Deliver oral electrolytes for cows with ease

When cows need rehydration therapy at Aurora Dairy in Longmont, Colo., Jorge Fulleda uses a 55-gallon plastic barrel with a hose and shut-off to administer electrolytes.

The barrel rests in a frame built out of 1.25-inch pipe and is mounted to a pickup truck so he can easily transport it to any pen on the dairy. Since the barrel is above the cow, gravity instead of a hand-pump, delivers the electrolytes to the cow by simply turning on a faucet. And this gravity-flow system makes administering electrolytes to cows a one-person job.

When cows have been diagnosed with a problem that needs rehydration therapy, such as toxic mastitis, pneumonia, or dehydration due to a fever, the employees consult the written health protocols to determine how much electrolyte to deliver. Gallon markings on the side of the barrel tell the employee how much each animal receives.

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