This Way To My Blog

This Way To My Blog

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Cow Down

When you are a rancher don't make concrete plans because they can change in a flash. The renters from the farm house came by to pay the rent then we left for a while. When we came home the answering machine was practially doing a dance with flashing light. It was the girl part of the renter couple's voice. She said there is a cow down in the pasture and she can't get up. Her leg is bleeding and we think she tripped over a post. I called her back to tell her we're on our way. No time to put on work clothes and work boots. When we got there it is a different cow then John thought it might be. A younger cow with good teeth and has a calf on the ground. She looked pretty bad her head in the mud where the renters had tried to give her water. The young couple was sitting on a pole near by watching her. Renter guy admitted he doesn't know anything about cows but did anything John told him to do including twisting the cows tail. John doesn't like to flip a cow over but felt he had no choice with not much to work with. They was able to twist her over and our of the mud and get her laying on her legs the way you see cows in the pasture because she was completely down on her side with her head down on the ground and her neck stretched out. Her stomach was bloated. When they got her laying down the way a cow normally lays she started belching and then her stomach went down and she started looking better in her eyes. John had renter girl to go get a large beer bottle (renter guy always has plenty of those) and put some water and sugar in it. He held her head up and forced the sugar water down her throat. He hopes getting her up off her side and propping a log against her to keep her from laying back down on her side and the sugar water to give her energy saved her life. He and his daughter had already planned to put our hay tomorrow so they will try to get her up or lift her onto something to carry her with the tractor to the pens so she won't be hurt by the other cattle. There they can make sure she gets plenty of feed and water without the other cows bothering her. John's first thought was that the renter's large dogs had got out and chased the cows but they say the dogs were in the yard. He will never know for sure what happened but maybe she will be okay.

13 comments:

jack69 said...

A very good story you made out of this. It is hard to believe but I have a man (in my next book) in Colorado on a ranch. I needed a good ranch incident, if you don't mind I would like to use it. I have him repairing fence now, but that is pretty mundane. I needed something real. This sounds great, you had me on edge. I do hope it all works for the cow.
Yeah about the dogs, you will probably never know.
Jack

Janie said...

I had to laugh over the renter always having a large beer bottle. lol Wow! Wonder what really happened... to bad the cow can't talk. Our dogs do not chase cattle or horses! Lakota likes to run the fence with Speedy Moon. They race and Speedy Moon loves it too. I told Gary that was not good if Speedy Moon ever got out because Lakota would want to run with him. lol Lakota doesn't pay any attention to the other ones. Hope the cow does alright. I hate to see any animal sick or down. :( Janie

Lisa said...

I sent another invite to you to my blog so maybe it will work or be easier for you to access my blog... don't know if it is giving you problems or not... hope it works... have a great day!! LOL the large beer bottle renter.... oh and hope the cow is going to be okay.... keep us posted!
Lisa

Donna. W said...

Cows surely do bloat when they're laying flat-out like that. I hope she does OK.

garnett109 said...

Hopefully she'll make it.
There sure is alot of work to do with those cows.

Helen said...

I hope the cow will be ok. Keep us posted on her condition. Helen

Kath said...

Dogs can be a manace to cows aula but like you say you will neverknow what realy happened.I hope the cow feels much better soon and Johns idea with the sugar works for poor cow..Beer bottles at the ready Heeeeeeeee!!!!Never a dull moment on your ranch lol!!Take Care God Bless Kath xx

Alice said...

Hi Paula. That was a hard one for me to read. Hate to think of anything or anyone being in pain. Hope he got the necessary things done in time so she will be ok. John does know his ranching! :)......

Unknown said...

Hi Paula,

I sure hope your cow is alright. I am glad the renters called you, maybe if there dog caused the poor cow to fall they will really know better now not to let it out of the yard. Keep us updated, I pray for a speedy recovery for her.

Rose said...

wow never a dull moment with cows and renters!! :)

Kay said...

Poor girl. I sure hope she is better now. Cows have such pretty faces with those great big eyes of theirs.

Joyce said...

You do know how to tell a story Paula. I sure hope the cow is OK. You lead quite a life and sure know how to report it in an interesting way.
Hugs, Joyce

Lori said...

Hopefully it wasn't the dogs chasing her. I'm glad John knew what to do and I hope she's okay now. I learn new things from you all the time!