We’ve all had days when we’re just not feeling our normal selves. You’re not really sick, but you’re not really healthy either. Often, we wait for our symptoms to worsen before taking action. However, this typically leads to a longer recovery period. According to the University of Wisconsin-Madison dairy extension team, dairy cattle can also experience a drawn-out recovery when symptoms are missed.
How to tell if a cow is sick
While dairy cattle can’t verbally tell us when they’re not feeling their best, they can give us physical cues. Fresh cows are often the animals with the highest risk of experiencing an illness or metabolic disorder. These illnesses can play a negative role in the cow’s future, either through the economics of milk production or animal well-being.
According to the dairy extension team, managers should be well trained to identify symptoms of a sick cow early on.
“Knowing what is normal is key to being able to identify and assess what is not,” the team says. “Abnormalities and small changes are more easily caught with a consistent pattern, versus a random order of examination points.”
Knowing what symptoms to look for can help managers make better decisions when it comes to treating sick animals. The University of Wisconsin-Madison dairy extension team provides the following tips.
Do cows get depressed?
Yes. Recognizing cow depression is a vital skill for herd managers. While healthy animals are alert, responsive, and aware of their surroundings, a depressed cow will react slowly to stimuli and appear unresponsive.
- Holding the head down with droopy ears.
- Dull eyes.
- Lack of grooming, particularly around the nose.
Physical Examinations
Eyes
Eyes should be clear, bright, and alert. Normally, the eye should be right up against the bottom eyelid.
Sunken eyes are a potential indication of:
- Dehydration: Sunken eyes suggest dehydration. A slight recession indicates mild dehydration, while eyes severely sunken into the orbit indicate severe dehydration.
- Disease: Redness or discharge can be a symptom of respiratory disease.
Ears
A cow’s ears are somewhat like a barometer for many reasons. Ears should be moving and showing curiosity. Observe the carriage of the ears and feel them. Sick animals have droopy ears. This could indicate that she is depressed, in pain, or has a fever.
Temperature checks: When the ears are warm, the cow is usually feeling well, when hot there might be a fever, when cold, she is not feeling well or may have an incidence of milk fever, low blood calcium levels, or at least poor circulation to the extremities.
Nose
Inspect the nose for foul odors or discharge.
- Discharge Color: Watch for white nasal discharge in cattle, as well as green, yellow, or bloody discharge; these are potential signs of pneumonia or acidosis.
- Cleanliness: Sick cows often fail to clean their noses, leaving feed particles and discharge sticking to the muzzle.
- Dryness and Smell: Dry nostrils can indicate a fever, while a sweet, acetone smell on the breath is a hallmark sign of ketosis.
Mouth
Monitor the cow’s intake habits closely. A cow not eating or a cow not chewing cud should be flagged immediately for a closer examination. Additionally, verify breathing patterns; cows should breathe through their mouths only during extreme heat to cool off.
Manure consistency
Observe the manure for its consistency, appearance, and odor. Check the ground directly behind the cow, her vulva, and her tail for abnormal manure. If the manure is too loose to form a pile, appears almost black, or is foul-smelling, this may indicate the presence of disease or a rumen that is not working well.
Vulva discharge
Observe for any discharge from the vulva. It is normal to find vaginal discharge up to 2 weeks after calving. However, dark red and foul-smelling vaginal discharge is not normal and is symptomatic of uterine infection or retained placenta. Any visible placenta after 12 hours is considered a “retained placenta” and should be promptly addressed.
Udder and Milk Production
Observe and palpate the cow’s udder for abnormalities such as swelling or asymmetry, which is an indication of mastitis. Excessive udder swelling strongly suggests the need for revision of the dry cow feed program and perhaps cows are not getting enough exercise. Udder fill and milk yield are also an indication of how well the cow has been eating. An udder that is not full is typically a sign of a metabolic issue or illness. Excessive or lingering edema should also be recorded.
A drop in milk production between given days is an indication the cow may be off-feed and dealing with an infectious disease or a metabolic disorder. Compare the day-to-day milk production of the cow, as well as compare her production to her pen mates. Fresh cows should increase milk production by 0.5 to 1 pound per day after calving.
Heart rate
A normal heart rate is 60 to 70 beats per minute and a respiration rate is 30 breaths per minute. Higher heart or respiratory rates can be an indication of heat stress, fever, or pneumonia.
Rumen fill
Observe the side of the cow for rumen fill and observe whether the cows are spending time ruminating. If the cow appears not to have enough rumen fill, she has not consumed enough feed and may be experiencing an illness. An example of rumen fill is observing an upside-down triangle right before the hip. An empty rumen will be sunken (depressed). A cow with a distended rumen will typically appear on the left side of the animal.
Rumination
Farms with rumination collars should monitor rumination minutes. Fresh cows should have a minimum of 450 rumination minutes per day at 5 to 7 days post-calving.
Knowing the signs of when a cow might be feeling off can help prevent their illness from worsening. Be sure to keep a keen eye on your recently fresh cows and treat them when necessary.
