Bull calf popping pastern

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Hogtiming

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I have a reg bull calf that when he walks his back two pasterns click/popping/when he walks. He doesn't do it all the time. I have seen it a few times over the years with my commercial calfs and never have given it much thought. Curious if the problem will correct it's self or should I cull?
 
You see this a ton in fat show steers. In a 1400 steer, not much of an issue. In a bull calf, I would consider it a reason to castrate. I haven't noticed that it is a highly heritable trait, but if he has it as a calf, it will likely get worse as he gets bigger/heavier and may affect his gait more profoundly. Is he a new calf, or a weanling?
 
5 months old. I used my last straw of right time and now I have a pastern that is popping/clicking. Maybe a expensive feeder steer. But I was curious if he may grow out of it?
 
Its not usually something they grow out of. Usually gets worse with age/weight. Sorry to be a burden of bad news!
 
Selenium supplementation is the only way I've found to mediate it. Multimin 90 (rx) is the easiest, if you have a prescription. We use the 12:12 Mineral from the feed mill I work for, it is 45ppm selenium, and have not had a problem with any cattle popping pasterns since. We have donors, recips, 1400 pound show steers, bred show heifers at any given time. All of them are pretty sound
 
Does he do it at a slow walk, or only when he gets moving faster? In my experience calves will do it, and most grow out of it as they get older and heavier. If he's still doing it at 8-10 months I'd consider culling.

That's one of my biggest pet peeves...you see a LOT of big name AI sires do it, at 1500+ pounds. And that's one of the reasons I am loathe to buy semen on any registered bull without either seeing a video or seeing them in person. Grass or straw higher than their pasterns? No sir!
 
mhouse7":10nns3ce said:
Selenium supplementation is the only way I've found to mediate it. Multimin 90 (rx) is the easiest, if you have a prescription. We use the 12:12 Mineral from the feed mill I work for, it is 45ppm selenium, and have not had a problem with any cattle popping pasterns since. We have donors, recips, 1400 pound show steers, bred show heifers at any given time. All of them are pretty sound
What's the science behind that, do you know? I used to notice popping in some of mine but thinking about it now, haven't noticed it for some time. We put Selenium on with our fertilizer, primarily because of a retained membranes problem but it would be cool to have influenced this (non?)problem too.
 
I have no idea the science behind it, I know that I've done a little searching on the internet on it, and enough people believe it to make me think I'm not crazy lol. The most (and pretty much only) form of inorganic selenium bioavailable to cattle would be Sodium Selenite. You are probably using a different form in the fertilizer, thats only available to the plants. Supplementing a mineral with sodium selenite would help negate retained placenta as well.
 

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