Two men stand beside a red Aqua Cow Rise System tank on grass, with trees in the background.

Blairsville, PA

Hope Floats

Hydrotherapy (float tanks) can support the recovery of cattle that are weak, have slipped and fell, or had difficult calvings. If a cow cannot stand, her weight quickly causes compartmentalization of blood flow which can cause irreparable damage within 12-24 hours. The float tank and hydrotherapy allow cows to remain standing without bearing any weight, increasing her chances of recovery.

A green downward arrow centered on a light beige circular background.
A black and white cow looks over a metal trough near hay and a blue scoop on a sunny day.

The Goal:

Support Cows and the Southeast PA Dairy Community

Funding provided: $3,862

Animal lives improved each year: TBD

After having to put down a cow that slipped and fell Matthew decided he wanted to provide a cow hydrotherapy service for the farms in his community.

He had seen that there is a float service in Lancaster County, PA that will deliver a float to the farm, move the animal into the tank, and fill the tank with water. The tank stayed on the farm as long as the producer needs it for that cow and has become a popular service for the community. There was no known service available like this in southeastern Pennsylvania. Mathew found a refurbished Float Tank along with a water pump to speed filling the tank for $4,300 within driving distance and wanted to take on the challenge.

The Outcomes:

Timing is everything

There is no easy way to manage a non-ambulatory (“down”) cow. It takes time, patience and the right tools. Here’s what we know.

What Farmers Are Saying

“I have used it 4 times with a 50% success rate. The quicker you get them in the tank, the better their chances. It takes some practice; shorter cows need a way to hold feed lower.”

- Mathew, Dairy farmer Blairsville, PA

A cow stands in a metal lift system on a farm, with equipment and buildings in the background.

Examples of successful float tank use on another farm. This farm uses the float tank proactively with excellent results for any cow that slips, is weak or had a hard calving.

A black and white cow stands behind a rusty metal farm container under a clear blue sky.
A black cow is stuck in a large metal bin in a parking lot, with cars and farm equipment in the background.

Support farmers. Support animals.

Sleep well knowing that Kinder Ground has a 100% donation guarantee which means your whole contribution goes toward helping farmers & animals.

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