Dexter Cattle For Sale Discussion Board

hello everyone, just a note to say friday 10am heifer laid out about 8months in calf, cris at work so rugged it up, got 2 men to turn her round,but still laid out,injected with calcium and magnesium every two hours, has the vet had told cris this last time it happened,but he said in the vein,well i was so cold my hands wouldnt work. it was bitter, minus 2 and snowing.but kept going and checking rug 6pm dragged her in trailer, still laid out eating hay within 20mins she got up, i would never believe it, today sore eye but fine and locked in, they have been staying out odd nights, typical one of my short red favourites jean jordeth

We just had a 10 month old calf, inside, go down with staggers badly. She'd have been dead within hours looking at her. Our vet just gave half a bottle of mag subcut/under the skin. He wouldn't do it intravenously because he said it was likely to kill her. She came round within a couple of hours. Never had it before in a calf. Lost one cow to staggers this year for the first time (outside) and nearly another as well.

To save the cow out in the field, he did mix mag and calcium (don't know the ratio) and gave that intravenously. The vet that dealt with the one that didn't make it wouldn't do mag into the vein, and she eventually had to be put down as appeared to have brain damage. Not saying that was the reason as she was a bit further gone anyhow.

I'm sure duncan will reply to this one, but I have heard of several cows dieing as a result of Cal/mag going straight into the vein, It appears to put the animal into shock and they just die. I would never
risk doing this unless it was do or die situation.


Just as a matter of interest all my dexters are going through minerals this year like they are out of fashion, normally i use a couple of bags through the winter, but at the moment we are going through a bag approx every 3 - 4 weeks and this is shared among approx 35 animals as the steers don't seem to be bothered but they are getting some concentrates as our silage is not up to speed this year and I don't want the steers to lose any condition over the winter.

Injection of Magnesium Sulphate intravenously is a very dangerous thing as it has a profound effect on the heart - it can actually be used to kill a cow but it is not a very humane way to do it. Anyone injecting magnesium into the vein must do so very very slowly - so slowly really that it might as well be given subcutaneously.

Calcium borogluconate can be given much more safely, and in fact 40% solution is better given into the vein and 20% solution given under the skin, because contrary to what might be thought the more dilute solution is taken into the circulation quicker from the subcutaneous tissue. Intravenous calcium does affect the heart and I well remember my old boss here making me listen with a stethoscope to the heart as he gave a milk fever cow intravenous calcium.

Mixtures of Calcium and Magnesium salts can be used either subcutaneously or intravenously because they contain a much lower concentration of magnesium.

It seems odd, unusual but not impossible that a heifer would have milk fever.

Clive's calf on the other hand would most likely be a straightforward low magnesium staggers, it can be quite dramatic in calves, fortunately not seen too often.

This last year I have steadfastly stuck to my policy of grass feeding only and not used mineral suppliments at all. I have one or two cows not doing as well as they should and blood sampled them last week. Both had normal trace elements, normal calcium, and magnesium just on border of low. The outside ones seem to be coping well with the winter so far, only began feeding at New Year. The main group of 25 cows, heifers and calves can be seen on my facebook page today getting stuck into their bales - four small round bales between them once a day. Look on Burnside Dexter Cattle on facebook.

Duncan

just a note,the little heifer is doing fine jean jordeth

I'm pleased that I'm not the only one using more mineral than usual. According to the label, one bucket of forage booster should last 20 cattle for 10 days. 10 Dexters polished it off in a week - then somehow threw the empty bucket out of the pen to make sure I got the message that they wanted more.

davidw wrote:then somehow threw the empty bucket out of the pen to make sure I got the message that they wanted more.

I use Brinicombe cocci buckets for my sheep. They last a long time, but not this year, costing me a fortune.