The Modern Amish

Ever had one of those days when you aren’t sure if your heifer is feeling up to snuff?  Haven’t we all?  Well today’s farming tip is for you then.  The Texas County (Mo) Soil and Water Conservation District website gives us these tips on how to determine Is She Sick?

• First of all think of how the animal would look in a natural setting if she was feeling normal.  Is she alert and aware of you, the dog, the cat, the kids, etc.  Those are the things that in the wild she would be checking to see if they were a predator or not. 
• Second, look at the head as it tells us a lot,  Are the eyes bright and sharp? Are the ears up and forward?  Is she holding her head normal or letting it droop like she is tired and weary telling you that she doesn’t feel good.
• Appetite, is she eating right or at all.  Sick animal do not eat food.  They want to empty their digestive tracts and get rid of what they feel is making them sick.  Is she chewing her cud? This is a sign that her rumen is working.  Are the bowels loose or watery?  That can be a sure sign of fever or dehydration.
• Feel the mouth area.  Is it hot, dry, etc.  Fever is a symptom that something is not right.  A sick animal’s mouth feels hot.  Like the kids, does she have a runny nose?  A bad cold to an animal can soon develop into pneumonia.
• What about water?  Is she drinking or refusing to drink.  Watching your cattle from day to day when they are healthy will give you a good judgment base to tell when they are getting sick.  Your challenge as a livestock caretaker is to be able to tell from your animal’s behavior  when something is wrong.
• You know you are getting good when you can look at your cow and tell she is getting sick 24 hours before she knows it.

I grew up in a rural area, and still live in one.  I spent many many hours on my grandfathers farms.  But there are many reasons why I never felt the urge to farm.  Having to feel a cows mouth & examine it’s bowels are but two of them.  And what exactly constitutes a normal setting for a cow?  I always thought the barnyard is a cow’s normal setting.  At least I’ve never seen a wild cow. 

Follow this advice & you’ll soon be able to read Bossy like the Almanac.  Happy farming?