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How to treat and diagnose a dairy farm's downer cows

A downer cow's best chance of rejoining the herd lies in having a strict protocol for rapid diagnosis and treatment

clock • 4 min read
Downer cows can suffer injuries sustained as a result of bullying if space is not adequate or if floor surfaces are unsuitable.
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Downer cows can suffer injuries sustained as a result of bullying if space is not adequate or if floor surfaces are unsuitable.

Pinpointing the reasons for a cow being unable to rise can be problematic, says Sally Wilson, of Evolution Farm Vets, Somerset. However, she says downer cows can be divided into primary and secondary...

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