[Ladygrey]

Hi there 

I milk and work with a herd of 130 friesian cows, we had a cow with an abcess the size of a tennis ball on her spine.
The vet lanced it and was doing fine until the magpies found it!
They pecked it very deep and it started to look shocking! looked like we had butchered the poor cow, so we cut a plastic barrel and placed it over her spine and tied it in place. Every day replacing the nappies underneath to keep it dry and get rid of the sweat.
It has healed lovely but now needs opening up to dry it so last night we opened it up and the magpies must have found it because this morning there was blood everywhere!! magpies opened it up again poor cow.

So I am thinking of buying a horse fly rug, hopefully this would allow the air to get to it but prevent her from licking the wound and the magpies from eating it.

Does anyone have any idea what size rug she would be?
im trying to look on ebay for something as cheap as possible as it would probly get ruined with the cow lying down and standing up in the cubicles all day.

thanks, Jess

[Nickie]

Sorry to hear that you are having problems. Poor cow!


Horse rugs are measured by length, measuring from the wither (where the shoulder meets the neck) along their flank & bum to the middle of the top of their tail.


Without this measurement it would be difficult to guess, maybe somewhere around the 5'9" to 6'3" mark??


Also, each make fits differently, like buying womens jeans. Some are better for narrow chests, deep chests etc. It's a minefield fitting them for horses so I don't envy you fitting one for a cow!


If it were me I'd be tempted to ring a retailer/manufacturer & ask advice. I have always found Buccas (Irish company) to be extremely helpful. They make fantastic fly rugs, although a little on the pricey side. But once you have picked their brains you could always look on ebay for something second hand.


If you are local to me you would be welcome to try some of my horse rugs for size.

[lachlanandmarcus]

I would think pretty big  - bigger than Nickie - just cos of the bony bits! Maybe  6 foot 9 or even 7 foot (thats what my big hunter takes in rugs). Thing is, if its a bit big you can always take a tuck in the fabric whereas if its too small it will be no good.
maybe this one?  nice and cheap-ish and specifies for lightweight (but long) horse so might work - tho Im not a Friesian expert - maybe measure the cow !!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/new-Shires-maxi-flow-fly-sheet-rug-cream-84-7ft-light-weight-horse-/251167242929?pt=UK_Horse_Wear_Equipment&hash=item3a7abbfab1

[Cheviot]

Hi,
we once tried a horse rug on a cow that had done the splits in the cubicles, and had to be put outside on grass, in the middle of winter, the rug lasted 24 hours, as cows get up back end first, it stood on the front of the rug as it was getting up, and totally ripped the front of it apart. We found that an old wool sheet, with a hole cut in for it's head, so that it was high enough up on the front end so she couldn't kneel on it, and then put on an elasticated circingle ( it's a length of elasticated stuff with a clip on it, that goes right around the animal ), it  worked for us, although a wool sheet may not let in enough air.
Regards
Sue

[Ladygrey]

Thanks for your replies

Im not sure how long the cow is  however its not far down her back and so I suppose It doesnt matter if its too small, so as long as the straps could adjust to fit around her. I dont really want to ring up a company as I am only willing to spend £10-20 on her (she isnt my cow) so at the moment looking for something cheap that I can cut up or broken/old that just covers her wound.

Cheviot I did think that but as I only need it to cover an area (about 1 foot) of her spine I could cut the front up high so she doesnt stand on it thats the plan anyway.

I will see if i can measure her tomorow

[sokel]

When we measure the horses and donkeys for rugs we measure from the center of the chest along the side untill you get level with the line down from the base of the tail.
I have a 6ft 9" one here somewhere that is no longer any use


Just a thought but have you thought about using Camrosa Ointment on the wound ? I have used it in the past for various wounds on animals and it has always healed up very quick

[Ladygrey]

Measured her today and she is just over 5ft from base of neck to where the tail starts going vertical down her bum.

Unfortunately I think the wound is too big to use cream on, actually it had healed lovely and was nice clean pink skin until the magpies and crows got at it again.

It was about 3 inches deep down the side of her spine, now its not as deep but covers about 1 foot long and 5 inches wide.

[Anke]

Measured her today and she is just over 5ft from base of neck to where the tail starts going vertical down her bum.

Unfortunately I think the wound is too big to use cream on, actually it had healed lovely and was nice clean pink skin until the magpies and crows got at it again.

It was about 3 inches deep down the side of her spine, now its not as deep but covers about 1 foot long and 5 inches wide.

Could you not just return to the barrel option and cut a large hole into the centre of the barrel (where the wound is) and cover with mesh (like doubled-over chicken wire to make small holes that let air through but not beaks) and stick the mesh down with heavy duty sticky tape? Or have two barrels with holes in same position and put mesh between both barrrels?

[Ladygrey]

Hi Anke

Yes I suppose the barrel could be adapted, the problem with the barrel is that it is tied on by loops of bailer twine under her belly, chest and one under her tail, we then put dairy rubber tubes over the twine to stop it from cutting her,
however underneath her tail is very yucky now, the rubber seems to rub her and has actually dug into her and made her raw under her tail, so by using a horse rug I was thinking maybe we dont need a strap under her tail 

If we dont have a strap under her tail she licks the barrel forwards and up her neck by turning her head and umm well licking it lol