficult or even impossible for a heifer to recover on his own in cramped circumstances. What is the necessary set of actions that the farmer should take in this case?
Why cows don't get up after calving
What to do if the calf's coordination of movements is impaired? The primary task is to call a veterinarian who checks the state of the body's internal organs. If the common problems of a recent woman in labor have not been confirmed, then it is worth continuing to look for the cause of the deplorable state of the cow.
If a female fell for no apparent reason, what to do? From the first time, if the female has not calved before, the probability of postpartum complications is almost 50%. If the lower back and pelvic bones are normal, then the possible reasons that the female is ill may be:
- Milk fever. If from the first time (the calf gave birth to a calf with difficulty), symptoms remain in the form of a fall on the front or hind limbs, there is a high probability that the heifer has a fever. Symptoms of the disease are expressed in the general weakness of the animal and an increase in body temperature (can be measured with a basal thermometer). The first two days are the most critical and life-threatening for the heifer.
- Metritis. After a difficult birth, cows can develop diseases like metritis. Symptoms of the disease appear on the second or third day, when the cow weakens in the front limbs. It is necessary to treat a woman in childbirth immediately, every day of delay costs her life. The heifer should be constantly looked after and her body temperature measured. With metritis, fever replaces weakness and low temperature. A rare and dangerous cause leads to the death of livestock.
- Mastitis. The infection that affects the mammary glands occurs in females who do not eat well or consume contaminated water. The infection spreads to the udder and the cow develops a fever. It is unwise to ignore such causes of weakness.
- Paresis. The reasons for this problem are the improper diet of the animal and the negligent treatment of the farmer. The development of paresis is accompanied by changes in the blood composition of the animal.
- Lack of phosphorus in the body of livestock. Reasons of this kind can harm not only females, but also males.The bull also cannot stand on its limbs. Diseases of the entire livestock are the fault of a person who did not organize the life of his own farm.
What should you be afraid of? It is very difficult to connect all the symptoms and causes of malaise in cattle, especially for a beginner. Taking birth with a heifer for the first time is exciting and scary, because a person has a great responsibility. The fauna can be of benefit to the farmer, but only after he invests his own strength and care in it. The young heifer needs help and care, then calving will pass without any problems. The task of every farmer is to protect the cow and calf in the first months.
Farmer's help
It is important that the animal gets up as quickly as possible. This is the primary goal for both the beginner and the experienced farmer. If the woman in labor is lying for a long period, it will lead to paralysis of the whole body. Staying in the wrong and unnatural posture is fraught with consequences for the internal organs. With the help of a veterinarian, the cause of the disease is determined, and then it is eliminated. External and internal unfavorable factors should not affect the heifer. The secondary task is to create special conditions for the life of the cow and her calf.
If the problems are related to internal bone fractures, the female may need urgent medical attention and surgery. Bone fragments cause bleeding and affect the condition of the entire body of the animal (cattle lies in pain and weakness). The course of treatment for fever includes taking special drugs prescribed by a doctor. If a cow or a bull is lying (all the cattle has fallen), it is impossible to self-medicate animals.
If the cow does not rise, what to do
How much will it cost to treat a heifer? If it lies for a long period, further rehabilitation will cost the farmer more. Before you force the cow to get up, you need to think about the safety of the offspring, otherwise the mother may hit him or even strangle him. Several people from different sides insure the female at once.
The first step is to twist the animal's tail (carefully, without unnecessary movements) and hold it in this position for half a minute. The heifer must rise. If the first method doesn't work, then the female needs to be scared. Any loud scary sound will do. A radical way to raise cattle is to block the animal's nose for 10 seconds. Do not overdo it with this method. Electrocution of livestock is dangerous and unnecessary for novice farmers, aggravating the condition of the heifer.