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Posted: Mon May 02, 2005 9:22 pm
by Ted Neal
Just a cautionary note.
One of my cows calved on Saturday (April 30) (of course a bull calf !!!). On Sunday she came down with staggers. Luckily the time of my checking coincided with her starting to go off her feet. A call to the vet and a magnesium/ calcium and a magnesium sulphate drip got her sorted. This is the first time I have had this problem. The cows have had unlimited access to a high mag salt lick and a high mag feed block for at least two months. I will be using a slow release bolus in future.
Posted: Tue May 03, 2005 12:37 pm
by Saffy
Hi Ted,
I am probably wrong but it sounds more like calcium deficiency as close to calving as that, isn't staggers, (magnesium deficiency,) more like 6 weeks after calving when milking heavily?
Duncan?
Stephanie
Posted: Tue May 03, 2005 9:28 pm
by Duncan MacIntyre
I certainly would be looking for Milk fever rather than staggers for the few days around calving, but staggers then is not impossible. Although in milk fever there is a very severe hypocalcaemia whereas staggers is hypomagnesaemia, the two can occur in combination at times, and underlying low magnesium levels are often involved in herds where there is a high incidence of milk fever, particulary if it starts to affect younger cows as well as the old ones.
If anyone is ever in any doubt over whether a cow has staggers or milk fever, I would advise giving the blue top Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Dextrose bottle, though I think it is no longer licenced for cattle and theoretically should only be given to sheep. I find it gives by far the best results, in a Dexter, which I have never treated for either staggers or milk fever, I would expect one bottle to be sufficient, though in bigger cows I frequently give two.
In the panic of finding your cow colapsed it can be difficult to concentrate on the details of the signs, but generally in a milk fever you will see the muzzle very dry, hind legs tend to be very straight, dung if any very very hard, whereas staggers cases often put out very soft dung.
Staggers rarely happens within the first few days after calving, and in quite a number of cases is associated with other stress such as coming in season.
Duncan
Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 10:33 am
by Jo Kemp
I have had one older cow down within hours of calving (2002) and she responded well to Duncan's treatment. Another wee tip, the neck of the downer cow is usually in an 'S' shape. Normally a cow lies down with its neck curved gently towards its feet (as opposed to its back) and the downer cows neck curves initially correctly but the head turns the other way.
Not a good description but best I can do! Since then the cow has had 2 calves, is expecting her 3rd and is 14 years old.
I have heard that if you supply high mag at all times, the body gets lazy and 'forgets' to call on it when necessary. Anyway, I take away the High Mag lick when drying off the cow returning it about a week or so before the due date.
When the male calves are running with their mothers, you have to watch the high mag/cal lick as it can cause probs with the kidneys - the animal is healthy but the kidney will be condemned at slaughter.... happened to 2 of ours. I give a cattle booster lick after a few months if the calves are male.
Mind you, it may not be good for the heifers either??
I used boluses only once when I was going to be away after calving.
I don't think you have a lot of time if it is staggers - the only real warning is a sort of nervousness I believe ... Isn't it all frightening!
Jo
Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 10:28 pm
by Mark Bowles
We had one of our show cows go down with staggers last Nov/Dec.I was on the phone to the vet as she collapsed at my feet.The vet came and gave her a bottle of magnesium under the skin, the risk of heart attack is very high and i think the only reason she avoided it was the fact that she was so calm and quiet due to being shown.Anyway after giving magnesium for 3 moe days she recovered and with a lot of care she was able to calve in March and be shown at Leicester show this last weekend where she duly won Reserve Champion (Cow in Milk), needless to say we were very proud.
Licks were available all winter but now Hi mags all round in spring and autumn.
Mark