Hello there guys! In today's article, we are going to discuss everything that you need to know about cow magnets. Some of the topics that will be included in this article are cow magnets, how it works, how cow magnets are inserted, and how strong they are. So be sure to stick till the end of this article to learn more about cow magnets. So without delaying any more time, let's jump right into the article.
What is a Cow Magnet?
A cow magnet is a type of magnet that is used to protect cows from any type of dangerous ferrous material that the cow might have accidentally ingested while it grazed. Most veterinarians and dairy farmers would usually use cow magnets to help them prevent any kind of hardware disease.
While grazing, cows would eat everything that stands in their way. This would include anything at all, regardless of whether it's a speck of dirt, grass, insects, staples, nails, or even baling wire (referred by many as tramp iron). The problem with tramp iron is that it would probably get stuck in the reticulum walls with a honeycomb structure when cows eat these tramp iron.
This, in turn, would pose a threat to the surrounding vital organs of the cow, and it would also cause some serious injuries in the future. Some of the symptoms of hardware diseases would include inflammation and irritations. In most cases, once the cow has ingested ferrous materials such as tramp iron, it's just a matter of time when it will get hardware diseases.
When this thing happens, the cow will surely produce less milk due to her loss of appetite. Consequently, the milk output will decrease, and this would cause a huge loss to the dairy farmers. The cow would also not be able to gain weight effectively in the long run, which adds insult to injury. The only viable solution to this problem is for the dairy farmers to administer a magnet shot for every cow.
They should always consult a veterinarian to insert a cow magnet into their cow. This needs to be done before the cow grazes anything on the field. The magnet shot needs to be administered to the cow when the cow is around six months old.
How Does a Cow Magnet Work?
Cow magnets have a length of approximately 8 cm and a diameter of 1 cm. These magnets have been specifically designed to stay in the rumen of a cow. The cow magnets' shape is designed to be small enough to get into the rumen of a cow but too big to pass through the reticulum and omasum.
The cow magnet will then stay in the rumen of the cow until the day it will be old enough to be harvested for its meat or at least until the day it dies. The way it works is that when the cow accidentally eats any dangerous ferrous materials while it grazes on the field, the magnet will instantly attract these metallic substances and store them in the rumen.
This would prevent the metallic substance from getting into the reticulum of the cow. As a result, no damage will be done to the digestive system of the cow. This means that the abomasum and omasum of the cow will be protected from being punctured by sharp metal objects such as nails.
The cow magnet will remain in the rumen of the cow for the rest of its life, and the magnet may also be reused for another cow in the future. Apparently, the presence of the magnet and the metallic substance in the rumen of the cow has no negative effects on the general well-being of the cow or its life expectancy.
How are Cow Magnets Inserted?
In most cases, there's a total of three people that will work together to make the cow swallow the magnet. One of these people will hold the head and nose of the cow to make sure it doesn't resist. The other one will try to get hold of the cow's tongue to make it easier for the cow to swallow the magnet.
Keep in mind here that the magnet is in tablet form to make it easier for the cow to swallow it. The third person will be the one that's responsible for shooting the tablet into the rumen of the cow. A specialized tube should be used to shoot the tablet magnet all the way into the cow's esophagus.
Once the third person has shot the tablet magnet into the cow's mouth, it's important for the person holding the tongue of the cow to hold it for a few minutes. This needs to be done to allow the cow to completely swallow the magnet and to prevent it from spitting it out from its mouth. Once the cow has swallowed the magnet, it should be allowed to freely graze the field independently.
How Strong Are Cow Magnets?
Cow magnets are usually strong enough to attract multiples metallic objects such as nails and tramp iron. Most of the cow magnets that are available online such as the ones on Amazon, would have the strength to lift up to 4400 pounds of metallic objects.
The magnets are completely safe for the cow to swallow, and it also lasts for a long time. Most people would usually buy these cow magnets together with the regular baling gun to make it easier for them to get the magnet inside their cow.
How Much Do Cow Magnets Cost?
The price for cow magnets may vary as they range from as low as $5.50 to $14.56. Therefore, it's highly recommended that you buy the ones offered in a bundle of at least three to five units. Besides that, you should also check the type of magnet that you plan to buy. The best type of magnet that you should aim for is the rare earth magnet such as the Neodymium magnets.
How Many Magnets Can a Cow Eat?
The maximum number of magnets that you should feed your cow is one magnet per cow. Feeding your cow more than one magnet could potentially lead to other digestive problems. Due to the fact that magnets are known to attract and repel each other, the presence of two magnets in the rumen of a cow may cause them to pinch organs and break soft bones. Hence, it's better to just stick to the recommended number of magnets that are allowed for you to feed your cow instead.
How Do I Know If My Cow Already Has a Cow Magnet?
In this case, one of the things that you could do to check whether your cow has already swallowed a cow magnet or otherwise is to use a compass. Place the compass near the stomach of your cow and slowly move the compass around other areas to check for the presence of a magnetic field. If you notice a deflection in the needle of your compass, then that means that your cow has already swallowed a cow magnet.
Otherwise, you may begin to feed your cow the cow magnet that it deserved. However, please keep in mind that before you begin to do anything, please consult a certified veterinary to get the final confirmation. It's highly recommended for you to do so even though you already know how to do it, as it's always better to be safe than sorry at the end of the day.
Can I Give My Cow With Hardware Disease a Cow Magnet as Treatment?
Absolutely no, the reason being is that it's already too late for you to feed your cow a magnet. You need to understand that a cow magnet acts as a preventive measure, and it cannot be considered as a treatment to treat a hardware disease.
At this point, the only thing you can do is bring your cow to a veterinarian to undergo surgery. They will help you to remove all of the metallic objects that are causing damage to the internal organs of your cow. You will need to do this immediately, and please do not delay the surgery as otherwise, you risk losing your cow.
What Should I Do Before I Feed My Cow a Magnet?
One of the most important things you should do right before administering a magnet shot for your cow is to let your cow fast for approximately 18 to 24 hours. The main objective of doing this is to empty the rumen of your cow to allow the tablet that your cow swallows to fit properly inside. This method is most effective for the entire herd right before the age of one year old.
Even though any metallic objects that the cow might swallow in the future stick with the magnet inside the rumen, it certainly doesn't cause any problems that a hardware disease might cause. Most people might not realize the benefits of cow magnets until their cows have a hardware disease.
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