Let Sleeping Cows Lie!

A few of you have noted that you have had difficulty in raising your cows when you have encountered them resting. It is certainly important to know that our cows have no limb injuries and can walk normally. At the same time, attempting to get a group of cows onto their feet can be dangerous, especially if you come between individuals in the herd. It can also be stressful to the cows.

So, I would suggest that if a group of cows are found lying down resting and they are all chewing the cud, bright-eyed, breathing normally, with no discharge from either end, they can safely be left and there is no need to try and get them to their feet.

In fact, if you do force a group of cows to their feet, they may even give false indications of injury as they may exhibit stiffness and pins-and-needles and appear lame. Within a few, minutes, just like us, they will have walked it off.

So when should you report a cow lying down? When should you try and get a cow to its feet? Well, the place and position a cow is lying in is important. A cow lying in a ditch, on its own, is a very different situation from one amongst a group simply having a rest in the shade. I would suggest that any cow lying on its own, some way off from the rest of its herd, is worth a closer look. In this situation, when approached a healthy cow will quickly stand and rejoin the herd. If it does not, do not ‘make’ it get to its feet; if it is injured, you are likely to stress it out, which may cause it to injure itself further.

Instead, any cow in this situation should be reported to us. We can then monitor it and, if necessary, inform the grazier. A cow which has not risen for a day or more obviously becomes more of a worry. However, cows are notoriously stubborn. I seem to remember a James Herriott story about a cow which had lain prone in its byre for two days. It was about to be shot with a suspected broken pelvis when it rose languidly to its feet, none the worse for wear!
So I hope that helps to clear things up about when to help and when to let sleeping cows lie!

Oliver