If the cow is lying down the pulse may be taken from the metacarpal artery on the back part of the fore fetlock.
"Special Report on Diseases of Cattle"
U.S. Department of Agriculture J.R. Mohler
Would you care to stop and take out a metacarpal?
"Round the Red Lamp Being Facts and Fancies of Medical Life"
Arthur Conan Doyle
Being answered in the affirmative, he desired to see his wounds; Captain Cook held out his right-hand, which had a scar upon it, dividing the thumb from the finger the whole length of the metacarpal bones.
"A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Volume 16"
Robert Kerr