American Ingenuity

We had to pull a calf from this first calf heifer.  This was almost two weeks ago.  The calf was born dead and the cow has yet to stand up.  she isn't paralyzed but is really weak in her rear end.  Do we keep trying with her or is this a futile effort?  She is eating and drinking good.  She will try to stand with her front end just can't seem to get the back end under her.

In these situations I feel that if they are trying to live then you should try to help. Have you had a vet out recently to look her over. They may be able to tell if something is broke and you are delaying the inevitable. If nothing is broke then she still may come out of it. I had one similar, 2 weeks in the sling and then more days of a hip lift. She came out of it. Was real weak and doesn't walk quit right still but she is able to be in pasture.  Does she ever try to get up on her own? I hot shot to make her try might give her some incentive to get up on her own. Only a couple zaps and if she cant then get the lift and keep trying.

It all depends on if you have the time to do it, but I bet she will get better. We had one a few years ago that was an old cow like 16 yrs old had a big calf. Calf lived and she could not get up. We would help calf nurse her laying down and supplement calf. We would try to get her up once a day like you are in a sling kinda thing. We asked neighbors etc and they would say they would do a week or two and if nothing they would put them down. We went on like this for a month and I had resigned that I was going to have to put her down on the weekend when I had time. That Saturday morning she just got up. It was amazing! especially because she was such an old cow. During that month she would try to get up just like yours is and it looks pretty bad when they do that but I think it is good for them. If you have the time to keep doing what you are I would keep it up.

NEVER GIVE UP

I babied a cow for 3 weeks and had her get up.  I'v also quartered one in the pasture because she wouldn't.  My grandpa told me he paid several grand for Full French Charolais heifer in the late 60s that got down like that.  He brought her food and water for over...wait for it...40 days!!! and she eventually got up.  Give her a good bedding as if it takes her awhile, she will get 'bed sores' and flystrike is possible.  Frostback gave you good advice.  If the cow is still trying (and as long as you keep her fed and watered I feel she will) I'd keep trying.

I am a chiropractor.....  I use a mallet and a two by two to adjust them ams have had good success.  We use a hip harness to get them up as well, but our success has improved since I went to chiro school.  If you go to one, and he or she is a country boy at heart they may be able to help you out......  Sacrum and either a L3,4,5.  And then I usually give the atlas a tap as well......

Finally at day 20 the heifer is able to get up and stand on her own.  She's still wobbly but up!!

Thats great, good work!

Woo Hoo. Great to hear. I was moving cows yesterday and thinking about this post. Thanks for the update.

Very good idea with sack ,some DEX or Banimine might help also ..