How long can a cow stay down without danger?

Compression damage to the muscles starts after as little as 6 hours of recumbency. Beyond 24 to 48 hours on the ground without lifting, the prognosis deteriorates sharply. Act fast: immediate veterinary diagnosis and early assisted lifting.

What are the main causes of a cow that cannot get up?

The most frequent causes are milk fever (hypocalcaemia) around calving, post-calving paralysis (sciatic syndrome), acute infections such as septic mastitis, trauma and metabolic deficiencies (phosphorus, magnesium, potassium).

Can you lift a cow with a tractor?

No. Pulling or roughly lifting a cow with a tractor or chains causes additional muscle, nerve and joint damage. Use a progressive, compression-free lifting method such as a pneumatic lifting cushion.

How does the Air-cow lifting cushion work?

The deflated cushion is slid under the downer cow, then inflated with a compressor in about ten minutes. The animal is raised progressively, in a physiological position, without pressure points. It can stay in the device for as long as recovery requires, with only occasional monitoring.

Downer cow: what to do when your cow can't get up

A cow that is down and can no longer get up — the classic « downer cow » — is one of the most frequent emergencies in cattle farming. Every hour counts: the longer the recumbency lasts, the lower the chances of recovery. Here is how to respond, step by step.

Why can't a cow get up anymore?

The most frequent causes are well known to veterinarians:

Milk fever (hypocalcaemia): the leading cause in dairy cows, especially within 48 hours of calving.
Difficult calving: compression of the pelvic nerves as the calf passes through, causing temporary paralysis of the hind limbs (sciatic syndrome).
Acute infections: septic mastitis or metritis with shock, fever and a drop in blood potassium.
Trauma: slipping on concrete floors, splayed hind legs, fractures.
Deficiencies: hypophosphataemia, hypomagnesaemia, hypokalaemia.

The real danger: prolonged recumbency

The paradox of the downer cow syndrome is that the initial cause is often treatable. What kills the animal are the complications of prolonged recumbency. A 700 kg cow lying down crushes her own muscles: blood circulation is compressed, and muscle degeneration (compression myopathy) sets in within just a few hours.

What happens when a cow stays down

From 6 hours: compression damage to the muscles of the weight-bearing side
Pressure sores and wounds at the contact points
Progressive cessation of eating and drinking
Slowing digestion and metabolic deficit
Every failed lifting attempt worsens the injuries

Emergency steps, hour by hour

1. Call your veterinarian immediately

Only a clinical examination can identify the cause: hypocalcaemia is treated with a calcium infusion, an infection with antibiotics. Without a diagnosis, any handling is a gamble.

2. Make the cow comfortable

Place her on deep bedding (straw, sand), in sternal position — never flat on her side. Alternate the resting side every 3 to 4 hours if possible. Give access to water and forage.

3. Never drag the animal with a tractor

Pulling a cow by the legs or lifting her roughly with a badly used hip clamp causes additional injuries — sometimes worse than the original pathology.

4. Lift her gently, as soon as possible

This is where assisted lifting makes the difference. A pneumatic lifting cushion such as Air-cow raises the animal gently in about ten minutes, without any pressure points. The cow can stay in the device for hours or even days while the treatment takes effect — with only occasional monitoring.

What are the chances of recovery?

With rapid care (cause treated + early lifting), the majority of downer cows are back on their feet within 24 to 96 hours. Field testimonials confirm it: cows destined for euthanasia got up after one night or a few days in the Air-cow cushion, once veterinary treatment was administered in good conditions.

The golden rule: do not wait. A cow that has been down for less than 24 hours and is lifted in good conditions has far better chances of recovery than a cow left on the ground for several days.