amy g. Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 I'm so sad. I think she is dying, and she is Miss Good's registered Dexter that she got for her 14th birthday. She was fine a few hours ago, when we did evening chores, but when I went out to milk, I saw that my Jersey had jumped the fence. she has never done that before, and I could tell by her tracks that she had been running wildly. When we checked the other cows, Miss Good's Dexter was lying in a very unnatural position. She thinks they were fighting. We gave her water, Dex and antibiotics, but her breath is getting shallow. Miss Good I'd holding her head in her lap, and our Great Pyrenees won't leave their side. She is a tough kid, but I'm a sissy, crying mom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniper Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 I am so sorry! This has been a rough summer for you guys. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Awww, it's always so painful when animals are suffering. Praying for Miss Good's cow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddykate Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 I'm so sad. I think she is dying, and she is Miss Good's registered Dexter that she got for her 14th birthday. She was fine a few hours ago, when we did evening chores, but when I went out to milk, I saw that my Jersey had jumped the fence. she has never done that before, and I could tell by her tracks that she had been running wildly. When we checked the other cows, Miss Good's Dexter was lying in a very unnatural position. She thinks they were fighting. We gave her water, Dex and antibiotics, but her breath is getting shallow. Miss Good I'd holding her head in her lap, and our Great Pyrenees won't leave their side. She is a tough kid, but I'm a sissy, crying mom. It is so unusual for cows to fight... Do you think there could have been a snake or something in the pen with them that bit her? Any swelling anywhere? I am so sorry that this is happening. Hopefully, she will pull through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 I am so sorry. :grouphug::grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Oh, no. :( :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniper Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 It is so unusual for cows to fight... Do you think there could have been a snake or something in the pen with them that bit her? Any swelling anywhere? I am so sorry that this is happening. Hopefully, she will pull through. It has been raining for three straight days down here. Today was the first day that was somewhat sunny and nice. I am guessing that after not being able to do much of anything for a few days there was a combo of ancy animals, feeling good, and slippery mud. I know I have kept my eye on the horses today, because in my experience the first nice day after a series of yucky ones...leads to injuries. Their like kids who are inside to long. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomandlorih Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 :grouphug::grouphug: So very sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 How sad:( I didn't know cows could die from fighting... Hope that somehow she comes out of it... but if not:( then I hope that it isn't harder than it has to be :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 At this point, I really don't know what caused it. We have plenty of snakes, but I can't find anything that looks like what I have seen when goats or dogs or even my child was bitten by a snake. Maybe they were not fighting. Dd just said that she had seen her cow being a pill earlier, and mine getting mad about it. These two have lived together for 4 years, and seemed to love each other. When the Dexter came back from a month at the breeders, the jersey licked her for days. They are in a newish 2.5 acre pen of brush and woods. I'm worried about poisonous plants, even though they have been there several months, because our steer dropped dead earlier this summer. We believe ha had pneumonia, and a buck on the other side of the property died of pneumonia about a week later. Neither of the cows were thin. They get alfalfa hay in the morning, and grain at night. It is so heartbreaking. I'm really scared of something spreading through the animals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Will you be able to call a vet on the weekend without paying a fortune? At least for a phone consultation? That always made me feel better when something was wrong with our horse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpie Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Any chance she was in heat and getting ridden by the other cow caused an injury? :grouphug::grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 My cousin is a vet and he will come out and give us his opinion. I just feel so bad about the chance of losing her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrid Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 I'm so sorry-- sending hugs and good thoughts! Maybe she got into some poisonous plants? It's very odd. No lightning/fireworks/anything that could have spooked the Jersey and this one? Keep us posted...:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: astrid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renthead Mommy Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Sorry about your cow. Our movers deliever tomorrow and our new house is in a subdivision in the country so somehow the whole conversation about country farm animals came up along with situations like this. So what do you do with something the size of a cow when it's dying? You can't exactly put it in a shoe box and bury it in the garden, and it's too big to take to the vet for cremation. Do you butcher it? Can you butcher it if you don't know what killed it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 I paid $300 for the vet to remove the steer that died, and cremate him. The asked Dh if we would be wanting to hold a service. He asked if they were kidding. They said, "You'd be surprised." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 so sorry to hear about your cow. I have house-cows and know how attached you an get to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookfiend Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 How is you cow today? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MommyK Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 I think that would make me so sad. I love cows. :( Any updates? