What is a Down Cow? (And What's Actually Causing It?)

By Dr Joe McGrath, Ruminant Nutritionist.

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A down cow is caused by a lack of calcium in the blood. That's the most straightforward way to put it. It's what we call milk fever, or hypocalcaemia, and it's the most common reason a cow goes down around calving.  

But not every down cow is a calcium cow. Dr Joe McGrath explains: "A down cow is caused by a lack of calcium in the blood. It may also be caused by a lack of phosphorus or magnesium." Those three minerals are connected, and a deficiency in one often affects the others.

Cows that go down due to phosphorus deficiency are sometimes confused with a calcium down cow (sometimes spotted as a ‘sad cow’), however a phosphorus down cow often presents as alert & responsive, but unable to get up, and will often crawl – commonly known as crawler cows. Then there are the magnesium cows, which Joe describes as "jittery or crazy cows." These can be difficult to handle and escalate quickly, particularly when pasture is high in potassium, which blocks magnesium absorption.

These down cow problems are commonly associated with calving, however they can happen at any time of the year if the deficiencies are severe enough., and understanding which mineral is behind a down cow matters. The cause shapes the response, and more importantly, it shapes the programme you put in place to stop it happening again.

LactiSol™ is formulated to support the balance of vitamins & minerals in milking cows throughout lactation. When cows are supported consistently at the level they need, the likelihood of metabolic issues at calving decreases significantly.

Healthy cows aren't a coincidence. They're the result of meeting the cow's full nutritional needs consistently. That's the Sollus standard.