Had a weining calf get hung up in an unskirted bale ring. Was there probably most of night. Had to cut ring in several places to get her out. Took her to vet 2-3 days later, and he thought she had some nerve damage, but might come out of it. A couple of weeks later I noticed she had lost the hide on front of her leg. Gave her some biomycian (spelling?), and now she seems to be walking better and looking better. Planned on keeping her as a replacement heifer, so thought I might see if anyone had seen this kind of thing, and what their thoughts on keeping or selling.
calf caught in bale ring
- Thread starter rjk
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Workinonit Farm
Well-known member
At work we had one get 'stuck' in a ring. Took 2 of us to get him out, he was a little scuffed but fine. Didn't need to cut the ring, we just had to wiggle him around a bit like Gumby.
Katherine
Katherine
hillsdown
Well-known member
I haven't had them get stuck in the feeder but a long time ago I accidentally dropped a bale on one ,l moved faster than I thought I could, got him out and did CPR. Thankfully the little turkey started breathing again, I don't know who started breathing first him or me .. 
Now the dog clears them out before the bale is dropped...
Is your calf acting normally besides the hair loss. It might have been quite the fight for her trying to get out, also stress can cause some strange anomalies..
Now the dog clears them out before the bale is dropped...
Is your calf acting normally besides the hair loss. It might have been quite the fight for her trying to get out, also stress can cause some strange anomalies..
Our calves are always running in and out of the rings! Usually when they get caught they just wiggle right through-your girl must have been stuck good!! We've never really had a problem with the bale rings...but we did have a young cow get caught in our old raised barred feed bunk and hang herself before anyone found her.
Genetics don't change because they get caught in a ring - except now you know she carries the "stupid" gene. If she's healthy she's healthy.
Had one get caught in a real light duty ring once. The calf was able to drag it around going backwards. That was interesting looking out in the field trying to figure out how that hay ring was moving around the field on its own.
Had one get caught in a real light duty ring once. The calf was able to drag it around going backwards. That was interesting looking out in the field trying to figure out how that hay ring was moving around the field on its own.
Thanks,
She is doing better now, just a slight limp, and moving fast. She was stuck in an unskirted ring with 3 rungs of 1 inch tube steel on the bottom. Her left rear leg went outside the ring on the top of these, back inside the ring, then outside between the top and middle rung. After 1/2 hour of trying, and no room to work because of a new bale inside the ring, a sawzall seemed the only alternative. The leg look nasty, not because of the hair, but because of the "road rash". My concern now is she is hanging back and is the only one who will not come to the corral to eat. Getting tired of her going the other way when I call them. I had a problem cow once, and had to get resourceful just to catch her, so she went to the sale barn. I don't want a cow like this in my herd, seems like they can ruin the herd. What are your thoughts?
She is doing better now, just a slight limp, and moving fast. She was stuck in an unskirted ring with 3 rungs of 1 inch tube steel on the bottom. Her left rear leg went outside the ring on the top of these, back inside the ring, then outside between the top and middle rung. After 1/2 hour of trying, and no room to work because of a new bale inside the ring, a sawzall seemed the only alternative. The leg look nasty, not because of the hair, but because of the "road rash". My concern now is she is hanging back and is the only one who will not come to the corral to eat. Getting tired of her going the other way when I call them. I had a problem cow once, and had to get resourceful just to catch her, so she went to the sale barn. I don't want a cow like this in my herd, seems like they can ruin the herd. What are your thoughts?
rockridgecattle
Well-known member
We have had this happen and kept both. One was a cow with horns who got stuck, she remained pretty gentle. Another was a calf. She has been alright so far. Easy to handle up to this point, but she is still a hiefer and should calve in March/April.
GMN
Well-known member
rjk":3inxtfnj said:
Last winter the herd bull got stuck in the bale ring, he was not happy, and that created quite a predicament for me. Had to just lift the bale ring over him, and he was not happy.
Have had a few younger calves get stuck in them also, but once they were shown how to get out they figured it out.
I wouldn't worry too much about the hide peeling off, or possible nerve damage, she should recoup herself in time.
GMN
Thanks for your replies, she came in to eat with the other calves last night for the first time. She also ate out of a mineral bucket with a feeder steer, and fought her way in. Will deciede on taking her to market soon, but if I do keep her, she will have 2-3 months of being kept here at home with 3 other replacements. I think with just 4 of them here, and a couple of months, she should settle down. I like easy handling, gentle cows, and since I want my bulls genetics in my herd, rasising replacements should help. Now all I have to do is figure out which of the 2 reg bulls, (another bloodline), to use for these heifers. One has horns and size, the other is polled and smaller. Don't really want the horns, and since everything else is polled, need to figure how many may result in horned animals. Always something to think about.
Rick
Rick