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 I somehow missed all your cow threads. I am so sorry. I hooe he Jersey is feeling better today. :sad: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 To answer what you do with a large animal--if the cow didn't have to be put down, we just drag them up on the hill and then coyotes take care of them. About 6 months later, usually one of the dogs drags in a skull... If the animal has to be put down by the vet, you either have to dig a LARGE hole or take them to the kill pit at the landfill. They'll bury them there (with a dozer). The new euthanasia solution kills raptors, so you can't dump them without burying them. So, that brings up the question of old horses. If you think you're going to have to put them down over the winter, you have to do it in the fall when you can still dig a hole with the backhoe. The kill pit is just gruesome and I hate to take horses there. And a word to the wise--if you have to put down a mule, it takes 2-3 times the amount of euthanasia solution--don't let your vet short it or you'll be not happy. Of course, you can always shoot, but again, it's hard to kill a mule. Yes, it's really tough here in Michigan too. Most of the farmers take care of it themselves and it's not pretty. I've been with a dear friend who walked her very, very ill not to be saved mare to the back forty where her husband had dug a very deep hole. The vet put the horse down but she didn't collapse in the direction of the pit, so we used the tractor to put her in once the deed was done, and then burned her body which was very, very emotional. But, it's better than the kill pits which are just, well, I can't describe how awful they are when you are so attached to the animal. The worst thing is llamas. They tend to not give any signs of illness whatsoever, wait for the weekend, get sick, expire before the vet can get there or any hole can be dug and usually manage this in some very incovenient part of the farm. Sigh.... Are there updates? Did the dexter make it? Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 I did not know that Bout kill pits, mules or llamas. :sad: i just KNOW my llamas or horse are going to die in the winter. :crying: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 To answer what you do with a large animal--if the cow didn't have to be put down, we just drag them up on the hill and then coyotes take care of them. About 6 months later, usually one of the dogs drags in a skull... If the animal has to be put down by the vet, you either have to dig a LARGE hole or take them to the kill pit at the landfill. They'll bury them there (with a dozer). The new euthanasia solution kills raptors, so you can't dump them without burying them. So, that brings up the question of old horses. If you think you're going to have to put them down over the winter, you have to do it in the fall when you can still dig a hole with the backhoe. The kill pit is just gruesome and I hate to take horses there. And a word to the wise--if you have to put down a mule, it takes 2-3 times the amount of euthanasia solution--don't let your vet short it or you'll be not happy. Of course, you can always shoot, but again, it's hard to kill a mule. here you call the knackery and he dispatches the animal and takes it off tho be turned into pet food or something. they will take recent kills as well (farm animals only, ie. cows horses sheep etc.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted July 16, 2012 Author Share Posted July 16, 2012 Unfortunately, she did not make it. I'm afraid it might have been a poisonous plant, so I moved all of the other cows, but I don't know where to put the pony. He chases the cows, so they can not be together. I guess Miss Good will be building anew pen by flashlight. I said to just stick the pony in a stall for the night, but she said he has to be able to see the horse. Oh my. I'm looking for a knacker now. This is the part of this lifestyle that I really hate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Oh gosh, I'm really sorry :( Very sad! :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Unfortunately, she did not make it. I'm afraid it might have been a poisonous plant, so I moved all of the other cows, but I don't know where to put the pony. He chases the cows, so they can not be together. I guess Miss Good will be building anew pen by flashlight. I said to just stick the pony in a stall for the night, but she said he has to be able to see the horse. Oh my. I'm looking for a knacker now. This is the part of this lifestyle that I really hate. I'm really sorry! That stinks so much. If you have a naturalist/nutritionist for animals in the area and you suspect poisoning, it might be worth a call. In our area, we have one and she will make a farm call, walking ALL OVER your pastures looking at all the botanicals and what not. She maybe there for hours and yet only charges $100.00. Everyone really loves her and she makes great recommendations. Her knowledge on poisoning by ingestion or absoprtion is FAR greater than that of our local livestock vets. They always recommend her in these cases. If you don't know of one, try calling your county extension office and asking there. They may know someone who can help. We've got a master gardener who also is an amazing botanist and has readily identified dangerous plants on farms before. It might be worth it to pay someone else to help you identify the problem. How much would a necropsy cost? Would it be worth doing just so you know for certain what killed the cow? :grouphug: to you and Miss Good. Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 I'm sorry. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddykate Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 At this point, I really don't know what caused it. We have plenty of snakes, but I can't find anything that looks like what I have seen when goats or dogs or even my child was bitten by a snake. Maybe they were not fighting. Dd just said that she had seen her cow being a pill earlier, and mine getting mad about it. These two have lived together for 4 years, and seemed to love each other. When the Dexter came back from a month at the breeders, the jersey licked her for days. They are in a newish 2.5 acre pen of brush and woods. I'm worried about poisonous plants, even though they have been there several months, because our steer dropped dead earlier this summer. We believe ha had pneumonia, and a buck on the other side of the property died of pneumonia about a week later. Neither of the cows were thin. They get alfalfa hay in the morning, and grain at night. It is so heartbreaking. I'm really scared of something spreading through the animals. Do you happen to have wild cherry trees in your pasture or where the cows can get some of the branches? Any broken limbs of the tree that are wilted? I do know that wild cherry can cause serious problems, and a lot of times, death. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddykate Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 I am so sorry that she didn't make it. