Which oral meds would you use to subdue a bonkers heifer?

RE: Which oral meds would you use to subdue a bonkers heifer?

Virginia Campbell — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 20:12:34 GMT

Thanks everyone for suggestions. I've requested to join The Vet Truck just to see how things are done over there. I did consider choral hydrate Michael, it worked a treat to roll cows upside down to reposition LDAs back when I was a new grad, but dunno how to get hold of it and it's quite bitter tasting (I remember swinging off a cow's head round and round a calving pen tryng to drench her with it then tasted a little bit to see and thought no wonder she's fighting me, it's rank).

In the end things were pleasantly anticlimatic. Neighbour came when Tom and I were both at work, judged that she was sufficiently tamed by the twice daily feeding to follow the others down the lane, across the yard and up to the collecting yards and load up, which she did with the help of dairy farming neighbour on the other side. Job done, nobody hurt, no dope involved.

RE: Oral meds to subdue a bonkers heifer

Michael Woodhouse — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 21:47:12 GMT

In the olden days chloral hydrate would have worked, but not sure you can get it anymore and whether you could ever eat the animal. Remembering the cascade and that everything has to have an MRL for you to use it.

If there was a safe way of adding the other animals to the escapee for a few days and then relocate them together? Otherwise, shoot bleed and full freezer.

Don't get hurt

RE: Oral meds to subdue a bonkers heifer

David Shepherd — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 18:11:21 GMT

Or give Mike Allison a ring https://www.premierwildlife.co.uk/ he will arrange someone to come and dart it for you

RE: Oral meds to subdue a bonkers heifer

Lucy Fleming — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 15:24:42 GMT

I'd tend to agree with David that chemical restraint is likely to be unpredictable and unsuccessful in a ruminant, though happy to be corrected by anyone with more up to date cow knowledge than me. Could you get someone out to dart it with something injectable?

If you use facebook at all, there is a group on there called The Vet Truck - Forum for Bovine Veterinary Professionals which is primarily US populated - they seem to deal with mad wild cattle and poor handling facilities even more often than UK vets, and seem relatively unburdened by regulation, you might get some off the wall tips from there.

RE: Oral meds to subdue a bonkers heifer

David Shepherd — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 14:03:48 GMT

Is this a Limousin by any chance?!

What do you intend to do with it once sedated?? I think any oral meds will be very unpredictable and even if sedated would be likely to wake up if disturbed. If you completely flatten it then how will you move it - front bucket on loader or tractor? If it’s as bonkers as you say it will inevitably continue to be bonkers when it wakes up. Then you have the dilemma of withdrawal period for unlicensed medicines - potentially never to be eaten??

Honestly I think lead injection and in the freezer might be best before it hurts someone.
Make sure you stay safe! Good luck

David