What's wrong with my yearling Scottish Highland?

[imq707s]

I picked up a pair of Scottish Highland yearling heifers around a month ago. They are both eating and drinking good, and gaining weight. I've noticed that the smaller one of the pair (around 250lbs) has been breathing fast and heavy on and off for the last two weeks. It comes and goes, but didn't seem to be getting any worse. Well, a few days ago it started sounding worse....kind of snotty sounding when she's breathing. Sometimes I can't hear it at all, and then a few hours later if I check on her...she' doing it. She's not coughing....or acting sick at all, she just seems to be breathing fast and labored sometimes.

Does that sounds like some kind of respiratory infection, or should I just keep an eye on her and see what happens. The vet I talked to said that it may be a good idea to give her a shot of Draxxin just in case it is a respiratory infection.

Any advice?

 

[3waycross]

I picked up a pair of Scottish Highland yearling heifers around a month ago. They are both eating and drinking good, and gaining weight. I've noticed that the smaller one of the pair (around 250lbs) has been breathing fast and heavy on and off for the last two weeks. It comes and goes, but didn't seem to be getting any worse. Well, a few days ago it started sounding worse....kind of snotty sounding when she's breathing. Sometimes I can't hear it at all, and then a few hours later if I check on her...she' doing it. She's not coughing....or acting sick at all, she just seems to be breathing fast and labored sometimes.

Does that sounds like some kind of respiratory infection, or should I just keep an eye on her and see what happens. The vet I talked to said that it may be a good idea to give her a shot of Draxxin just in case it is a respiratory infection.

Any advice?

Let me see if i got this straight. You called a Vet and talked to him and he said it sounds like a respiratory problem and advised that you give her a shot of Draxin.

What part of that advice did you think a bunch of anonamous people on the internet would be able to improve upon?

 

[inyati13]

3way, your response will have me laughing all morning. I would just add that they don't have much faith in their vet and maybe that is justified.

 

[chippie]

you didn't say where you live. She could be getting heat stress pneumonia. It's a very bad thing. I would take her to the vet and let him evaluate her problem rather than asking for advice over the phone or on the internet.

 

[inyati13]

you didn't say where you live. She could be getting heat stress pneumonia. It's a very bad thing. I would take her to the vet and let him evaluate her problem rather than asking for advice over the phone or on the internet.

you did a better job at responding than I did, but that was funny what 3way said. I hope the poster is not offended. Sorry.

 

[imq707s]

Thanks for the advice. I gave her a shot of Draxxin like the vet suggested. He said that she could be a "lunger" and have some permanent issues with her lungs from some infection when she was smaller.....but he said I will know in a few days. If the Draxxin doesn't cure the problem, he said nothing will. I may have him come out and take a look like you guys have suggested.

I'm located in Missouri....the weather has been in the 70s-80s during the day, and mid 50's at night. They have plenty of shade and water...the other one isn't panting like the small one, so I don't they they are getting too hot during the day. Thanks for the info.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

I am with 3 way on this, and I am glad I don't raise 250lb yearlings. I hoped they meant 250lbs smaller than the other one, but it don't sound like it.

 

[chippie]

Some cattle can get heat stressed in 70 to 80 degree heat. Your's with the heavy coats may be getting hotter than you think. Maybe body clipping the heifer would give her some relief. Make sure that they have plenty of shade.
Good luck with them.

 

[dun]

Some cattle can get heat stressed in 70 to 80 degree heat. Your's with the heavy coats may be getting hotter than you think. Maybe body clipping the heifer would give her some relief. Make sure that they have plenty of shade.
Good luck with them.

That would be particularly true if they are on fescue. The long hair supposedly insulates them from external heat just as it does from external cold. But the internal heat from fescue would be trapped.

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Some cattle can get heat stressed in 70 to 80 degree heat. Your's with the heavy coats may be getting hotter than you think. Maybe body clipping the heifer would give her some relief. Make sure that they have plenty of shade.
Good luck with them.

That would be particularly true if they are on fescue. The long hair supposedly insulates them from external heat just as it does from external cold. But the internal heat from fescue would be trapped.

That's what I was thinking Dun, and since her breed has a ton of hair, you might need to step in and clip it off. The size is no problem, since the breed is known to be a small specialty breed. For people with very little land that want to raise cattle. One of my former students at the college raises them, and makes good money selling beef from them. He only runs 4 or 5 head, on just a few acres, but is able to supplement his income. He found a niche market.