Bull with Injury

[marksmu]

Last weekend I bought 2 bulls, both nice tame (unfortunately expensive) registered bulls.

One of the two bulls got quite worked up about the trailer ride to the vet for fertility testing where he got a leg caught in the squeeze. He had to be calmed by being left in the squeeze for over an hour to free him. He checked out great and then he got even more worked up getting loaded again for the trip home. This Bull was so mad at life once I got him to the ranch he was willing to run anyone and anything down at this point.

I worked the first of the two bulls through the squeeze and when I unloaded and he calmly walked through, got his new ear tag, and went about his way. This second bull was still snorting in the trailer. I was certain that he would calm back down to the calm bull he was before he was loaded if he just had a few days of cooling off.....well....he head other plans. When I opened the gate to the trailer to let him into the chute he went through the door at full speed.....slammed through the chute, and then broke through the Priefert HD automatic squeeze/headgate.

The headgate, tried to lock down automatically, but was too slow for the bull and he ended up slamming his back left leg into the bottom of the head gate catch. He stumbled, but got up and ran with a limp. He limped quickly to the farthest point away (about 1/2 mile) then stood by a tree. I left him for an hour or so to calm down before I went to check on him, and he was laying at this point. When I got near in the Gator, he jumped up and snorted, and clawed at the ground ready to kill me. I decided best bet to leave him for the week and come back to check him.

This weekend, he has moved about a half mile to another area where there is shade and water, but he is still limping badly...I cant tell if the leg is broken or not, but the Bull is still pretty worked up. I dumped a bucket of cubes to calm him and he got up and limped over to them and ate, but sat back down as soon as he finished....When we originally approached him he urinated, and it was very clear indicating that he has been drinking....that is where I left him again.

So - aside from his obvious bad attitude that he got from the vet, and the unloading...what are your thoughts on him actually healing to use the leg (he is 1/3 of my breeding population)? What would you try to determine the extent of the injury? The area he is in now is small and I could easily confine him with my portable corral, but at this point I am trying to determine what to do with him. If I should leave him be and see if he heals, or confine and get a vet out which will surely work him up even more, or just put a bullet in him (which I really dont want to do since he was quite expensive)

I cant sell him and make hamburger because he was recently wormed and vaccinated prior to purchase, and at this point, Im just weighing my options....whats the best route?

I guess it figures that the first real problem with a cow we have is the most expensive one we've bought yet.

 

[SRBeef]

Sounds like one you should have taken back to the seller on the first signs of attitude. I would still talk with the seller and see if they will take him back - maybe for a discount since the injury happened at your place.

Leaving him with the herd to see if he gets better may just cause the rest of them to get riled up not to mention the potential danger to you and your family when you are in the pasture. Any bull that will go through a headgate has no place on my place. I would get him off of your place asap, preferably back to the seller. jmho.

Jim

 

[1982vett]

Unfortunately, such is the cow business. Remember what SRBeef said the next time you have one that acts like that. Never unload it on your place. Plus, in my opinion, the fertility test should be done by the owner on the owners dime and risk. It should have already been done. Not sure what I would expect the seller to do at this point, but I'd sure let him know your troubles. How he treats the predicament would weigh heavy on future purchases. And just to poke the scab a bit.....a Timex keeps time just as well as a Rolex.

 

[Isomade]

The bull could very well heal if you leave him be for a couple more weeks. However, if he does heal is this something you want to go thru every time you need to vaccinate or have him re-tested? Talk to the seller as stated above and see if you can take him back in exchange for another bull.


Would like to see pics if you have any and don't mind sharing.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

I sure wouldn't blame the vet for the bulls dispistion. Sounds like he was acting a fool before you unloaded at the vets. I have seen them get rattled before and likely he will calm down. Time will tell.

 

[bird dog]

I would bet his leg will be OK and I would not try to catch him again until you can do it with a large group of the other cows. They seem to stay a lot calmer as a group. If he is still crazy at that point he would not leave the pens again except to load. I hope your pens will hold him.

 

[marksmu]

To respond to a few of the posts....the seller did the fertility test. I was responsible for picking up from the vet following a positive fertility test. Seller delivered to the vet. This bull was not crazy prior to all of this. He went nuts while at the vet. Prior to that he had been penned in a 2 acre area where the seller had been keeping the registered bulls for sale. The seller had been feeding hay and feed by hand, and none of the 16-17 bulls that were penned showed any signs of aggression on his ranch which is where I picked the 2 I wanted.

It was not until the bull got his leg caught in the vets squeeze that he got worked up. I was not there for the fertility test. I did not pick up until I had confirmation from the vet of a good result. The vet informed me that he had gotten his back right leg in the chute and that they had to leave him stuck until he calmed down....I am thinking they sampled him while he was stuck, and that worked him up more. He had an area about 2 inches by 2 inches that the vet shaved and put topical antibiotics on because of him getting stuck.

I have 2 cows that get crazy once they are penned, that are otherwise always gentle, and so I did not think too much about this bull getting really upset while he was stuck and being prodded in areas that I would get upset about as well. I figured my cattle being as calm as they are would help to calm him down a bit.

So now Ive got him penned in a small area 6 or 7 acre area with water....He is not alone but he is not with the majority of the herd. He is penned up with the 7 other cows that are for no good reason afraid to cross a new bridge over a canal. I moved the other 60 or so head out of the pasture with him and left him with the 7 chickens who are afraid to walk over a 30' wide wood bridge. (that also drives me nuts)

I don't think the seller did anything wrong here, which is why I am reluctant to return him to the seller....But from your responses it sounds like everyone seems to think the consensus is that its not broken? He puts weight on it, and he will walk with a limp....I just dont really know my options. I am pretty reasonable, and I think if I were the seller I would not feel like the problem was my fault here....maybe the vets, but the seller dropped the bull off without issue...its the vet who would be more responsible I think....I dont know how he was treated while he was there....I was not there for it, and neither was the seller. The vet kept the bull till the fertility result was confirmed.

I am going to try to get back down there again to see him some night this week. I will take photos and see if I cant get a video of the walk to post.

If he remains aggressive I will ship him...there is no place for a bull that is aggressive in my operation. We are always feeding cubes by hand, and I am not going to die giving cubes, thats for dang sure.

 

[Angus Cowman]

Disposition is still something the seller should stand behind and I am betting the Vet was the one the seller uses so they should work the problem out between them
I bet this bull will give you fits whenever you try to pen or work him in the future

 

[marksmu]

Disposition is still something the seller should stand behind and I am betting the Vet was the one the seller uses so they should work the problem out between them
I bet this bull will give you fits whenever you try to pen or work him in the future

Vet was the closest one between the two of us. I did not even think to ask if he uses him regularly or not. I just picked one about halfway between our two ranches.

 

[ChrisB]

I would also keep feeding him a bit every time you go out to check on him.

 

[dun]

You might want to contact the seller and ask him his opinion on the subject

 

[hillbillycwo]

Dun is right. The seller knows his cattle and can give you a better indication if the bull will calm back down. Hopefully he is honest and if you aren't looking to stick the seller with the $$$ end of this then he may give you an honest opinion. Don't trust the animal though. Good luck.