Okie so my 32 month old Brangus bull has been out with 10 cows breeding since May26. Some being replacement heifers and the majority being mature brangus and angus cows. 3 weeks ago I noticed my bull limping on his left hind leg much resembling a horse with an abcess. Not putting his full weight on but still getting use out of the leg and foot. He arches/cocks his fetlock much like a horse when they rest there hind legs. He tends to stay on toes. So after 1 week and half the vet comes and we lay the bull down in the pasture to doctor a superficial case of pinkeye due to a seed. The vet decided to examine the leg. There was no foot rot no soreness in the hoof or toes. He checked for a stifle injury and there was no swelling. No swelling anywhere in the bulls leg. My vet told me if it were in the hip the swelling would not show, but in this bulls case he didnt think it was in the hip because the bull was not swinging his leg out. The bull walks in a straight line with the hurt leg following right in step with the front. Now about the bull....He has continued to use this leg to the fullest extent. I have seen him mounting, and breeding cows mulitple times. He is breeding hard even with this slight injury. Ive also seen him run several times to feed with the rest of the herd. A wide open gallop. He does not lag behind, he doesnt really lay around alot and rest he's very active and as I said he's still fullfilling his duties and doing quite well. Im just worried what this is and will it eventually pass? I did notice today that the bull was actually kind of dragging his toes on that foot now, but he also was tracking cows heavy today....maybe I was just looking to hard today. Ive contacted the breeder and they told me to keep them updated if they need to replace the bull. But I really like this one and thats to much traveling seeing how the bull came from far away. Please give me some incite to what this may be. Ive had several other old timer, good cattlemen tell me that its not a stifle injury cuz the bull would be doing nothing whatsoever and could not mount or breed cows let alone run. Thanks alot for any help!!
Bull has injured left hind leg, need help!
- Thread starter CopeMan
- Start date
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Our black angus bull did this same thing last summer. We were really worried about him. In a few weeks he was just fine. We just watched him and never had him checked by the vet. From time to time we have cows that limp. I guess they step in holes and injure their feet or hips. I have sold a few that kept limping. But our bull got over his just fine.
If he is using it like that he will probably heal.
I'd be tempted to pen him if you van just to make him rest it.
I'd be tempted to pen him if you van just to make him rest it.
Yes, it was his hind leg. Very similar to yours. It would be a good idea to pen him up for a week or so when you finish with him in the pasture. We did that with a young heifer that was limping badly. In a few days she had begun to get better and is out in the pasture with the others now completely alright. Sure hope yours gets over his.
Son of Butch
Well-known member
CopeMan":2aqjspse said:
What are you talking about?
Do you mean in September after she is bred?
Surely you can't possibly mean what you say...that you expect him to breed her in the next week or two.
hillsdown
Well-known member
Take him out and give him a rest along with some anti inflams . Put him back out when he is better and can walk properly again .
One open cow who is way late and goes to market if need be or , one good bull that goes to market because he wasn't given a chance to heal properly after an injury . Kind of a no brainer .... He should be healed in a few weeks and it is very doubtful your late calving cow will all of a sudden be miraculously fertile and cycling a few days after just calving.
Best of luck :tiphat:
Btw I had a bull with a similar injury a few years ago and I saw how the injury happened > An older larger cow mounted him while he was breeding another cow . I treated him with anti inflams and gave him a rest . I did have the advantage of another bull to throw in and take over for him while he recovered though .He was fine after a few weeks .
One open cow who is way late and goes to market if need be or , one good bull that goes to market because he wasn't given a chance to heal properly after an injury . Kind of a no brainer .... He should be healed in a few weeks and it is very doubtful your late calving cow will all of a sudden be miraculously fertile and cycling a few days after just calving.
Best of luck :tiphat:
Btw I had a bull with a similar injury a few years ago and I saw how the injury happened > An older larger cow mounted him while he was breeding another cow . I treated him with anti inflams and gave him a rest . I did have the advantage of another bull to throw in and take over for him while he recovered though .He was fine after a few weeks .
OP
OP
CopeMan
Well-known member
hillsdown":29r5jbj4 said:
Thank you for your input and I apologize for my phrase " a week or two" Im just a hick from Tennessee, and this is just a figure of speech we use...sorry!! For example; I tell friends and family after holidays "Ill see you in a few days" even tho it may be a month or more. Just the way I talk, so no need for everyone to start freaking out lol And thank you for your advice. Ive given the bull 10cc of Dex no change however he is still breeing so a rest is def due. Thanks again!
