This is a true story about a night many years ago when the breathalyser hadn’t even been invented.

It was also a time, when it wasn’t unusual to be given a drop of whiskey after a late-night calving.

I was called urgently at 1am in mid- February to a difficult calving, but the farmer had already pulled a huge dead calf when I got there.

She was extremely anaemic and her blood pressure had dropped so low that the bleeding had stopped

However, the heifer was badly torn in the process and had bled profusely.

She was extremely anaemic and her blood pressure had dropped so low that the bleeding had stopped and I was unable to find the damaged blood vessel.

An immediate blood transfusion was therefore required, but as the calved cows were out on grass, I had to use a very unco-operative Limousin bull as a donor.

Having gotten 10 litres of blood, her system was replenished and the blood pressure increased

As distinct from people, there usually is no problem with giving blood from one animal to another of the same species.

Having gotten 10 litres of blood, her system was replenished and the blood pressure increased, so that she began to bleed again through the damaged blood vessel profusely.

I didn’t notice she was bleeding again until I had given most of the blood, but I was then able to find the damaged blood vein and clamp it.

When I finished and was washing up, and feeling cold after my efforts, I thought the cow also looked the same as myself

Unfortunately, as she had lost more blood, I had to give a second transfusion from an even more unwilling Angus bull.

When I finished and was washing up, and feeling cold after my efforts, I thought the cow also looked the same as myself.

The herdowner then came up with an excellent suggestion: “What about a drop of whiskey?”

A few minutes later, he arrived back with a full bottle of Irish and, to my astonishment, asked “if I would like to give it to her”.

Jim Kelleher MVB MRCVS, CertDHH works at Riverview Veterinary Group, Bandon, Co Cork. Riverview Veterinary Group is part of XLVets. XLVets is a group of progressive practices who are working together to achieve a better future for agriculture and veterinary in Ireland. For information, see www.xlvets.ie.