8 minute read
BOVINE MASSAGE
Is it really something to consider?
by Pepper Werner Lone Creek Cattle Company
Do No Harm
It was either ‘get better or off to slaughter’. It’s business.
It’s survival of the fittest and all about the reproduction process. I was determined. In the massage world, we call it ‘intention’. Do no harm. I had the best of intentions when I took off for the ranch, knowing that I had one shot at helping to make a positive difference while keeping him out of the processing plant. In early November, I was talking to a producer about something unrelated when the topic came up of an injured bull. As I listened to the description of what happened that day in September, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I could help him. I just knew I could. He was, after all, of high breeding standard and was counted on as an animal to pass on his genes to many more progeny within the breed…Piedmontese. G-Force was injured as a result of the probe being set too high during semen collection and shocking his sciatic nerve on the right side that radiated down to his tibial nerve and the various peroneal nerves. As a consequence of this, his hind legs were knocked out from underneath him and he landed like a frog down in the chute. This resulted in him lying down for a couple of weeks - simply because he could not bear his own weight. Additionally, he lost 100 pounds, his muscles atrophied, and was then added to the calendar at the processing plant. My essential oils of choice were frankincense (anti-inflammatory & joint pain) and patchouli (ease stress and anxiety). A massage technique called ‘percussion’ was used to bring back some circulation in the atrophied muscles of his gluteus, the vastus lateralis, semitendinosus and biceps femoris. Acupressure and friction had a useful effect loosening his muscle fibers and allowing smooth movement. Some of the muscles are so large in a bull (especially in Piedmontese), that I wasn’t always able to give enough pressure to the injured areas. I chose to use a mechanical device (Evertone) that had a variety of attachments and speeds to increase the intensity of the work. This seemed to have a positive influence on his flexibility and range of motion.
Positive Influence
One brisk Washington morning, I chose to start with a heated blanket to take the edge off before I started working the tissue. Without warming the
Heating blanket to warm muscles pre-massage made a positive difference for pliability
muscles first, the process would have been counter-productive. I added new stretches and a variety of muscle manipulation to get his body used to moving again. Having observed the most obvious physical difference in G-Force, his pelvis, I was set on getting it back to ‘level’ and increasing the range of motion in his hips. I concluded that his muscles suffered so much atrophy that his hip joint may have been out of socket since his right hind leg was ‘winging-out’. Plus his outer toe on his hoof had grown at an extreme angle that hindered him being able to keep the hoof at a normal forward facing position. By day three I felt a setback. As with any athlete that encounters an injury, the third day always seems to be the worst. With G-Force, I had put quite a bit of pressure on him, physically and emotionally that he hadn‘t experienced before. He seemed to be so stove up that his movements were jerkier and less fluid than the original gait. On day four, I decided to let G-Force out into the alley of the corrals to travel at his leisure. He actually walked…a lot! By the time I returned for the afternoon session, he was exhausted. I applied a warm water rinse on his right-hind side, hip and leg. I sprayed a nerve blend on the same area of frankincense, copaiba and black spruce. I left that blend on all night to soak and seep into his skin and pores. Every morning I would begin with the same routine and add or take-away new techniques or forms of manipulation just to see what had the greatest effect. I needed to get G-Force to put his weight on his right hind leg so I could observe his ability to stand. I didn’t know if it was even physically possible .His pelvis was so far out of alignment that I didn’t know if his skeleton would allow him to stand straight.
Law of Opposites
Inability to bear his own weight- this was marked improvement at a week in
Several days into the sessions, G-Force’s spine and tail were in alignment but the iliac surfaces of his pelvis are lopsided, for obvious reasons that I wasn’t yet aware
Most intense stretch, prior to knowledge of broken pelvis
All of the sessions had been done in a chute in the barn that was totally adaptable to his size, where his lower extremities and sides were accessible. Whenever I would push him from the left to get him to shift his weight, he would simply step away from the pressure. In massage, there are times that the therapist must let the client do the work themselves…work a muscle to exhaustion, hold until release, friction to smooth, law of opposites…different approaches have a variety of results. With these ideas in mind, I decided to pull on G-Force’s tail (the end of his spine) toward me to the right. This action in turn forced him to resist stepping over and actually engage his lateral and medial thigh and cranial crural muscles and their nerves. Of all of the manipulation that I tried, this motion of pulling on the tail, seemed to create the greatest release. When G-Force’s sciatic nerve was over-stimulated (directly connected to his lower spine), pulling on his tail was giving the nerves and his spine the ability to ‘breathe’, opening up and recharging to normal intention. After a few days of this tail and spinal decompression, I returned to acupressure on his hoof band and he actually kicked at me several times. I was elated!
Regained Feeling
Supplements were added to the feed program- such as turmeric as an anti-inflammatory and bee pollen and alfalfa to increase his appetite. After the initial ‘up-turned-nose’, he decided to eat the new mixture and his mental attitude took a turn for the better. The biggest blow in the progress though came on day ten. To my surprise, after rectal palpation, the vet informed me that he had indeed broken his pelvis during his fall in the chute. I could feel the lowered area on the right that was rough and jagged and came to learn that that area was already starting to heal and show new bone growth. Would he ever be OK? Would he be able to breed naturally? Could he be used for semen collection?
They had come So Far
After a short, stoic discussion, the owner believed that G-Force was going to get better each day. The process would be long and he would find a new normal. His reproduction abilities were yet to be seen, but his name was taken off of the calendar at the processing plant! Another four days passed of twice daily sessions. I adapted my intense stretching to take into his broken pelvis into account. I (we) pressed on with walks outside in the sunshine, stretching, essential oils, massage and moments of silent communication. He (we) had come so far and there was a lot of work to do. I promised him that I would be back soon and start the work again. Massage would resume and his time was at hand…my hands.
A New Lease on Life!
The owner sent a video to me that was taken just a few hours after I left Washington. G-Force was literally running down the aisles of the corral. He seemed like a ‘normal’ 18 month-old bull that was full of himself and so happy to be outside in the snow. He was given a new lease on life after a potentially life-ending injury. He felt so much better and was happy to be alive. I’m happy he’s alive.
Others Benefit
Some of the methods listed above can certainly be applied to females that suffer temporary paralysis while calving, overworked equines, or aging dogs and cats that need relief. As stated, this challenge success was based solely on openness and previous knowledge. I am confident that I can use this experience to the benefit of other animals, simply by ‘listening’ and holding good intention.
I felt confident we were making progress when G-Force was able to lie down on his right side and rest He is a great representation of the young full blood Piedmontese
Previously atrophied muscles were starting to show some definition
G-Force is
OF G-FORCE 13G Born April 28, 2019 Owned by Owens Farms Piedmontese in Spokane, Washington.
Feel free to contact the owner, Justin Owens, with any questions or confirmation…509-953-1151.
owensfarmspiedmontese@gmail.com
My Contact Information
Pepper Werner Lone Creek Cattle Company 307-250-9307 pepper-werner@piedmontese.com
*Note: If you would like to see video of G-Force‘s amazing transformation, contact Pepper Werner directly using the information above.
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