A step-by-step guide to managing wounds on your livestock

Dear Daktari, Thank you for your informative articles on various topics about animal health. I am a farmer from Machakos County. My Friesian cross recently suffered a nasty wound from a barbed wire fence as it tried to eat grass across the fence. Although my veterinary doctor eventually managed the wound successfully, I did not know how to minister first aid in the meantime. I know this is a common concern for many farmers when it comes to administering first aid to wounded animals. [Kennedy Mutisya, Machakos]

Thank you Kennedy for your question and for reading the Smart Harvest. Wounds are a common occurrence on farms, but as you rightly pointed out, many farmers do know what to do. Wound first aid is easy and mainly involves stopping the bleeding and cleaning to minimise chances of infection as the skin is damaged. A wound is any injury that causes a discontinuation in the skin surface, mucus membrane or any body tissue. Wounds can result in loss of blood, causing anemia or they can become infected, leading to severe illness. Wounds lower the quality of the skin and can also lower milk production when they occur on teats.

Wounds are caused by physical trauma, injury or corrosive chemical agents. Wounds vary in size, location, and depth. Factors such as age determine how the wound should be managed.

Injuries can also result from fights between animals, barbed wires, and nails in the cow shed.

Young animals can also be injured by big animals through trampling. Lacerated wounds will have irregular borders as a result of the tearing force that caused them. Puncture wounds are caused by the deep entry of piercing objects past the skin into deeper tissues. Bruises are surface injuries, while bite injuries result from attacks from other animals. It is important to know the cause of the wound as it informs the medical intervention.

Naturally, the process of healing in all wounds begins immediately after the wound appears. Inflammation is the first step, which is followed by proliferation and remodelling. It should be noted that all wounds require timely intervention. In some cases, delay can have severe consequences on the ability of the animal to remain productive. Wounds involving synovial structures and teat lacerations should be managed immediately for optimal outcomes.

The first step in wound management is to stop the bleeding and remove any assaulting foreign object(s) and dirt through thorough washing with clean water mixed with a disinfectant. This serves to keep the wound free from infection. Commonly used disinfectants to wash include 20 per cent antiseptic soap solution (Dettol or Savlon). Bleeding can be stopped by continually applying pressure on the wound. A bandage, on the other hand, will control bleeding and also reduce contamination, hence quickening healing. Depending on the location of the wound, it may require shaving to prevent hair from entering the wound.

Any wound that has not been attended to minimise such infection within six hours is said to be infected and will require veterinary attention for a good prognosis and healing.  

If the wound is small or superficial, it can be managed by the farmer through the application of an over-the-counter antibacterial ointment or powder. However, deeper and bigger wounds require proper veterinary attention.

To prevent the chances of your animals being injured, separate calves from mature animals. Dehorning can also reduce injuries amongst herds. Good animal husbandry practices like proper housing and feeding as well as removing sharp objects will minimise chances of on-farm injuries.  

[Dr. Othieno is a veterinary surgeon and currently the head of communications at the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) Kenya. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of FAO but his own]