2 500# Steer Dead

[Coosh71]

A neighbor just found his 2nd 500# steer calf dead this morning. Vet did a nucropsy and said severe pneumonia with this one. Helped him treat and check the rest of his calves today. Odd to me that he would have 2 in a week die of pneumonia. Never happened to me (knock on wood), especially in summer weather. Anyone else had any issues like this lately?

 

[kenny thomas]

We're these bought calves, weaned calves, or calves still on the cow?

 

[WinterSpringsFarm]

Just treated a cow on Labor Day for pneumonia. We have been high 90s with 70% humidity in the day and 70s with 95% humidity at night. Prime weather for it here.

 

[Ky hills]

We have treated 2 calves still on cows for pneumonia, within the last 2-3 weeks. Like someone else posted it has been hot and humid here and it has been rough on the cattle and real rough on some of them. Tonight it has cooled of quite a bit after the rain so no telling what that change will do for them.

 

[Nesikep]

I've just had a couple cows come down with pneumonia the last 2 days.. We went from 100F and really smokey to rain and 45F at night.. pretty ideal conditions to set it off... Calves have all been fine though

 

[Coosh71]

They were his calves still on the cow. And about the same weather here. Has been hot and humid with no rain to speak of until today. Cool temps and rain. Odd weather for sure.

 

[True Grit Farms]

How do you tell if a cow or calf has pneumonia?

 

[Coosh71]

I will walk thru my herds weekly, especially if they have calves. I look for any sign of an animal acting different tan they should be heavy/rapid breathing, discharge from eyes or nasal, calf scours is an animal droopy looking and maybe not keeping up with the rest or just off by itself. If you know your animals it's easier IMO, to spot something (anything) before it gets too advanced.

 

[Bright Raven]

We have treated 2 calves still on cows for pneumonia, within the last 2-3 weeks. Like someone else posted it has been hot and humid here and it has been rough on the cattle and real rough on some of them. Tonight it has cooled of quite a bit after the rain so no telling what that change will do for them.

Same here. Extremely hot and humid, now almost 72 hours of chilling rain and a 25 degree drop in temperatures. I am wondering about this.

 

[Bright Raven]

How do you tell if a cow or calf has pneumonia?

You can tell they are not thrifty. Maybe standing with drooped ears. Breathing rapidly. I have a stethoscope. Since I halter break my calves starting at a young age, I can check for congestion or "rattling" in the lungs.

 

[elkwc]

Temperature extremes will trigger it.The pneumonia we've seen the recently is fast acting. We found one in the late spring and doctored it. It lived about 60 days and died. Too much damage to her lungs. It seems if you have one in a pasture you are liable to have more. Only pasture we had it in this summer. Many go to checking them twice a day if they can. Due to distance we will check once a day.