Down beef cow Flashcards
What is the main concern associated with prolonged recumbency in cattle?
Compartmentalization syndrome
If a cow is able to eat grain and is BAR when down, what are the likely etiologies?
Musculoskeletal injury, peripheral/spinal nerve damage, starvation
If a cow is not able to eat grain when down, what are the likely etiologies?
Mineral deficiency, toxicity, severe septicemia
What are the likely etiologies for a down cow in the last 2 months of gestation?
Starvation, winter tetany, musculoskeletal injury
What are the likely etiologies for a down cow immediately post calving?
Musculoskeletal injury, mineral deficiency, toxic mastitis
What are the likely etiologies for a down cow 2-30 days postpartum?
Musculoskeletal injury, mineral deficiency, toxic mastitis, toxic metritis
What are the 3 main musculoskeletal/peripheral nerve injuries that cause down cows?
Calving paralysis, spinal nerve damage, dislocated hips
What is the common presentation for calving paralysis?
-cow never stands post calving (rarely stands)
-calf is usually dead (if alive it has swollen head and bruised gums)
-history of dystocia
-swelling/bruising of vulva
What is the treatment of calving paralysis?
-Prevent compartmentalization syndrome using aqua-cow, hiplifts or sling (the worst of the 3)
-antiinflammatories, dexamethasone, NSAIDs
What are 3 common etiologies causing spinal nerve damage?
Lymphosarcoma, disc disease, abscesses
-treatment unrewarding
What is the most common cause of starvation in cattle?
low quality hay
High NDF means what?
More lignin in feed which is indigestible
-takes up room in rumen, and slows down digestion
-cows cant intake more food due to full rumen, until feces is expelled
What NDF is bad?
> 60
When are nutritional requirements the highest?
Peak lactation and late gestation
What will happen to spring calving cows fed low quality fescue?
They will quickly lose weight
What when added to fescue greatly increases the amount of time it takes to lose 1 BCS?
Corn gluten
Compare and contrast hypocalcemia and hypomagnesaemia
Hypocalcemia: uncommon in beef cattle, occurs in the first 24 hours post calving, exact same clinical signs and treatment as in dairy
-cows will be down, dull and experience hypothermia
-treat with 1-2 500 mL bottle CMPK
Hypomagnesaemia (aka grass tetany): usually 2-5 days or 20-30 days post calving
-cows will be staggering, down and experiencing hyperesthesia
-treat with 1-2 500 mL bottle CMPK, oral Mg
-prevent with mineral mix >10%
When does winter tetany commonly occur in gestation cycle?
6-9 months
-often calcium, magnesium and potassium will be slightly low
What causes winter tetany?
Poor quality hay, poor mineral availability
What is the treatment for winter tetany?
1-2 500 mL bottles of CMPK
-oral Ca-Mg-K supplementation
-+/- anti-inflammatories
When does toxic mastitis usually occur?
+/- 3 days from calving most commonly
-can also occur 2-3 days after weaning
What age group does anaplasmosis mainly affect?
adult cows
-naive animals susceptible
