Ever heard of the Madigan squeeze?
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (369956)
Rockingham, Australia
January 22, 2025 5:17am CST
We have friends who run a herd of Simmental beef cattle. Their pet cow, Bella, had had several calves without a problem but her last calf was a big bull calf which didn’t react as it should have. It has no suck reflex and was generally very floppy and sleepy. They fed the calf by tube with colostrum, but it wasn’t improving. Then they tried what is known as the Madigan squeeze.
This involves imitating the pressure on the body that a foetus would receive as it passes through the birth canal. During birth, a particular hormone is switched off but sometimes the ‘switch’ does not work and the young animal remains in a sleepy, floppy state. A rope is passed around the body in a particular way and pressure applied. Our friends did this and were amazed when, 20 minutes after the rope was removed, the calf immediately went to suckle from the cow.
Isn’t nature just incredible sometimes?
The photo is of a bull we saw in the Vienna Zoo.
16 people like this
15 responses
@DaddyEvil (166311)
• United States
22 Jan 25
I'm glad they "fixed" the calf. And no, I've never heard that term before. But I haven't lived on a farm since I was a teenager, either.
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (128435)
• Marion, Ohio
22 Jan 25
Glad that worked. I had not heard of that. But I will try to remember it
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (128435)
• Marion, Ohio
23 Jan 25
@JudyEv I should work on any animal
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (369956)
• Rockingham, Australia
24 Jan 25
@wolfgirl569 Yes, you would think so.
1 person likes this
@iKONICNoona (4298)
• Philippines
22 Jan 25
Sometimes we cant explain what happens with nature sometimes but if we think about it nature has its way in helping man kind too to have a better life together with beloved animals.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (167392)
• United States
23 Jan 25
I have never heard of that, but it is neat to know and read about.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (51216)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
22 Jan 25
Never heard of that, and wondering who came up with the idea in the first place... someone named Madigan?
1 person likes this
@allknowing (153685)
• India
22 Jan 25
I think copying nature is incredible as in this case
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (93313)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
23 Jan 25
That is really amazing and of course, good that the calf is safe,
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (88164)
• United States
22 Jan 25
That certainly is amazing. I have never heard of the Madigan squeeze but glad it worked.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (369956)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Jan 25
Yes, it's good that it worked for them. They didn't really hold out much hope and were a bit astounded when it worked so well.
@snowy22315 (201792)
• United States
22 Jan 25
Very interesting..I wonder who ever came up with that one?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (369956)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Jan 25
I always wonder that too. Who thought to try such a thing.
