Blackleg or What

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rc690

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I have a issue that I need help with. Ystday am went out to feed and found 6-8 wk old calf dead in barn. Thought it might be Blackleg but the calf was swollen like he'd been in the hot sun for 2 days. Bloody foam was coming out of mouth and nose. Vet said the swelling was not usually a sign of Blackleg. I have several other calves and don't want to lose my crop this yr. :( Anyone out there with any ideas??????? :help:
 
Could have been a perforated ulcer, a heart defect, bloat, a fast acting pneumonia or scours, there are any # of things that could cause a calf to die suddenly. If he is that fresh, have the vet come out and post him, that should give you an idea of what the problem was.
 
did you feel the calfs front shoulders an legs.if they are mushy an pop an crinkle when you move them then its blackleg.the blood is a sign of blackleg.but it could be from other things as well.
 
BIGBULL....
I GRABBED HIS SHOULDERS AND LEGS BUT THEY DID NOT "CRINKLE" AT FIRST. LATER IN THE DAY HE DID. THE SWELLING IS WHAT HAS GOT ME PUZZLED. SO FAR THE REST OF THE CALVES ARE DOING OK....I HOPE THAT CONTINUES FOR THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO. I AM NOT BUT A WEEK OFF ON THE VACS. TOOK THE DEAD CALF OVER THE HILL BEFORE I THOUGHT ABOUT HAVING HIM POST. DUMB MISTAKE ON MY PART. IS FROTH A PART OF BLACKLEG???
 
yes the frothe could be a part of blackleg.since they crinkled im betting he had blackleg.
 
You state you took the dead calf over the hill. If you did not bury it you should go back and bury it deep. If it is blackleg everywhere a dog or yote carrys the bones or meat could have the virus spread.
 
My grandpa always said that burying an animal with blackleg puts it in the ground. He said to always burn them.
 
cut the hide back and see what color is under the hide if its black you have the blackleg, burn it and bury the remains. I would start giving your other calves shots now just to be safe.
 
I am pretty sure its blackleg. Sounds like it is anyway. Burn the calf. Buzzards will spread it to every farm they crap on. :(
 
HERE IN KENTUCKY THEY COMPLAIN IF YOU BURN AND YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BURY, BUT THAT IS WHAT I DID. THE OTHER CALVES SEEM TO BE HOLDING THEIR OWN AS FAR AS SICKNESS GOES. HAVEN'T NOTICED ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. HOPE THIS "OUTBREAK" STOPS WITH THE ONE CALF. HE WAS THE RUNT OF THE PACK AND I DON'T KNOW IF WAS JUST BORN "SICKLY" AND WAS MORE PRONE TO "CATCHING" WHAT EVERS WAS LAYING IN THE LAND OR WHAT. :( BUT HE SEEMED TO BE DOING ALLRIGHT. THIS JUST CAUGHT ME BY SURPRISE. :eek:
HAD A LOT OF PINK EYE THIS WINTER ALSO. HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS PROBLEM THIS YEAR??
 
What kind of physical shape was the cow in? This sounds more like pneumonia to me, probably a complication of some other respiratory infection (IBR, BVD). There was a terrible problem around here with such infections in weaned calves, but not as much in suckling calves. I'm just wondering if momma was a heifer or in very poor condition. I would watch the other calves closely. If you see a lot of runny noses, humped up calves, or some that don't stretch when they wake up for a nap, talk to a vet. Many will tell you NuFlor and banamine is best treatment for respiratory infection. I personally found Draxxin and banamine to be much more effective this year.
 
I don't think it was necessarily blackleg either.. generally blackleg strikes the faster growing calves, not the runts. The swelling doesn't sound right either.. the one incident with blackleg that we had, the calves back leg was big, nothing else. Don't remember seeing blood from his mouth.

Sounds more like a clostridium type disease to me.
 
HE WAS SO SWOLLEN THAT HIS EYES WERE LITERALLY POPPING OUT OF HIS HEAD. AND YES HE WAS MY LAST CALF BORN AND WAS THE RUNT. THIS DOES NOT SOUND LIKE BLACKLEG TO ME BUT THIS IS MY FIRST EXPERIENCE AND HOPEFULLY THE LAST WITH IT.
 

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