Scary event at the vet apt.

So, we took our heifers and bull calves in to get Brucellosis and castrated and a few ultrasounds for pregnancy testing. Our best heifer calf, the one we were asked to consign to the Royal Simmental sale, came out of the chute scrambling like she broke a front leg. She was on a halter, so my daughter got her to stop walking (really falling) and she went to her knees. It was very scary, because at first it looked like she broke her front pastern, but both legs seemed unstable. I was in panic and shock mode, when our vet very calmly said to tie her head up and give her a minute. He had seen this many times, but basically she pressed so hard on the head gate while we were giving her shots that she pinched her nerve. After 4 or 5 minutes, she acted like nothing had happened! I was glad our vet kept his cool, because I was about to go nuts! 
Amazing the things you see when you least expect it! Anyone else ever have this happen?

Depending on how the head gate is made, it's very possible for cattle to choke themselves down in the chute and even to suffocate before you get them out if you're not paying attention. I've never actually seen one die that way, but I've seen em go down and stagger out when they're turned out. Chutes & head gates are designed differently, and some are safer than others. If the bars that catch the head come closer together at the bottom rather than go straight down from the ears, then the choking happens when a cow or calf goes down on his knees or just drops down. It just cuts off their air.

I don't know if that's what happened to your heifer, but it can happen. I'm sure there are other freak accidents that probably happen. The key is to pay attention and not take them for granted. Never walk off & leave one standing with her head caught! You see how quick something can go wrong if you guys hadn't been right there to make sure she didn't get seriously hurt.

last fall consigned a Walks Alone x pb Simmi steer to a sale; had to take him in to get a TB test
done; vet injected the TB under the tail and opened the headgate....
when the calf came out, he wouldn't step on his back leg.
turned out the vet had not let off enough squeeze on the chute and stifled the steer.
he was huge butted and i think the vet just didn't realize how wide open the chute needed to be
to let the calf freely walk out.
it was very frustrating.  he will never recover from the injury.  he will be freezer beef but he was
set back so much he will be around a full year before he is finished out and we can make freezer
beef of him.
vet had liability insurance and so we were paid a fair club calf price for him but it was sad and
upsetting none the less.

It also can just shut off the blood supply to their brain. They push or lean on their neck so hard that it shuts off the carotid arteries.  Watch the head and eyes, if they start to twitch or shake, that's a good indication they need out.  Leanbeef is right on, some chutes and headgates can be safer than others, but it can happen in any.