Downer cow

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A downer cow is a live cow that cannot walk. This state can be caused by disease or injury. In nearly all cases it is considered by most farmers to be both humane and cost-effective to slaughter the animal when it becomes a downer, rather than keeping it alive and unhealthy. A "splitter" cow is a live beef or dairy animal that the hindquarters have done the complete splits and looks spraddle legged upon initial viewing. The cattle that go down that are able to still sit somewhat up on their briskets have a better chance of recovery than the cattle that are laid out on their side. Recovery is a study in patience.

Many types of injuries and diseases can produce a downer. Most commonly is calving difficulties (too big of calf to pass through the pelvis, mispresentation of calf, pulling calf too soon before cow was ready to deliver, cow strained too long to get the calf out). Often, cows become downers by stepping into holes dug by prairie dogs and injuring one of their legs. Other, less common situations, involving neurological diseases, might also make the cow unsafe for human consumption.

Different jurisdictions have different rules about what can be done with a downer cow. In some jurisdictions the cow may be slaughtered without question. In others, downer cattle may not be slaughtered even if the cause is a physical injury. In the United States, meat inspection is usually an interstate commerce issue, and is regulated by the Federal Meat Inspection Act. Now all livestock auction barns are not allowed to take sick or downer cows because of the rulings that boiled down from the "BSE mad cow" crisis

This agricultural term became more well known to the general public after the emergence of bovine spongiform encephalopathy ("mad cow disease"). Cows with advanced cases of mad cow disease may become downers.