Bull dragging back hooves

[HOSS]

I noticed today that my bull is dragging the front tips of his back hooves when he walks. Today is the first day that I have noticed it. He was not doing it before now. His walk is tracking fine and he does not seem to be in any pain. He is eating well, doesn't seem ill and is actively breeding with no problems. I did notice this after he had walked from the muddy corral area into the pasture and mud had balled up in the cloven part of the hoof. I thought that he might be trying to dislodge the mud. He picks up the front hooves normally though. Any ideas as to why he would drag them like that? I have seen buck deer do this in the rut but have not noticed it with cows

 

[SEC]

Hard to say, what's the water source like? Anytime I have seen animals dragging hooves dehyrdration may be a possibility.

Maybe January has gotten down? LOL!

Hard day at work I guess?

 

[HOSS]

SEC, Water is not a problem. He has a continuos supply of fresh water as well as 2 ponds.

Right now if he having a hard day at work I need to get hime some bovine viagra. He is on limited cows right now so maybe he is just bored because there is not enough cows to keep him busy

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

It also may be a structural problem that is just now starting to show up. Bulls dragging their hind feet is not uncommon. They get muscled up & don't move as "free" as they should. This is generally a structural problem. That's why they are judged so critically (or should be) on the way they walk.

 

[flaboy+]

Could be he hurt himself mounting a cow and lifting the leg higher hurts. I would watch him for a few days and see if it gets better or worse. I had a bull hurt himself so bad mounting a cow he never got over it. He could no longer mount one and walked with his back bone poked up in the air. I had to put wheels under him.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Could be he hurt himself mounting a cow and lifting the leg higher hurts. I would watch him for a few days and see if it gets better or worse. I had a bull hurt himself so bad mounting a cow he never got over it. He could no longer mount one and walked with his back bone poked up in the air. I had to put wheels under him.

Had a old simm bull one time i swear his feet were a big as a elephants weighed a good ton. hit the ground wrong when dismounting. damaged a nerve in his front shoulder . never got over it. you know that there back feet come off the ground most of the time when breeding could have hurt himself that way might have sored him up.

 

[TheBullLady]

Are his back hooves longer in the toe than in back?

 

[HOSS]

Bulllady, his hooves appear normal. His tracking appears normal, his back hooves seem to place themselves in the same location or pretty close to where his front hoof has evacuated.

He may just be more muscle bound. He has bulk but you can see every muscle move when he walks. He never seems to be in a hurry to get anywhere but he seems to keep up with the herd with no problems. It is uncanny the ground he can cover without looking like he is in a hurry.

 

[Bez!]

Might be nothing wrong with him. Just a lazy walker.

Bez!