Normally, sweating in cows protects the animal from overheating, thus the body reacts to changing environmental conditions and maintains a constant temperature, ensuring the full functions of the internal organs. Why a cow begins to sweat more than usual is due to physiological changes and diseases of various etiologies.
Causes of sweating in cows and methods of treating them
A cow may sweat if there is insufficient intake of vitamins and minerals in the body. The animal can lick the floor, chew plaster from the walls, and chew boards.If a livestock breeder notices such behavior in a cow, it is better to contact a veterinarian so that he can take a blood test and find out what specific substances are deficient in the body.
It is important to monitor the animal for signs indicating disease:
- mood - whether the cow behaves as usual, not sluggish and apathetic;
- condition of the nose - it should be moist and cool to the touch;
- appetite - if it is preserved, increased sweating is unlikely to be caused by a disease;
- breathing - normally the animal should breathe freely, without coughing or audible wheezing;
- milk yield - a sick cow will produce less milk.
Another harmless cause of excessive sweating is covering a cow with a bull. If the animal does not have worms, the body temperature is normal, there are no signs of disease, but hyperhidrosis is present, the symptom will go away on its own after calving.
Traumatic reticulitis
Along with food, a small nail or a piece of wire can get into the cow’s gastrointestinal tract, which moves along the tract and comes out with feces. It happens that a metal object gets stuck in the mesh part of the stomach. Returning along with the food for repeated chewing, the foreign body pierces the walls of the stomach, liver, mesentery and even the lining of the heart. As a result, purulent inflammation, pericarditis and damage to the liver tissue develop.
Symptoms of traumatic reticulitis:
- lethargy;
- cow's refusal to eat;
- increased sweating;
- arching of the back;
- scar swelling;
- weight loss;
- alternating constipation and diarrhea.
To prevent metal damage to internal organs, a magnetic trap in a plastic frame is used - it is placed in the proventriculus, the trap collects metal objects.If a foreign body has already entered, a magnetic probe is used - it is inserted into the proventriculus, and after a couple of hours it is removed along with the metal object. While waiting, the cow should be allowed to move actively.
Contagious diseases
The farmer needs to immediately worry if the cattle show serious symptoms - the cow lies in the barn at night all wet, she has shortness of breath and coughing, hair loss, lack of appetite, bowel movements (diarrhea).
Increased sweating is present as a reaction to pain syndrome accompanying the following diseases:
- bronchopneumonia;
- heart diseases – pericarditis, myocarditis;
- ketosis;
- urogenital infectious diseases;
- infestation by worms;
- lice.
Treatment is selected depending on the disease that led to sweating and accompanying symptoms. For diseases of the bronchi and lungs, urogenital infections, antibiotics are used.
Overheat
It is common for cows to overheat in the hot summer on pasture. In the mornings and at night, cattle become covered in sweat in a cramped stall with crowded housing. You should observe the cattle - whether one individual sweats or all at once, whether hyperhidrosis goes away when external conditions change.
What can be done:
- install a ventilation system in the stall - consider ridges on the roof through which hot air will escape, and vents for fresh air;
- Ventilate the barn more often in the summer season;
- leave cows to spend the night outside if the weather permits.
If a cow becomes covered in sweat in the heat, to avoid heatstroke, she should be taken to a shady place, given cool (but not ice-cold) water to drink, and the liquid poured generously over the skin.
Stress
Hyperhidrosis develops in cows in stressful situations:
- when a farmer mistreats animals;
- during transportation;
- immediately after calving - if it was difficult;
- after morning milking;
- as a result of fright, stress can be caused by ferrets and weasels visiting the stall. They run along the animal’s back and even attach themselves to the udder during the post-calving period, forcing the cow to actively move;
- as a result of injury;
- during control weighing.
To avoid stressful situations, cows should not be handled roughly. It is important to show care and patience, to protect animals from fear.
Acobaltosis
A disease of cows caused by cobalt deficiency in the soil and plants growing on land deprived of the component. The disease manifests itself with mild symptoms:
- decreased appetite;
- losing weight within 2-3 months;
- engorgement of the skin, loss of its elasticity;
- increased sweating;
- weakened intestinal motility;
- weakening of the back and leg muscles;
- hard stool;
- alternating diarrhea and constipation.
It is necessary to introduce feed enriched with cobalt into the diet - alfalfa, feed yeast, clover, meat-bone and fish meal. Recovery is noted after 1.5 months from the start of treatment.
Nutritional diseases
The main factors causing sweating in cattle are considered to be diseases of the nutritional tract that arise after poisoning with low-quality feed. If the feed is frozen or moldy, it contains pathogenic microorganisms - fungi, bacteria, and barn mites (strong allergens for cattle).
It is important to store feed correctly and use acidifiers to prevent it from spoiling. When adding industrial waste to the diet, it is necessary to monitor the quality and shelf life of stillage, meal and pulp.
When grazing, you should pay attention to ensure that cows do not eat the seeds and berries of poisonous plants. Treatment of poisoning is prescribed by a veterinarian, depending on the severity of the disease and the condition of the animal. Antibiotics, bacteriophages, saline solutions for evaporation and intravenous administration, anti-inflammatory and painkillers can be used.
Preventive actions
In most cases, hyperhidrosis in cattle is caused by physiological reasons and farmers ignoring sanitary and hygienic standards in stalls. To avoid sweating in a cow caused by any disease, it is necessary to follow preventive measures, including:
- balanced nutrition depending on the time of year, with the use of vitamin supplements and vitamin-containing feed in the autumn-spring periods, when the livestock’s immunity is weakened;
- regular examinations by a veterinarian, routine vaccination of livestock;
- creating good conditions for keeping cows - timely cleaning of premises from manure, preventing drafts, high humidity, dampness;
- disinfection measures using a solution of bleach at 3% concentration, 20% freshly slaked lime, hot sodium hydroxide solution at 4% concentration;
- timely prevention of parasitosis.
To prevent sharp and metal objects from getting into the cows' food, before loading the feed into the feeders, you should check it manually using a magnet.
Excessive sweating in a cow is a signal of problems with the health of the animal.Ingestion of metal objects is the most dangerous because it sometimes requires culling of livestock. Timely prevention of diseases will help to avoid sweating and its accompanying symptoms.
