Any reason not to butcher yearling down with grass tetany?

[Wisteria Farms]

Have a yearling bull that escaped with 4 other yearlings into a new pasture of fresh grass. They weren't "hungry" so grain wouldn't bring them in. Storm was coming in so fixed the gate and waited for them to come in under the shed & out of the rain to trap them. They were on grass less than 24 hours....maybe more like 12.

ONE of the escapees is now showing early signs of grass tetany (though theres both a hi mag block and salt block in their pen). There is NO WAY to treat this animal via IV without totally stressing him out (he would have to be separated/pinned and moved to the other barn where the chute is) so I'm thinking we'll have to put him down here shortly (right now is just staggering and up/down a lot)...

Looking ahead... is there any reason not to butcher him?

1st case of grass tetany. SUCKS.

 

[1982vett]

double post

 

[1982vett]

Givethem some loose salt asap....
http://beefmagazine.com/health/salt-can ... ass-tetany
Worth a try.....

 

[Nesikep]

I don't know about the quality of the meat (tenderness), but as far as it being safe to eat, I certainly would eat it.

 

[inyati13]

Find some seasoning high in magnesium.

I wonder if it is grass tetany. Your mineral program should have supplied him enough Magnesium to get through a couple days. There are a couple vets on CT, i.e. Lucky_P, send him a PM if he does not read this. Magnesium is a short cycle trace element but if your program was adequate, bull should survive a 12 hour exposure on the magnesium in his system. Not a lactating cow so not throwing his minerals at a calf. You said he staggers. Any signs of illness in the other three?

 

[angus9259]

Find some seasoning high in magnesium.

I wonder if it is grass tetany. Your mineral program should have supplied him enough Magnesium to get through a couple days. There are a couple vets on CT, i.e. Lucky_P, send him a PM if he does not read this. Magnesium is a short cycle trace element but if your program was adequate, bull should survive a 12 hour exposure on the magnesium in his system. Not a lactating cow so not throwing his minerals at a calf. You said he staggers. Any signs of illness in the other three?

x2

a young bull it seems to me is the LEAST likely to get grass tet and certainly not that fast. I'd do some addition investigation before putting him down.

 

[fnfarms1]

staggering? anaplas?

 

[callmefence]

Find some seasoning high in magnesium.

I wonder if it is grass tetany. Your mineral program should have supplied him enough Magnesium to get through a couple days. There are a couple vets on CT, i.e. Lucky_P, send him a PM if he does not read this. Magnesium is a short cycle trace element but if your program was adequate, bull should survive a 12 hour exposure on the magnesium in his system. Not a lactating cow so not throwing his minerals at a calf. You said he staggers. Any signs of illness in the other three?

x2

a young bull it seems to me is the LEAST likely to get grass tet and certainly not that fast. I'd do some addition investigation before putting him down.

X3

I've said this before and incorrectly corrected by one of our so called mentors.
But this is correct bulls and young cattle are very low risk for tetnay. And only being on the grass twelve hours. I sure wouldn't be thinking tetany. What kinda of grass is it?

 

[pricefarm]

Had a cow that had a 3 week old calf die from that a few weeks ago. Had vet come out to varify. He told me that the only cattle that where at risk was cows that had calfs on them. I had out perinua hi mag minerals but apparently this cow wasn't eatting it.