Blue Eyed Brangus

[Dusty Britches]

My brangus heifer calved last week and the bull calf, out of a reputable registered bull has light blue eyes. I think he is blind, but my husband thinks otherwise. His pupils are black, the irises are a light blue - almost white.

I hope it is just blue eyes, but how can I tell? He walks ok (only 4 days old) and he follows his mother well, but it could be his hearing and smell working for him. He sure is funny looking. Black as night with blue - white eyes.

I am perplexed about this and most very experienced cattlemen I've talked too said they have never seen or heard of anything like it. When I figure out whether or not he's blind, I'll be calling the ranch I bought her from.

PS - I'll be posting this in the Beginners Board, too.

 

[DOC HARRIS]

My brangus heifer calved last week and the bull calf, out of a reputable registered bull has light blue eyes. I think he is blind, but my husband thinks otherwise. His pupils are black, the irises are a light blue - almost white.

I hope it is just blue eyes, but how can I tell? He walks ok (only 4 days old) and he follows his mother well, but it could be his hearing and smell working for him. He sure is funny looking. Black as night with blue - white eyes.

I am perplexed about this and most very experienced cattlemen I've talked too said they have never seen or heard of anything like it. When I figure out whether or not he's blind, I'll be calling the ranch I bought her from.

PS - I'll be posting this in the Beginners Board, too.

Dusty Britches - This condition is known as Oculocutaneous Albinism and is seen in Angus cattle. It can affect the black coat color and change it to a coppery red tinged black, but the main effect of this recessive condition is an eye abnormality. Go to the following web site for more information:

http://skyway.usask.ca/~schmutz/conditions.html

DOC HARRIS

 

[Dusty Britches]

Thanks, Doc. Not to knock anyone else, but this is the first objective information I've seen. Others suggested that his eyes may turn brown after a couple of weeks. If not, I suspect this is what he has. I watched him last night and he didn't stumble or run into things. I got pictures and hopefully will post them later today.

 

[Brandonm2]

I had seen calves like that at the sale; and I always assumed that I was looking at a mineral deficiency of some sort. I am glad Doc resolved that question once and for all.

 

[Dusty Britches]

Here's the pictures. I don't think this is resolved once and for all - yet. We're going to catch him this weekend and check for blindness.

 

[docgraybull]

It may very well be the albinism disorder, so I'm not discounting that possibility. But, we had a calf with blue eyes born here about 4 years ago. She was out of a smallish white crossbred (salebarn :shock: ) cow with some ear, and an Angus bull. The calf was black with a little bit of white on her udder, and had blue eyes. Cute as could be. Her eyes did turn brown within a few weeks. She grew out well and got to stay. She raised a knock out steer last year, and is currently raising another fine steer.

 

[Beefy]

i mostly see the condition in red calves that have no angus in them. and its usually in calves that are a little bit early. (the eyes are one of the last things to develop). this calf doesnt look early though. also can be due to a vitamin deficiency.

normally they can see fine and the eye darkens up with time. if its a smokey looking blue and looks like its down in the eye they are usally fine. blind calves have more of a milky looking light blue haze that is more like a film. i dont know if that makes sense or not. you can usually tell by them feeling around or walking in to things. i cant really tell from the picture because of the glare.

 

[Dusty Britches]

I watched him some more last night. I can say unequivocally he is not blind. He wandered under some low hanging branches and over some more branches without a problem. Later, when the 3 momma cows picked their babies up, they walked through the pens we are building and then around the ATV. He never bumped a thing, never tripped.

I'm now curious as to what the other 4 cows I bought from the same ranch, bred to the same bull are going to throw. They'll be calving soon.

BTW-this calf was born on the due date. And, I keep 12-12 loose mineral out all year. I'd be surprised if it was a mineral deficiency.

 

[dun]

BTW-this calf was born on the due date. And, I keep 12-12 loose mineral out all year. I'd be surprised if it was a mineral deficiency.

How long have you had the cows? It can take a pretty good period of time for a mineral shortage to be made up with just a standard mineral

dun

 

[Dusty Britches]

Since April.

 

[Beefy]

is it a mineral deficiency or a vitamin deficiency? b/c they say give a shot of vitamin something for eyes. i wanna say vitamin A? somebody help me out with the vitamins. i think its vitamin E for retained placenta?

 

[DOC HARRIS]

is it a mineral deficiency or a vitamin deficiency? b/c they say give a shot of vitamin something for eyes. i wanna say vitamin A? somebody help me out with the vitamins. i think its vitamin E for retained placenta?

Vitamin "A" is a specific for vision, as well as a barrier to certain infections. NO vitamin is a direct 'specific cure-all' for deficiencies in nutritional intake, however Vitamin "A" is an anti-oxidant, along with Vit. "E", "C", and to a lesser degree the mineral Selenium. However, Vitamin "A" is the vitamin concerned with the problem discussed in this post at this time. And, yes Beefy, Vitamin "E" is primary for reproductive efficiency and potency, along of course, with a well-balanced Mineral supplementation program.

DOC HARRIS

 

[Dusty Britches]

So, Doc -

Are you saying this could be a vitamin A deficiency?

 

[DOC HARRIS]

So, Doc -

Are you saying this could be a vitamin A deficiency?

No, Dusty - I am not saying that. I do not think it is a Vit. A deficiency. I still think it is Oculocutaneous Albinism. To me, that is the Primary Diagnosis. A Secondary Diagnosis could be Vitamin "A" deficiency influenced, but not the Primary Etiology (cause) of the little guy's condition. I hope I am wrong, but I will still go with OA until proved wrong. If this were a legitimate Vitamin "A" deficiency, his hair coat would be rough, scruffy, and not as shiny as it appears in the pictures, he would appear lethargic, and his hooves would possibly be sort of flinty or scaly. Maybe a short or missing switch. Slight or severe diarrhea depending upon the degree of "A" deficiency.

DOC HARRIS

 

[Dusty Britches]

On Sunday, we caught him casterated him and tagged him. I checked to see if he was blind, even though I knew he wasn't at that point. His eyes were very light blue, almost white.

Monday, I get home from work and his eyes are completely brown! I am totally amazed at how fast they changed!

 

[DOC HARRIS]

On Sunday, we caught him casterated him and tagged him. I checked to see if he was blind, even though I knew he wasn't at that point. His eyes were very light blue, almost white.

Monday, I get home from work and his eyes are completely brown! I am totally amazed at how fast they changed!

Dusty-
Glad to hear that "Little Guy" has pigmentation in his eyes! He should do just fine as a feeder calf, and I am glad that you did not decide to keep him as a Breeding Bull. He might have been okay to do so, but one never knows what some of these weird genes have riding along with them as a recessive characteristic. Pretty "is" as pretty "does"!

DOC HARRIS

 

[docgraybull]

Monday, I get home from work and his eyes are completely brown! I am totally amazed at how fast they changed!

Glad to hear that. Guess it wasn't Oculocutaneous Albinism? I assume it's not spontaneously reversible. :lol:

 

[Dusty Britches]

Y'all aren't going to believe this -

His eyes turned blue again. Now, they are slowly turning brown. I'm getting indigestion over this. Glad he's a steer now. If he didn't have an ear tag, I might think I had the wrong calf. But, he's also the only male less then 2 months old that I have.

 

[Beefy]

this is really not a big deal at all. it happens. the calf has a bluish eye. depending on the lighting you may be able to see some blue in the eye as long as the calf lives. or it may darken with time. if you look closely you will likely always be able to tell. ive seen this several times. its unusual and kind of cool but not a big deal.