| What you need to know about
downer cows:
Regulation
Update 1/2/04 about Downer Cows
Downer
cows will no longer be accepted for slaughter.
As of 1/2/2004, this includes downer cows that go down for any
reason. They may not go for human consumption (or even pet
food consumption
until further notice).
About the information on
this site:
These
educational materials were developed before the USDA’s
ban on sending downer (non-ambulatory) cows to slaughter. There
is some mention of downer cows going to slaughter on this site,
which was approved in many western states before the USDA ban on
January 2, 2004.
Answers
to your questions
What do I
do if I have a downer cow on my farm?
- Identify
the possible cause or reason why she went down. Work with your
veterinarian to develop a diagnosis. One good source
of information on the possible causes of downer cows is the Merck Manual.
- Work
with your veterinarian to develop a treatment plan and chances
for recovery.
- Humanely
move the cow, if necessary to move her. Some useful information
is at AnimalAgriculture.org
- If her chances of recovery are poor, humanely
euthanize the
cow. Practical guidelines for humane euthanasia can be found
at:
University
of Florida (also available in Spanish)
UC VMTRC On Farm Livestock Euthanasia (video) and Euthanasia Action Plan (form)
- Dispose
of the carcass in an environmentally sound manner.
Please check your local regulations on handling carcasses.
Carcass
Disposal Information (pdf)
To
return to the course, select About the Course in the left column. |
