MAGNESIUM...yes it is THAT time of year again!

[Saffy]

I haven't had a case with my Dexters BUT they all eat the suckler rolls which have a very high Mag content, which is why I feed them....however I have with my sheep!

This morning there was one flat out and pedalling, as I couldn't see what else it could possibly be I gave her some Mag, I couldn't remember the sheep dose so I hadn't given her enough, she seemed a bit better but still couldn't get up, so I topped her up.

She is now grazing with the others, it took 3 hours from first injection and 2 hours from 2nd. I'm now feeling bad as she looked a bit "odd" on Friday, just slightly off but nothing I could put my finger on, same yesterday - I expect if it was a cow I would have realised but at least I saved her...only just....

[Louisa Gidney]

Autumn staggers seem to be a problem locally at the moment. I've just lost an 8 year old cow and now deciding what to do with her 3 month old heifer calf. Local farmer who moved her to the gate for the knacker to collect has also lost one recently and Knacker's yard said they're getting a lot in.
Like Saffy, I thought my cow looked a bit peaky somehow but nothing specific. She was eating and feeding calf in the morning. Laid dead when I went to do evening round.
Current plan for the calf is to leave her with 2 cows with calves of similar age, in hopes she can cadge a feed.

[Saffy]

OH...Louisa, I am SO very sorry. I lost a cow with a calf that age many years ago and he lived off just grass and a bit of coarse ration. He did really well on it and is on AI to this day! So if she doesn't snatch some milk try that.

Stephanie

[moomin]

I had a cow go down with mag deficiency last week, down blown and struggling to breathe, nearly dead. She had a week old calf and was being fed beef nuts. Also had a lick. Fortunately got to her before she died and stuck a "red devil" in her to relieve the bloat. Then gave her a bottle of mag subcutaneously and also calcium just in case Ca deficiency. Sat with her all day and texted vet in case I had misdiagnosed as she was still down after 6 hours but breathing OK. As I pressed button to send text cow rolled onto brisket! Told vet she worked miracles from afar! Took cow a further 3 hours to stand and very wobbly for a couple of days.Removed "red devil" after five days and cow doing well now.
I have a box with a "red devil", scalpel blade [needed to cut through hide before sticking], calcium, magnesium and PMD, syringes and needles; ready for a pick up and run. so glad I had it.
Suggest anybody keeping cattle gets an emergency bag, you can then deal with problems yourself quickly instead of waiting for vet and watching animal die. If you are not sure what to do then ask your vet to teach you. Also have a calving bag ready.
[Don't know what the proper name is for the red devil, brilliant piece of equipment, but I am sure Duncan would know?]

[Saffy]

Hello Di, Do you mean a trocar and cannula? Please excuse if spelled wrongly.... So far with my dexters I have managed by drenching them with cooking oil, not that they seem to like that any better!!! But have had to stick a trocar in a dairy cow a long time ago.

Stephanie

[moomin]

It's an updated version that screws in and you can leave it in for a few days. I will try and take a photo for you. There is another excellent drench on the market called Birp and it does just that. I keep that in my emergency pack as well. much better than cooking oil which I used to use. My Daisy was much too far gone to drench.

[Louisa Gidney]

I've bought some hi-mag lick buckets that are supposedly suitable for cattle and sheep. However, I've just noticed the small print says "do not feed to male lambs". Anyone any suggestion why not?

[moomin]

Hi Saffy, google red devil trochar and you will see picture. I have one with metal trochar not plastic.

[Saffy]

Louisa I think males can get a bladder problem, stones/crystals I think from it?