Anyone ever seen this???

[cbattaglia38]

Hey everyone. I have been racking my brain to figure out what this is and what it is from. I decided today to take a picture and upload here on the forum. Any suggestions or comments are welcome. First appeared on this cow approx. 4 days ago.
I live in an area where it is pretty hard to get a vet out. Like I said any suggestion or comments I would greatly appreciate.
Heifer is 2yrs old. Has been wormed.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

They look to me to be the holes that grubs/warbles make when they emerge from the cow/bull/steer whatever. A friend's horse had a few grub holes one time.

If I remember correctly, they start when heel flies land, and lay eggs on the animal, the eggs work their way into/under the skin (possibly mouth like a bot-fly) where they then eventually migrate through the body and emerge through the skin looking like a grub worm.

I cannot remember how many "morphs" they go through, as in egg, pupa, larva then fly.

There is more info out there regarding this. I'm sure someone else can also give the accurate info regarding certain de-wormers at specific times of year so as to avoid killing this parasite during its migratory stage. When killed off during migration, they can cause all kinds of problems including death.

At this point, if that is what you are dealing with, the grubs will come out, and the holes will heal over.

Sorry this was so long-winded.

Katherine

 

[msscamp]

Based on my limited experience with grubs, the sores appear to be to low - grubs usually emerge higher on the back. Burst abcess? How deep are they? Might simply be a nasty scrape.

 

[WORANCH]

I agree , it's not grubs.

 

[ctlbaron]

doesn't look like grubs to me either. As Camp said grubs usually come out on the top line.

 

[3MR]

Looks like a bad or iritated brand to me. Especially in the fact that there are two very similar right next to each other. Whatever it is I will bet money its caused by man and not nature. Two round circles like that dont happen very often in nature.

How long have you had her?

PS: Im with everybody else, definitely not grubs.

 

[Alice]

Could that animal have been burned? I don't necessarily mean by a brand. Can other people get access to your cattle? That one spot, not the one that looks raw, but the other spot, looks almost to be a perfect circle. When was the last time you saw the animal that it didn't have these spots?

I'm with 3MR...those spots look to be man made.

Alice

 

[farmwife]

My first thought was ringworms, but it looks to inflamed. Ringworms typically have more an ashy or scaly appearance. Not grubs; too large. I'm stumped. Any other symptoms? Let us know when you find out.

 

[cbattaglia38]

Cow was bought at an auction 3 months ago. I see these cattle everyday, because I give a handful of grain each day to keep them tame. These places have just appeared. Pasture is right behind my house so no one else could get back there. There was not a brand there. I appreciate every one's response. That second circle that appeared will probably fall off today as it was just about ready to go yesterday.

 

[dun]

Do they have access to elctrical anything or old batterys maybe?

dun

 

[Alice]

Ok, since you cleared up what I was thinking about, maybe it's some kind of funky wart and the raw one got rubbed off. I see a lot of horn flies on him, not that that has anything to do with it, I just noticed them. Maybe he got stung by something, like a hornet. or a spider.

Cripes, now I'm coming up with everything. If it doesn't appear to be bothering him, and the raw one heals over pretty quickly, if it were me, I wouldn't worry about it.

Alice

 

[certherfbeef]

I vote for ringworm. Because it itches, the cow will rub it on something makeing it look irritated and inflamed. They may even scratch it till it bleeds. Now it appears that the bloody scab is falling off.

 

[3MR]

Ringworm wouldnt make two, almost perfectly round, localized circles, of the same size diameter. The one that hasnt sloughed off even has the same size line making the complete circle. That just doesnt happen in nature.

Looks like it might be the size of an O-ring from a cinch. If a closed brand isnt vented it can slough off sometimes.

I would think it would have happened before 3 or 4 months though, not sure.

Definitely not something in nature; so Im going with someone playing cowboy or Alians. :lol:

PS: I know you said you got them at auction, do you have any idea who owned them before you?

 

[certherfbeef]

Ringworm wouldnt make two, almost perfectly round, localized circles, of the same size diameter. The one that hasnt sloughed off even has the same size line making the complete circle. That just doesnt happen in nature.

Why not?

 

[ALACOWMAN]

is there swelling ive seen snake bites that look simular

 

[Beefy]

i have some cows that get places like that from time to time, usually around the neck. they are like bloody scabs that persist. i'm not sure what they are. i have a few theories though. i only notice them in the summer. i suspect they are just some sort of insect bite that the animals are highly sensitive too, maybe have some type of allergic reaction. though ive never caught any of the animals rubbing these areas i suspect they do so. probably lick them too if they can reach them. it may be something akin to hotspots and if they are where they can lick them it will keep them from healing. i was told by a vet that a dog with hot spots will lick it b/c it releases some kind of endorphins thereby getting a high from licking the area. i would assume the same applies to cows, though i would be willing to bet they are more prone to rub them.

 

[3MR]

Ringworm wouldnt make two, almost perfectly round, localized circles, of the same size diameter. The one that hasnt sloughed off even has the same size line making the complete circle. That just doesnt happen in nature.

Why not?

Straight lines and perfect circles dont happen in nature, thats why we camoflouge things we dont want to be seen, breaking up the straight lines and un-nautural shapes.

I cant tell you scientifically why, but look for yourself and see if you can find a series of perfect circles, straight lines, exact same shape repeating in nature. If you can find one I will stand corrected, Im pretty sure you wont be able to.

Also, Ringworm is a fungus that spreads from the center out, so you get a small ring area that grows out larger.

Someone posted a picture of a cow with ringworm on its head a few days ago, I cant remember what thread.

From a forensic standpoint, look a the scar and you will be able to see what appears to be the same pattern injury along the edge of both circles, bottom left, which would give credance to my man made theory.

Just my opinion, Im not trying to argue with anybody. Please dont missinterpret that I somehow think your opinion is worth any less or not as valid as mine.

edited to add a link to a picture of a cow with ringworm.

http://www.photobar.com/galleries/dheal ... 3U1277.jpg

 

[cbattaglia38]

Hey all, thanks for all the posts. One thing is I don't feel helpless now! THis forum is great.
There is no access to electrical anything or old batteries.

My experience from ringworm on cattle is that it has always been on the neck and up. Is that fact or fiction?

Is it possible that hair would grow back on the brand to where I couldn't see the brand? If in fact she was branded before I got her???

No immense swelling that I can tell just the lesions. Would snake bites be that big??? These circles are the size of half-dollars.

 

[certherfbeef]

My experience from ringworm on cattle is that it has always been on the neck and up. Is that fact or fiction?

I've seen it pretty much everywhere on a cow. Head and neck seem to be more prevelant but I fought with ring worm on show calves in their topline, on their hips and lower quarter, and their tail heads.

 

[mnmtranching]

I had a cow with the same thing last summer, but only the one spot. I had no idea what it was. My cow was tame like yours I just sprayed iodine on it every other day three times. She still has a little scar but is raising another fine calf. Try it.

mnmt