Hardware Disease In Cattle

By: Margaret A. Bell, Livestock Agent – Craven & Jones Counties

Adapted from: ‘Hardware Disease in Cattle’ from Michigan Extension

Have you ever heard of Hardware Disease? Did you know that it could cause serious problems with your cattle’s health? Hardware Disease is when some type of sharp objet pierces the wall of the stomach and then has access to the heart. Then the object may pierce the heart sac causing even more problems.

So, what symptoms will your cows have if they have Hardware Disease? They will be depressed, have a poor appetite and will most likely be reluctant to move. Cattle may also have indigestion, or show signs of bloat. These symptoms may disappear but will most likely show back up within the next seven days. If you suspect Hardware Disease in your cow and the animal is slaughtered, it is possible to find a wire of nail that is poking through the reticulum wall. A cow has four compartments to its stomach and the reticulum is one of those four compartments.

What type of treatment is there for Hardware Disease? Treatment for this disease varies from animal to animal. If the animal is extremely valuable, you may consult with your veterinarian to see if a rumenotomy is recommended. This is when your veterinarian approaches the problem surgically to the reticulum. Also, they may palpate the area to verify a foreign object or some type of adhesions. If any object is found, it is possible for your veterinarian to make an incision into the wall of the animal’s ruminal wall and manually remove the object. Much care are needed with all of the above options, so please consult with your veterinarian and make sure you have a good patient – client – veterinarian relationship. Another option in a case where the animal is not exceptionally valuable would be to slaughter the animal and try to diagnose the problem that way and use it as an example for future possible cases of Hardware Disease in your herd.

As for prevention, a popular way routine is to use magnets in the reticulum. As with other procedures, it is recommended you ask your veterinarian to perform this procedure. The goal of the magnet is that it simply keeps foreign objects that are metallic and they will adhere together in a ball. This will reduce the chances that this object will penetrate the reticulum wall causing major medical problems.

The prognosis of Hardware Disease varies due to several factors. The main factor is how much infection is present and how long the animal has had the foreign object. However, if this is caught early enough, sometimes it can be fixed and the animal will live a normal life after.