broke tails

[Beefy]

well, i've had 2 cows break their tails off this week. that makes a grand total of 4 within a year. i'm pretty miffed b/c it always seems to happen to one of my favorite heifers or cows. as soon i discover it im always like 'oh noooooo!" i think maybe i have a predator on the lose that just sucks at what he does. today i saw a lot of the cows take off running away from the creek and then do their headcount moos and i found this one missing a tail later. she had it yesterday b/c i took a picture of her. there are a few hairs left but not many. but what were yall saying about some cows breaking their tails b/c of some kind of deficiency? All the ones that have lost tails have been half sisters, either blacks or grays.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Well Beefy you have got me on this one. I have never had a cow loose a tail. Let us know what you find out.

I guess will be stumped until then.

 

[Rustler9]

I've had one good cow come up with her tail halfway gone last year. Never saw the other half or knew what happened to make it break off. I kind of wondered if maybe she got it caught in something back in the woods and pulled it and broke it.

 

[certherfbeef]

Beefy, are you talking about the tail or the switch?
Never seen one lose a tail but, I have a cow that stood up while another cow was standing on her switch. Pulled the switch off. Blood everywhere. Grows back after a while if it is just the switch.

 

[Jake]

When they are layin in the shade too close they will step on each others tails and when they try to get up the pull the switch or even half the tail off. They color and relation of the cows is probably just coincidence to the point that they hang around each other maybe... the switch will grow back, half the tail won't. Looks like they've been attacked if they are still swattin flies with the bloody tail.

 

[jt]

never had this experience and hope i never do... bet that would make quite a mess.

jt

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

They freeze off up here on a fairly regular basis, but I wouldn't think that would be your problem unless those cows are from farther north. I think I remember reading something many moons ago about a parasite that can cause that to happen. Don't have a clue where, though. Good Luck.

 

[stocky]

also, sometimes a dog gets after them and grabs the tail and hangs on, this can cause them to lose part of the tail

 

[docgraybull]

Have heard of (never actually seen) cows losing their tail due to fescue toxicity, similar to fescue foot. Were there bloody stumps or were they just gone without evidence of trauma?

 

[Beefy]

gone without evidence of trauma. here today, gone the next. normally i would assume just bad luck but 4 in a years time??

 

[jt]

gone without evidence of trauma. here today, gone the next. normally i would assume just bad luck but 4 in a years time??

now that is weird... reckon its something genetic, since they are all kin?

jt

 

[Ryder]

Beefy, I have pulled, twisted, cranked, and bent tails, as I am sure you have. I have never seen one break off.
Do you think those cows were afflicted with 'hollow tail'?
:roll:

 

[sidney411]

What is hollow tail?

 

[Conagher]

Pulled one off one time while branding a friends cows, but have never seen them just fall off. This is a new one for me; I'll be interested in the root cause.

 

[Ryder]

What is hollow tail?

It is a myth that some folks believed in in older times. A sick cow would be said to have hollow horn and hollow tail. Treated by cutting tail open, put salt in it and wrap it up. Often said that the real problem was 'hollow belly' and they would get better if you fed them.

 

[MikeC]

What is hollow tail?

It is a myth that some folks believed in in older times. A sick cow would be said to have hollow horn and hollow tail. Treated by cutting tail open, put salt in it and wrap it up. Often said that the real problem was 'hollow belly' and they would get better if you fed them.

Calcium deficiency that causes the bones to supply calcium for milk and other functions. They deteriorate in the extremities first, tail, etc. Usually happens on low calcium soil. Not entirely unlike osteoporosis.
You are correct Ryder! Hollow belly would cause it!

 

[Beefy]

i might need to look into the calcium. i mean ive seen tails hanging in a tree before or on a barbed wire fence but that would be few and far between. i was already suspicious with the first two that were spread out several months and then two this week made me really suspicious of something more than bad luck. i've been giving them a lot of minerals lately...

 

[jt]

beefy, how much of the tail are you talking about? all of it or somewhere in between? i have never seen this happen. have seen cows without about half their tail, but never witnessed it happening or seen a cow right after it happened to her. other than fescue or genetics, i certainly dont know.

keep us posted..

thanks

jt

 

[Beefy]

its just the switch; there are usually a few hairs left hanging in a sad looking little circle.

 

[Bez]

Watched a cow get her tail caught in some big wild rose bushes in Alberta. She leaned into it and pulled the tail off about 10 inches from her butt.

Grab a cow in the field by the tail and she will pull - she will not stand still - found one tail wrapped up in a barbed wire fence some years ago.

Not as unusual as one might think for a cow to get hung up on / in something - and yes she will pull until she is free - and she will sometimes leave her tail behind.

Bez