Direct all inquiries to: Aqua Cow Rise System 46 Stuart Lane St. Johnsbury, VT 05819
Ph: 802-633-4331 Email:
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This website describes the proper use of the Aqua Cow Rise System. The "cow float tank," as it's commonly called, is a veterinary tool to be used in certain cases. Therefore our topic is as much about the cows to select as it is about the method and equipment.
See the Aqua Cow Rise System slides and videos
To see how Aqua Cow works in a sequence of pictures, click through this slideshow.
To download two longer videos, right-click on each part below and choose “Save as” for Windows users or “download linked file” on a Macintosh.
These images probably seem unusual if you’ve never come across this method. With a little experience, though, one sees that floating a cow is routine and much faster than first thought. Everyone needs to get past the how-it-works part and focus on the important jobs – which cows to float? how to assess marginal cows? where can they fully recover afterwards?
By 2011 we expect to have mfg. & in Quebec for distribution to Canada. In the meantime, Quebec dairy farmers, vets, and other native French speakers, see the Aqua Cow site in France for video, articles, and a structure of family-size dairy farms similar to Quebec’s.
Helping the cow to help herself
A herdsman at one customer’s dairy put it best when describing their way of thinking.
“Our general philosophy is to assist the cow in what she’s already trying to do. For calving, let her open up so tissues will dilate naturally. For disease, let her natural defenses start their work. Don’t jump in and work against her.”
“To assist the cow in what she’s already trying to do…” Isn’t this what we see in these images as the cow uses the ballast of rising water to stand up? Is there a better example of supportive therapy than an injured cow standing in deep warm water?
About the Website
Downcow.com intends to be a one-stop site for those who want to learn about the evaluation and handling of a down cow. We want to pass on practical advice from those with special training and hands-on experience. The information ranges from veterinary research to down & dirty advice. We don't expect many to read the research, but it's there if you're interested. Both research and practical checklists are available in PDF files for downloading and printing.
Dairy farms have protocols for many situations - fresh cow care, feeding calves, milking, and so forth. A down cow may not be a regular event, but it is an emergency and someone should know what to do. This website divides a course of action into 3 different stages, as illustrated in the diagram below. Most of the information comes from bovine veterinarians and dairy farmers who have experience working with down cows and the Aqua Cow tank.
1. The dairy farmer’s job: Prevent Further Damage; First Observations & General Exam
What should you or an employee do when a cow is down for more than 6 hours? First, keep things from getting worse! A cow down on hard concrete, perhaps struggling to get up, needs to be moved safely to soft ground or an isolated, bedded area. First observations and a general exam begin the screening for causes as you await veterinary help. Vets and farmers give their advice and share protocols. www.downcow.com/prevent
2. The dairy vet’s job: Conduct a physical exam
Tracking possible causes can be like walking through a maze. (See any veterinary papers under Physical Exam.) If a flotation tank is available, the strategy narrows to ruling out conditions that won’t benefit from hydrotherapy. Only alert & eating animals need apply. In these cases, dairies and hospitals owning a flotation tank often use it right away for evaluation. In the tub the cow reveals hidden musculoskeletal & neurological problems. www.downcow.com/physicalexam
3. The Aqua Cow tank’s job: to raise the cow safely and to continue supporting her for hours w/o pressure
What should happen when an alert down cow is considered a good candidate for the float tank? This section has all the information about the Aqua Cow Rise System - from sales to operations to water systems to case studies. www.downcow.com/aquacow
“The important point is to know WHEN and WHICH cows to float, not to know that you CAN float a cow. The last thing you want is people running around floating any old down cow.”
