The cow does not stand up weakened: what to do and what is the reason, how to raise it

Cows spend most of their lives on pastures for walking. In a normal he althy state, individuals walk, lie down and stand up freely. With various pathological processes, cows fall to their feet. The danger of the situation is that with prolonged lying, a number of internal changes occur: the functioning of the liver, kidneys, and lungs is disrupted. If the animal is not raised, there is a risk of death. What to do if the cow does not get up and is weak?

Main reasons

The anatomy of cattle is designed so that when lifting individuals, they first straighten their hind limbs, and then their forelimbs.If the animal cannot lift the back of its body, it remains lying down. Paralysis in cows most often develops after childbirth due to compression of the gluteal nerve or nerve endings of the sacral region.

Postpartum paresis is also explained by the unbalanced diet of the cow during pregnancy (a sharp loss of calcium after childbirth). Other reasons are a narrow pelvic region or its irregular structure. It's not just cows that have given birth. The problem affects both young and bulls, and old individuals. A number of factors lead to this:

1. Injuries, dislocations, sprains. You should carefully inspect the animal for damage. It can be swelling, swelling, redness, unnatural position of the limb.
2. Arthritis of the joints. The cow does not get up due to acute pain. Signs of pathology - a joint that is hot to the touch, swelling, a change in the shape of the connection. The overall temperature may rise.
3. Hoof problems - stuck stone, inflammation or infection.
4. Sharp transition of young animals from a dairy diet to roughage. The stomach is clogged with grain, earth. This causes severe soreness and a desire to lie down all the time.

Micronutrient deficiencies are among other, less common reasons for a cow to drop and become weak. In winter, individuals lie due to insufficient activity. A similar problem is typical for crowded stalls: animals simply have nowhere to walk. Falls on the legs are also caused by birth defects in the structure of the joints.

White Muscle Disease

This is muscular dystrophy, at risk - young animals from the first days to 3 months of life. It develops due to the lack of selenium and vitamin E in the body. The disease is characterized by a violation of metabolic processes and the impossibility of muscle contraction. The danger of pathology is that it is incurable.The ill individuals develop slowly, most often they are culled and sent for slaughter. Young animals wither slowly, the owners often do not see obvious signs of indisposition of individuals. The problem is usually noticed only when the calf falls to its feet. There is no point in raising the animal. The only solution is slaughter.

Lack of phosphorus

Phosphorus deficiency leads to serious metabolic changes in the animal's body. This leads to a slowdown or complete cessation of growth. The mineralization of bones is disturbed, the joints increase in size.

A characteristic feature is a change in posture: a cow crosses its forelimbs. Individuals can stand, but this causes them discomfort, so they fall on their hind legs.

Ketosis

The second name is acetonemia, or protein poisoning. The disease causes an excess of ketones in the body.

Ketone bodies appear due to excessive consumption of protein feed:

1. Ammonia absorption slows down.
2. Based on it, acids are formed.
3. Acids are converted into acetone and beto-hydroxy-oily substance, polluting the body.

Symptoms of a mild form - intoxication and perversion of appetite. In severe form, oppression begins, it becomes difficult for the cow to stand. When rising from a prone position, there is no reliable support. The animals didn't lose their legs, it's just hard for them to lean on them.

Rickets

These are bone anomalies that show up in growing young. The disease is accompanied by dystrophic processes in bone tissues: ossification, growth, softening, atrophy. The reason is a lack of movement and vitamins of group D.

A cow fell to its feet with rickets - a frequent occurrence, since crooked and thin limbs do not hold even a small weight.

Osteomalacia

A dangerous chronic disease that softens the bones. This is rickets for adults. Highly productive, pregnant and lactating cows are especially susceptible to pathology. The reason is a lack of minerals (calcium, vitamins, phosphorus), insufficient walking.

Osteomalacia occurs in 3 stages:

1. Appetite disappears, taste preferences are distorted, digestion is upset.
2. Mobility problems appear: any movement causes pain, joints click, vertebrae dissolve.
3. Bones become flexible and soft, visibly twisted, high risk of fractures and paralysis. The cow is emaciated and lying down.

The disease develops slowly, turning into a chronic form over the years.Osteomalacia is not treatable. Progression can only be slowed down. Therefore, it is pointless to raise old individuals to their feet. If a cow is over 8 years old and diagnosed with this disease, it is better to turn her in for meat.

How to help a cow get back on her feet

The cow should stand up on its own after the intravenous injections. If the fall to the feet is caused by metabolic disorders, some farmers use the "hanging" method. This is a controversial, subjective and temporary technology: the cloth is fixed between the front and rear limbs of the cow, the animal is lifted with a winch. Such a suspension is allowed to be used no more than 2 days. If the individual has not begun to stand on its own, it will have to be slaughtered. To raise a cow after calving, the following technology is used:

1. Remove the newborn calf.
2. Methods - a sharp sound (if the cause of the fall was postpartum shock), suffocation for 10-15 seconds.
3. When the cow starts to stand up, it is important to support her from the side of the tail and head.

Drug therapy

The therapeutic scheme depends on the cause of the pathological phenomenon. In any case, at the time of treatment, the cow must be isolated from the herd. It is important to provide constant access to clean water, give balanced feed, add calcium and phosphorus s alts. Apply vitamin complexes, fish oil, glucose. Be sure to consult your veterinarian regularly about the condition of the animal.

Cause/disease	Treatment tactics
White muscle disease	The basis is the use of selenium preparations. "E-selenium", "Hydropeptone" are used. To maintain cardiac function, glycosides are given (caffeine, Sulfocamphocaine).
Phosphorus deficiency	Drugs - Urzolit, calcium hypophosphite, vitamin D injections. Oral calcium phosphate , disodium phosphate.
Ketosis	High glucose solutions. Injections every 12 hours. '.
Osteomalacia	Calcium borgluconate. Enter subcutaneously or intravenously. A total of 2 repetitions are needed.
Postpartum paresis	Subcutaneous injections of caffeine with magnesium sulfate solution. Intravenous injections of calcium chloride and glucose.

Vet Tips

Experts advise to carefully monitor the condition of the animal, periodically inspect. Once every 4-6 months, check the condition of the joints and hooves. To prevent unpleasant complications, calves should be gradually and carefully transferred from milk to feed, alternate and dilute the diet.Be sure to give cows vitamin formulations to prevent immune decline.

If the cow fell to its feet, but the hope of curing the animal remains, you need to massage daily. Rub the limbs and sacrum to normalize blood circulation. A lying cow should be turned over 2 times a day to prevent the formation of bedsores. Also, daily rub the body with a straw tourniquet to prevent tissue necrosis.

If the cow is weak and falls to its feet, this indicates serious he alth problems. There are several reasons for this phenomenon: from inflammation of the hooves and joints to a lack of minerals and a number of diseases. Females most often fall to their feet after calving. The problem requires an urgent solution: lifting, rubbing and massage, medical intervention. If a cow does not get up for a long time, she is sent for slaughter.

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