This is the dramatic moment residents rescued an exhausted cow that was stuck in the mud.

A group of men saved the severely emaciated bovine lying in the muddy depression in Chifeng, China.

Footage shows the rescuers digging up the soil with shovels before using an orange rope to carefully hoist the trapped animal on July 5.

They can be seen hauling the horned beast multiple times, and after a painstaking effort, they managed to pull it out of the mud.

After being retrieved, the visibly weak cow remained lying on the ground from hunger and exhaustion.

The men then gave it water and fresh grass to munch on, helping the animal regain its energy.

One of the rescuers said: 'The cow had been lying in the mud for too long, leaving its legs numb and unable to support its weight at first. We were relieved when we saw the animal slowly regaining its strength and managing to stand on its own.'