For optimum meat and milk production and optimum health, cows need to eat regularly and well. That’s why dairy farmers, ranchers and small homesteaders are well advised to invest solidly in high quality feed and forage for their cattle. Unfortunately, sometimes even the best of feed and the best intentions of the keeper cannot entice a cow to eat. Why does this happen? What makes a cow stop eating? What can you do about it? In this article, we answer these questions and more.
What You'll Learn Today
Top Six Reasons A Cow May Stop Eating
1. Satisfaction
If a cow’s rumen is full, she doesn’t want or need to eat any more. In some instances, this is not a reason for concern; however, if your feed consists of too much neutral detergent fiber (NDF) this reason for not eating can be a problem.
NDF is very bulky, and is necessary for good health in cattle, but too much of it will cause your cattle to feel a false satisfaction.
They may feel as if they have had plenty to eat, but they are not getting enough nutrition. This naturally leads to malnourishment and ill health.
For optimum health, a cow should eat about 1.3% of her total body weight in NDF every day. Keep a close eye on the labeling of your feed.
The percentage of NDF can change from time to time. If and when it does, you’ll need to adjust your feeding accordingly.
2. Unbalanced pH Levels
When a cow has finished eating, the pH level in the rumen drops. This is when the cow begins ruminating, a process that supplies the rumen with salivary sodium bicarbonate.
The purpose of this natural chemical is to buffer the acidity caused by the introduction of food to the rumen.
Unfortunately, a condition known as SARA (sub acute rumen acidosis) may trigger cows to stop eating prematurely.
If your cows are not eating enough and are losing condition, your vet will need to perform a test called rumenocentesis. This involves evaluation of samples of the rumen fluid.
To avoid development of this disease, you should work closely with your vet to formulate a balanced diet for your cattle.
If your herd already has SARA, balanced feeding can help mitigate the damage and manage the condition. Be sure that your feed mixture is well mixed and is not excessively dry.
3. Insufficient Feed
Cattle should always have something handy to nibble on. If you try to save money on feed by feeding only as much as your cattle will eat in a given time, you run the risk of having them develop EBS (empty bunk syndrome).
If your cattle are hungry, and there is no feed available to them, their appetite and ability to eat may diminish.
It’s a good idea to feed dairy cows directly after milking because they will be hungry then. This will stimulate them to eat well.
It’s best to have them stop eating naturally when there is still 5-10% of the feed left. They can nibble on this as they need to until the next feeding. Keep good hay available at all times.
4. Sickness
Sick (especially those with a fever) or lame cattle often lose their appetites. Cattle who are in a state of ketosis (low blood sugar levels) or those who have been fed too much dextrose and have excessively high blood sugar levels don’t eat, and may actually remain down.
If you suspect illness, call on the vet for a proper diagnosis and treatment.
How To Tell If Your Cattle Are Sick
5. Bullying
Don’t overcrowd your cattle, and keep an eye on them to make sure none are being chased away from the feeder.
Cows need to be able to get to the feed easily, without having to fight for it. They should be able to eat at an unhurried pace and have plenty of space to rest and ruminate when they are done eating.
6. Stress & Discomfort
During hot weather, too much heat and/or too little ventilation can cause cattle to lose their appetites.
Be sure your cattle are able to get out of the hot sun and drink as much water as they like. Barns and loafing sheds should be open to the air during hot, dry summer months. Install fans as needed to improve air circulation and ventilation.
Apparently the cows in this horrible setting don’t want whatever is in that bucket. No mystery here!
A Cow Refuses To Eat Your Food
Frequently Asked Questions
Be sure that some sort of forage is available at all times so that the cow can nibble whenever she feels like it. Make sure she has a comfortable loafing area and enough down time to ruminate on her cud sufficiently and satisfactorily.
In a setting where multiple cattle are eating from a feed bunk (the sort of feeder that allows them to stand side-by-side and push their heads between bars to eat from a large trough) if one cow consistently eats every bite in front of her leaving a licked clean semi-circle, it may mean that she is going hungry. There may not be enough feed on offer for her, or she may not be able to reach the feed that is offered efficiently.
For feedlot cattle, barley is a very good grain. Other grains, such as: sorghum; triticale; wheat; maize …are also quite good. Oats make a fairly good cattle feed but are not the best in terms of encouraging weight gain. It’s best to use oats in combination with one or more of the other grains.
Excessive amounts of grain can cause founder, acidosis, overall reduction of health and vigor and sometimes even death. Cattle are grazing animals. Forage such as hay, grass and possibly forage pellets should be the basis of their diet.
A cow should consume about two percent of her body weight in grass and/or hay daily. Generally speaking, this is about 25 pounds for a mature cow. This will vary based on the size of the cow and also the moisture content in the forage. Furthermore, dairy cows or cows with nursing calves will need substantially more hay. Forty pounds per day is not an unreasonable amount.
According to this post, my cows seem to be unsatisfied! What should I do then?
My cow ate rotten apples after that she stops eating anything what should we do
the sugar level has increased …u can add salt ..soda and feed on fibre for two to three dayz ..with black tea
My buffalo has several consequent bloating problem,
It’s been a month,
Now she is fine and doesn’t have bloating problem anymore.
But she has stopped eating,
I have called doctor many times but it was all futile.
We have given her various drugs like digemax, R.D. Bolus., Activated charcoal, and many Ayurvedic solutions.
Please help.
My cow walks away from her cubes after sniffing them . But watches me . She wants the horse food that I give her when I’m out of cubes . She is very fat and I have lots of grass , so I guess it’s okay. The other cow doesn’t mind helping her finish the cattle cubes.
If you are talking about alfalfa cubes, honestly, I have never had any animal that would eat them as-is. Try soaking them in a generous amount of hot water for a half hour or so before offering them. Pelleted forage is more palatable. Hay and grass are best!
Avoid giving your cow horse feed. She will naturally like it better than those cubes!
My cow no eating 12 days ago I check in many doctors but cow health not good what should we do please
Sir kya apki cow deek hai ab
my cow had delivered calf on 1st week of June from still it doesn’t took food at all.
It won’t eat single leaves at all,can anyone help me to find out the reason
Hello, we are facing same kind of problem! How is your coe now? And please reply what i can give to buffalo?
Thanks to all readers for your questions. The best advice I can give you across the board is to review this article and make changes in your situations accordingly.
Additionally, set up a regular schedule of preventative veterinary care: exams, vaccines, deworming, etc. When your vet is familiar with your cow/cattle, he or she will be better able to pinpoint and treat problems.
Remember that cows kept in open, clean spaces with plenty of fresh grass, hay, grain and water are fairly trouble free. Don’t allow your cattle to eat strange, moldy or rotten food. That’s just asking for trouble.
My cow has been sick for a month nowit is not eating anything at all have tried everything but no change