Post by kansasdexters on Jun 15, 2011 13:42:58 GMT -5
We nearly had a disaster this morning. If there was ever a reason given for checking on stock every morning and evening, I've got one now. I went out to check the East pasture cow/calf pairs (13 pairs) this morning. I normally do a quick check, count heads, check the water tank, check the mineral feeder -- but today it was a cool morning, so I mingled amongst the herd for awhile. As I was getting ready to leave, I heard a thrashing sound close by in a small wooded area of the pasture. I went to check and found Lucy with her rear foot caught in the long "Y" of a low hanging branch -- it was wedged in tight and the branch was too stout to break. She was starting to panic, but she calmed down immediately when I told her to Whoa. I put my hands on her rear hoof and started tugging it towards the open end of the "Y". Lucy resisted at first, but I think she understood my intentions after a moment and so she relaxed. I tugged again and again, gradually working her foot free from the wedge. She pulled it out the rest of the way and limped a bit before she regained her footing properly. It was sore, I could tell by the way she held it, but the skin wasn't broken. I rubbed on her leg to check for swelling, and she stood perfectly still. Then she walked a few more steps and seemed to get the feeling back into her foot. That was a close call.
All I could think about as I walked home was that if I hadn't been there to free her from that branch, she would have either struggled until she broke her leg or she would have become dehydrated (today's temps are in the 90's) from being trapped there. I've got some pruning to do today!
Patti
All I could think about as I walked home was that if I hadn't been there to free her from that branch, she would have either struggled until she broke her leg or she would have become dehydrated (today's temps are in the 90's) from being trapped there. I've got some pruning to do today!
Patti
