Downed bovines and its rehabilitation using physiotherapeutic slings - a study in 40 animals.

Forty downed bovines aged from 6 months to 8 years of either sex and with varying body weights from 40 kg to 400 kg with five different etiological origins viz. metabolic/nutritional deficiency, neurological disorder, musculoskeletal trauma, complex disease problem and management deficiency were the subject of the study. All the animals were provided with therapeutic medicinal treatment prior to slinging to treat their primary condition. Four groups formed were as per the slings designed i.e. Fixed sling with bagged sway support (Sling -1), Fixed sling with fixed support (Sling-2), Mobile sling with flatten bedded-flexible support (Sling- 3) and Mobile sling with flatten bedded fixed frame (Sling-4) with ten animals in each group, two from each etiological origin. Every attempt was made that the animals were comfortable. The downed animals were slinged and percentage of success was studied based on type of sling used and duration of suffering in recumbent stage. A comparison was made between various types of slings against their suitability and found the Sling-4 as the most suitable one for physiotherapeutic rehabilitation of downer bovines.