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted July 16, 2012 Author Share Posted July 16, 2012 No cherry trees. I think it is too hot for them here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 I don't know why I've never heard of the knackers here--perhaps we're too far from a major town. I don't believe that horses are allowed to be butchered for pet food in the US since the '70's. I don't know if they are used for pet food... some people say they are used for glue... I am in a very remote area, with lots of farms, the knackery is about 200 km away, but they have an add in the paper for dead and suffering stock every week. I think they make teh rounds at least once a week through my area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 so sorry to hear about your cow not making it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted July 16, 2012 Author Share Posted July 16, 2012 Thanks. I'm so sad today. She was very beautiful with lovely confirmation. We do have two daughters from her, but I'm having a lot of anxiety about something happening to all of my cows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniper Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 :crying: I am so sorry. Let me know if I can do anything! If you need a place for the pony while you figure out what is happening, let me know. Thoroughbred is welcome too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnylady303 Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 I'm so sorry. We had a Dexter. They are so sweet. We loved ours dearly. How heartbreaking. Can you afford a vet to come out and test your animals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted July 16, 2012 Author Share Posted July 16, 2012 Test for what exactly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatherwith4 Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Thanks. I'm so sad today. She was very beautiful with lovely confirmation. We do have two daughters from her, but I'm having a lot of anxiety about something happening to all of my cows. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewsDK Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 How sad! We have bottle calves for the first time ever this year and one of them died in the first week. It was quite upsetting. We made it through, and the remaining 3 are doing well. We castrated them today. That was an adventure! :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted July 16, 2012 Author Share Posted July 16, 2012 :crying: I am so sorry. Let me know if I can do anything! If you need a place for the pony while you figure out what is happening, let me know. Thoroughbred is welcome too! Thank you for this offer. I'll pass it on, but I doubt she wants to be separated from any of her animals right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnylady303 Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Test for what exactly? I'd have to get out my cow health books which are in a pod at the moment, but it seems like there are one or two diseases that can cause that kind of sudden death that can be common and contagious in cows. I may be making that up but I will look into it. It sounds like you have more experience than I do though so you probably know all that already. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted July 16, 2012 Author Share Posted July 16, 2012 There are several things they were tested for before we ever bought them. I'd. be interested if you find something that it might be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Ack! This brings back memories when I had to put my horse down last August. The vet came, all went well in terms of dosing. We covered him with a tarp overnight and the rendering truck came the next morning. I HATE the rendering truck. All other horses seem to know that it means something bad and they huddle together in a corner until it's over. Well, when I say I hate them, I mean I hate the part that I was not allowed to dig a hole and bury him but ordinances dictated rendering. I am grateful that someone is doing this very distasteful job but to make it worse for me, I had to drive by the rendering facility on my work to work and there was smoke coming out the chimney...Ack! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Sorry Amy. Give Miss Good a hug! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 I am so sorry. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyontheFarm Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 We had to operate on a cow Saturday night, she's still not eating right. I understand how you feel. We've buried too many animals before their time. It is really sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted July 16, 2012 Author Share Posted July 16, 2012 It has rained all week, and again last night, so no one can get a truck or tractor into the woods to drag her out to the road so that the vet can pick up the body. They would just get stuck. Dh said no to burning her right where she is because the neighbors would not appreciate the smell. Dd doesn't want the body to draw preditors so close to the house where they could be tempted by the goats and chickens, so she has been out there since daybreak digging a hole. When she was trying to move the cow, she saw a snake bite, so I guess one mystery is solved. If she was lying down, and got bitten, and started thrashing around, it would have spooked my cow into jumping the fence. We have plenty of copperheads here, but when the animals get bitten by those, they get better pretty quickly. We have had coral snakes in the pool, and a cotton mouth in the front flower bed. What kind of snake can drop a full grown cow? Oh no, it is starting to storm again. I need to force Miss Good to stop for the night before she gets struck by lightening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 It has rained all week, and again last night, so no one can get a truck or tractor into the woods to drag her out to the road so that the vet can pick up the body. They would just get stuck. Dh said no to burning her right where she is because the neighbors would not appreciate the smell. Dd doesn't want the body to draw preditors so close to the house where they could be tempted by the goats and chickens, so she has been out there since daybreak digging a hole. When she was trying to move the cow, she saw a snake bite, so I guess one mystery is solved. If she was lying down, and got bitten, and started thrashing around, it would have spooked my cow into jumping the fence. We have plenty of copperheads here, but when the animals get bitten by those, they get better pretty quickly. We have had coral snakes in the pool, and a cotton mouth in the front flower bed. What kind of snake can drop a full grown cow? Oh no, it is starting to storm again. I need to force Miss Good to stop for the night before she gets struck by lightening. rattlesnake. So sorry about your loss. I do agree that this is the crummy part of farming. I lost one of my Jerseys this spring and it was heartbreaking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 rattlesnake. Yikes! Sorry again. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Dd doesn't want the body to draw preditors so close to the house where they could be tempted by the goats and chickens, so she has been out there since daybreak digging a hole. I know nothing about cows, but I can tell from your posts that your family loves your animal friends; this part made me cry. I'm sure it's all part of the deal with animals, I'm sorry for the loss, especially for your daughter. She sounds tough, out there digging a hole in rainy weather. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MommyK Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 :( Not the update I had hoped to read. I'm sorry. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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