08: FA Skills

Parameters in a distance exam for cattle

• Mentation

• BCS

• Swelling/symmetry

• Ambulation

• Abdominal contour

BCS scale for cattle

1-9 for beef cattle, 1-5 in dairy

Lameness scale in cattle

1-5

Types of abdominal shapes that may indicate an issue

• Pear: widened at base of abdomen

• Apple: rounded abdomen

• Papple: LDA

When should you do the head exam in cattle

Last, they are probably not handled often!

Cattle vitals and normal values

• Temp: 100.5 - 102.5

• Pulse: 50-80

• Resp: 12-36

• Ruminations: 3/2 min

Where do we listen for bronchial (large airway) sounds in cattle

Above the heart

Where do we listen for vesicular (small airway) sounds in cattle

Periphery of the lung field

Normal contents of the rumen

Fluid, fiber mat, and gas

Where do we best palpate the rumen fiber mat

Mid flank region

Where do we listen to rumen motility

L paralumbar fossa

Purpose of abdominal percussion

To look for a “ping” indicating an abnormal fluid-gas interface

Purpose of abdominal succession

To listen for abnormal fluid splash when you jostle the rumen contents

Purpose of abdominal ballottement

To detect a mid/late term fetus

Where do you push to ballot a cow

Low on the R abdominal wall

Purpose of withers pinch

To detect cranial abdominal pain; normal response is ventroflexion when you pinch the withers, but if there is pain they may resist or grunt instead

External LNs to palpate in the body of cattle

• Prescapular

• Prefemoral

• Supramammary

External LNs to palpate in the head of cattle

• Parotid

• Submandibular

• Retropharyngeal

Preferred sites for venipuncture in cattle

Jugular vein and coccygeal vein

How should cattle be restrained for jugular venipuncture

Halter tied to the side of the cute

Where do we poke for jugular venipuncture

Upper 1/3 of the neck

Needle size used for jugular venipuncture in cattle

18G 1.5-2” needle

Needle sized used for coccygeal venipuncture in cattle

18G 1-1.5” needle

Where do we poke for a coccygeal venipuncture

Midline of tail between vertebrae near the end of the caudal tail folds, at at 90 degree angle

Common oral treatments (bolus/pill) given to cattle

• Antibacterials

• Antacids

• Antidiarrheal

• Probiotic

• Minerals (calcium, copper, etc.)

Tool used to give oral treatments (bolus/pill) to cattle

Balling gun/pliers

Technique when using a balling gun/pliers in cattle

Make sure to get the end of the tool over the torus linguae and into the back of the mouth

Common oral treatments (drench) given to cattle

• Bloat remedy

• Oral electrolytes

• Transfaunation

Tool used to give oral treatments (drench) in cattle

Frick speculum + stomach/orogastric tube or McGrath cattle pump system

How do you get cattle to open their mouth for orogastric intubation

Stick your fingers in the interdental space

Technique for orogastric intubation

Keeping the tube entirely inside the speculum, place the speculum over the torus linguae and into the back of the mouth. Once there, grab the speculum with one hand and advance the tube with the other

How can you help get the tube past the pharynx

• Ventroflex the head

• Twist the tube so it is curved up

• Bump the back of the pharynx

Ways to confirm that the tube is in the rumen

• Suck: negative pressure = esophagus

• Blow: have assistant listen to rumen for bubbles

• Palpate: L side of neck

• Smell/See: rumen gas/fluid in tube

Technique when removing an orogastric tube

Kink the end of the tube to prevent backflow and aspiration of rumen fluid, and pull out in long smooth strokes, removing the speculum last

Why don’t we often use an NG tube in cattle

They have smaller nasal passages