03: Bovine Physical Exam

When placing a butt bar in a chute, where should your body be in relation to the bar

At the end of the bar, perpendicular to the cow/bull

Things to evaluate in a cow/bull on distance exam before they are in the chute

• Mentation

• BCS

• Obvious swellings or asymmetry

• Ambulation → lameness?

• Abdominal contour

Variations in mentation to observe from a distance

• Normal

• Depressed

• Hyperesthetic (hyper-reflexive)

• Wild

• Tame

BCS scale for beef cattle

1-9

BCS scale for dairy cattle

1-5

Specific area to look at in cattle to help determine BCS

Hip triangle (around hooks and pins)

Production problems associated with cattle that have a high BCS

• Wasting money on feed

• Cattle are predisposed to metabolic problems

Production problems associated with cattle that have a low BCS

• Loosing money due to poor reproductive performance

• Immunosuppression

Structures to evaluate for symmetry on a distance exam

• Face: eyes, ears, jaw, etc.

• Joints

• Muscles

• Udder

• Scrotum and prepuce

• Brisket

Criteria to evaluate for ambulation on a distance exam

• Lameness

• Ataxia/spinal paresis/proprioception

• Generalized weakness

Condition that produces a pear shaped abdomen

Twisted gut

Condition that produces an apple shaped abdomen

Late pregnancy

Condition that produces a right sided distention of the abdomen

Gas in the cecum

When doing a physical exam on pasture cattle, which system should you do last

Head!

Vital signs and normal values in cattle

• Temp: 100-102.5 F

• Pulse: 50-80 bpm

• Resp: 12-36 rpm

• Ruminal contractions: 3/2 mins

Factors to consider when taking temperature

• What is the outside ambient temperature

• Stool in the rectum?

• Environment, muscle activity, inflammation

Parameters to evaluate when ausculting the heart

• Pattern/rhythm

• Volume/intensity

• Murmurs and splashes

Where to auscult the heart

Under the triceps muscle, medial to the elbow

Parameters to evaluate when ausculting the lungs

Noises on inhalation and exhalation

Why is the lung field smaller in the ruminant

The rumen pushes up

Best place to listen to the bronchioles

Above the heart

Best place to listen to the rumen

L paralumbar fossa

Sounds to listen for in the rumen

• Scratching of the fiber mat

• Motility

Condition indicated by a ping on abdominal percussion

Abdominal gas/fluid interface in the rumen

Indications to perform ballotment of the abdomen

Bounce the fetus to assess late pregnancy

Purpose of the withers pinch (grunt test)

A more subjective test to assess cranial abdominal pain. A normal cow will ventroflex when you squeeze the withers. A cow in pain may resist, shifting backwards or grunt

LNs to palpate on physical exam

• Prescapular

• Prefemoral

• Supramammary

• Parotid

• Submandibular

• Retropharyngeal

Factors to consider when examining the head

• Symmetry

• Hydration status

• Eyes

• LNs

• Mucous membranes

• Teeth

Sign of severe dehydration in cows when examining the head

Sunken eyes

When do cows have a “full mouth”

4-5 years old

When do cows see gumline recession

8 years old

Types of ear identification in cattle

• Plastic ear tag

• Metal ear tag

• EID/RFID

• Tattoo

Common use for metal ear tags

Brucellosis

Where should ear tags be placed

Between cartilage ribs in the ear

Preferred injection method in cattle

SQ

Why are SQ injections preferred over IM injections

To prevent damage to valuable cuts of meat

Best IM injection site in cattle

Neck → less valuable cut of meat

Sites of blood collection in cattle

• Jugular vein

• Tail vein (coccygeal)

Where should you pull a blood sample from the jugular vein

Upper 1/3 of the vein

Prep and handling for a jugular venipuncture

• Tie the head to the chute

• Clip and prep

• Occlude the vein

Prep and handling for a coccygeal venipuncture

• Clean off tail

• Lift up the tail

• Insert needle at 90 degrees into the ventral midline of the tail

Proper way to attach a tail tie

Tie to the halter, animal’s neck, or hind leg. NOT something solid!!