Cow magnets

A cow magnet is a specially designed veterinary magnet administered orally to cattle to help prevent hardware disease (traumatic reticuloperitonitis). Once swallowed, the magnet settles in the reticulum (one of the cow’s stomach compartments), where it attracts and holds metallic objects such as nails, wire, and staples, preventing them from puncturing the stomach wall or migrating to the heart.

Key Features

• High-strength permanent magnet.
• Smooth, rounded ends for safe administration.
• Corrosion-resistant construction for long-term use.
• Designed to remain in the reticulum for the animal’s lifetime.
• Compatible with standard balling guns or magnet applicators.

Benefits

• Helps prevent hardware disease.
• Attracts and retains swallowed metal objects.
• Reduces the risk of internal injury and infection.
• Improves herd health and productivity.
• Minimizes costly veterinary treatments and production losses.

Common Applications

• Dairy cattle
• Beef cattle
• Breeding cows
• Heifers at risk of ingesting metal objects
• Commercial and smallholder livestock farms

Specifications

How It Works

1. The cow magnet is administered orally using a balling gun.
2. It passes into the reticulum.
3. Metallic objects swallowed during grazing or feeding are attracted to the magnet.
4. The retained metal remains attached to the magnet, reducing the risk of injury to internal organs.

Ideal For

• Dairy farms
• Beef cattle operations
• Veterinary clinics
• Livestock cooperatives
• Animal health professionals

Cow magnets are a simple, cost-effective preventive tool that helps protect cattle from hardware disease, supporting better animal welfare and improved farm productivity.