Instructions for Using the Munks Livestock Sling
An Effective New Aid To Rehabilitating
Down And Injured Livestock
Designed by farmers for farmers
(Note: Although these instructions were written for bovine, they can be easily applied to any animal.)
Step 1: To place sling on down cow, roll cow on her side. Lay sling on the ground near feet of cow with mesh belly liner up, unbuckle and remove cross bar from padded straps at rear of sling. If cow doesn’t remain on her side, put a halter on and have an assistant hold her head down.
Step 2: Put bottom front leg through opening at front of the sling, at the same time pushing lower pipe as far under the cow as possible. You may have to begin to roll cow onto her back to accomplish this. Next place upper front leg through upper front opening of sling and pull top side pipe over upper side of cow. Place padded straps between udder and rear legs.
Step 3: Roll cow up into sitting position. Pull side pipe that was undera cow up her side and hook 2 cross bars with chain hooks into eye bolts on front and rear of both pipes.
Step 4: Slide rear cross piece onto the ends of side pipes at rear. Attach padded straps coming between udder and rear legs to buckles on cross piece. (See Step 2.) Insert pins into small holes in the side pipes for length to prevent cross pieces from sliding forward when cow is lifted. For small animals this may be moved forward as far as eye-bolts, and some of side straps around belly dropped for length. Also, buckles along sides of sling can be taken up or let out to fit a yearling to a bull.
Step 5: Attach hook on handle end of cable pullers to center loops of cross bars, lengthen cable end hooks to reach lip of tractor bucket or overhead beam. Cow is now ready to be raised slowly to a standing position. Do not jerk. Let her help a little to gain confidence. If held up with tractor bucket, place post under bucket as most hydraulics will slowly let down.
Step 6: Once cow is up, inspect sling and determine if any adjustments should be made. Inspect sling between front legs and see that cow is suspended squarely. Inspect padded straps and see that the cross straps at rear between the 2 padded straps are below the vulva and just above top of udder. If adjustments are needed, lower cow and take up or let out at buckles on padded straps in front of flank, then raise her again. When hanging properly, cow’s back should be in a straight line through tail to head. Use cable pullers to adjust front and rear feet to ground just enough for comfort.
Step 7: Cow in hanging position can be easily transported from fields to suitable place of care.
Step 8: At this point every cow acts differently. Some will try to stand immediately. Others will hang limply for a time before attempting to stand. If cow can stand in sling and take the majority of her weight off the straps between her rear legs, she can be left in sling for extended periods (several days). By leaving some slack they sit in it to rest, or stand. Lower sling a little each day as she recovers. If the cow is unwilling to stand after 2 or 3 days because of injuries, she should be let down and back up periodically. This will prevent pressure sores from developing between udder and rear legs.
Step 9: When cow is up, she can be easily fed and watered. The udder is easily reached for milking, treating, and nursing the calf. Every cow is different. Common sense and good judgment should be applied with sling usage. A diagnosis of what is causing the cow to be down should be determined. Proper medication should be administered in case of mastitis, calcium deficiency, and other electrolytic imbalances, or infections, etc. Severe injuries or severe cases of calving paralysis are poor risks and require a lot of time in the sling. Care must be taken to prevent pressure sores from developing between rear legs and udder in these cases.
IMPORTANT: Munks Livestock Sling can only be as efficient as the people who use it. The manufacturer is not responsible for improper application or abuse of sling.