OP
OP
CopeMan
Well-known member
hillsdown":3kjd8998 said:
Yeah I really wish I would have seen what happened to mine. Could have been the same case with my bull, the cows were real hot and heavy and mounting everything. Either way, these posts are making me feel more confident about his condition. Ive thought it couldn't be anything to horrible for him to be functioning as if hes 100%. So as long as he is up and running and breeding cows its a good sign. He'll be resting soon. Thanks again!
hillsdown
Well-known member
He probably won't get better if he has to still work , he most likely re injures it every time he breeds and puts full weight on that back end . If he is your only bull and he is still breeding your herd , you are limited with what you can do I guess .
Try giving him an anti inflam every second day for a week or so if you can , you should see some improvements and are at least relieving the inflammation . I would use predef or banamine when doing a long term type of anti inflam rather than dex . Dex is good but I like it as a one time hit them hard and fast , if no visible improvement then I switch to something that is not so hard on the liver and kidneys that I need to use for a longer term treatment. I wouldn't use something like Anafen as it is more of a pain killer and the last thing you want to do is have him push himself through and injure himself to the point of never recovering .Hopefully he has most of the herd bred already and is just cleaning up the last few and can get a few days rest in between breeding them .
Tough situation to be in , I hope it all works out for you.
Try giving him an anti inflam every second day for a week or so if you can , you should see some improvements and are at least relieving the inflammation . I would use predef or banamine when doing a long term type of anti inflam rather than dex . Dex is good but I like it as a one time hit them hard and fast , if no visible improvement then I switch to something that is not so hard on the liver and kidneys that I need to use for a longer term treatment. I wouldn't use something like Anafen as it is more of a pain killer and the last thing you want to do is have him push himself through and injure himself to the point of never recovering .Hopefully he has most of the herd bred already and is just cleaning up the last few and can get a few days rest in between breeding them .
Tough situation to be in , I hope it all works out for you.
Son of Butch
Well-known member
CopeMan":1cbrf58u said:
So why didn't anyone warn me before Clinton and Gore were elected that lying is a way of life down south? :tiphat:
OP
OP
CopeMan
Well-known member
hillsdown":5536n7bv said:
Yeah he first had a dose of Banamine but I didnt like the idea of using it to much in the beginning afraid it would mask the injury. Trying to stay away from bute right now as well. Vet wanted me to put him on it for five days, anyways its hard to single out the bull everyday and give him feed with bute tablets in it without the cows swarming the feed lol I really appreciate your concern. Thanks alot!
HDRider
Well-known member
In those two bulls you mention it is a fault we been trying to breed out, but every once in a while some show signs of having that strong negative trait. It also show up in young bulls out of island states.Son of Butch":1b7c0zsn said:
fitz
Well-known member
Mine twisted a hock last winter. Moved around just as you describe. This Bull has evidence of what I think is scar tissue from that injury.
Every situation is different, so you just have to go with what you think best as you move foward with him. I only run one Bull so he has to be at his best.
I don't feel good about this one. As he continues to gain weight I fear he may blow it out worse during breeding . At the least I expect problems with arthritis in the future.
I have to have a mobile Bull as these rock hills are a challenge.
I wish you the best with yours. As for me, I think I'm going to start over with another one this fall.
fitz
Every situation is different, so you just have to go with what you think best as you move foward with him. I only run one Bull so he has to be at his best.
I don't feel good about this one. As he continues to gain weight I fear he may blow it out worse during breeding . At the least I expect problems with arthritis in the future.
I have to have a mobile Bull as these rock hills are a challenge.
I wish you the best with yours. As for me, I think I'm going to start over with another one this fall.
fitz
suzorse
Well-known member
you can not give bute to cows, as it is not approved for food producing animals
just throwing that out there
Suzanne
just throwing that out there
Suzanne
Lucky_P
Well-known member
Bute is not just 'not approved for use in food animals', its use in them is prohibited, due to concerns about human health issues related to tissue residues.
I used to use it on cattle, given intravenously, 20+ years ago; was pretty good for musculoskeletal issues; had a serum half-life of ~60 hrs.
Wouldn't do it today. Even if the animal weren't going to slaughter for at least 2 years. You never know what might happen - sure, YOU might not sell that animal, but what if you were no longer there, and the family was dispersing the herd, and no one else knew or cared...
Don't do it, even if recommended by a veterinarian, they are WRONG to make that recommendation.
I used to use it on cattle, given intravenously, 20+ years ago; was pretty good for musculoskeletal issues; had a serum half-life of ~60 hrs.
Wouldn't do it today. Even if the animal weren't going to slaughter for at least 2 years. You never know what might happen - sure, YOU might not sell that animal, but what if you were no longer there, and the family was dispersing the herd, and no one else knew or cared...
Don't do it, even if recommended by a veterinarian, they are WRONG to make that recommendation.
