1 ear down?

[rcnjcn]

This is the second calf I have had who became very sick, fever & resporitory type, doesn't respond well to antibiotics, as time goes on one ear droops down and they hold their head crooked. One of them died and the other one hasn't made up his mind yet. It sounds like an ear infection but since it is in two calves I wonder. They have had all shots and been wormed and poured. As usual you think you have covered all the bases but it doesn't seem to be enough.

 

[1848]

How old are the calves? Are you located in a heavily wooded area. What is the climate there? Did you look in their ears for ticks?

 

[buckaroo_bif]

sounds to me like shipping fever, if you're having a lot of cool nights and warm days. what kind of antibiotics? i usually just use long acting penicillin on calves works well and one shot is usually all it takes.

 

[Kathleen]

I agree that a new antibiotic might be in order. I use Nuflor with good results for respiratory infections. I also use a product called Vitamix on all my calves--the guy's a nut but his products work!! If you're interested in it go to http://www.franklampley.com.

 

[Texan]

......doesn't respond well to antibiotics, as time goes on one ear droops down and they hold their head crooked.

Interesting. I've had several calves with that symptom over the years, but I've never lost one to have him posted. Very noticeable about just the one ear drooping. Sometimes that is the first symptom I've seen, followed by the other respiratory signs. Calves that range from 150# on up to weaned calves. Temp in one weaned calf that did that was high enough to make me think BRSV. My digital stops at 108, and it went there quick and stopped.

I still don't know for sure what caused it, but I do know what has fixed all of them for me---Micotil. I know that Bif and some others don't like it, but anytime you can take a calf with a temp of 108+ and give him one shot of anything and cure him, it's like a miracle to me. Good luck and let us know if you get anything confirmed, please. I'd still like to know what it is.

 

[buckaroo_bif]

:shock: Hey if micotil works for you then by all means use it i just know i had Very bad luck with it a year ago. The stockers just never did respond to it, and well neither did the little calves! But! we had a lot of bad luck a year ago to sickness with the stockers.I really think something must have happened to the bottle I was using. Used A180 and banamine this year, had excellent results too. with little calves like i said penicillin seems to work fine and sulfa pills for scours. I think calves just drop an ear simply cause they aren't feeling good, we see it a lot with the stocker cattle.

 

[Kathleen]

On micotil--my vet warned us not to prick ourselves with the needle when injecting it or it may be fatal. I didn't like that. It does work well, but I've found Nuflor to be effective also. Micotil is probably stronger though.