Calf Injury

[Don McCallum]

I have a ryegrass calf that injured her right front leg. She walked around very little, holding the foot off of the ground the best she could, for about 3 weeks.
Her leg appears much better, and her walk is just about normal at this time. A few days ago, I noticed that her hoof on that leg is longer than her left foot hoof.

Could this be from no wear on the hoof while she was holding it up or the hoof was the problem?

 

[Nesikep]

I would guess she got something poked in the soft tissue... 3 weeks seems to be a bit a short time interval to notice a difference in length, but it depends on the age too.. a young calve's hooves grow pretty darned quick... I see on a 2 week old calf, the hooves have already grown about 5/8th of an inch, and if the hoof is only 2" long, you'd sure notice that.. any chance you can catch it and take a good look at it.. perhaps trim it down again?

 

[skeeter swatter]

Foot swollen?
Hoofrot?

good luck

 

[branguscowgirl]

They can grow pretty darn quick when they are not being walked on. I have a cow with an abnormal, duck walk gait due to a pinched nerve. Her hooves grow very quickly.
I agree with Nesikep. See if you can take a closer look.

 

[AllForage]

Foot swollen?
Hoofrot?

good luck

I agree with hoof rot. Keep some LA-200 or 300 on hand. It can get very annoying some years.

 

[jerry27150]

yes it could

 

[branguscowgirl]

Foot swollen?
Hoofrot?

good luck

I agree with hoof rot. Keep some LA-200 or 300 on hand. It can get very annoying some years.

OP said foot was better after 3weeks. Hoof rot would not have gotten better on its own.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

OP said foot was better after 3weeks. Hoof rot would not have gotten better on its own.

:nod: :nod: :nod:

Most likely that hoof is longer because it was not being walked on and worn.

If the calf is sound now, I wouldn't worry about it, it will wear and be similar to the rest.

Katherine

 

[AllForage]

Foot swollen?
Hoofrot?

good luck

I agree with hoof rot. Keep some LA-200 or 300 on hand. It can get very annoying some years.

OP said foot was better after 3weeks. Hoof rot would not have gotten better on its own.

Mild cases can recover on their own or go a way for a bit then come back. I can tell you that every case does not get treated on very large extensive ranches and they live albeit with less weight on them.

http://cattletoday.info/footrot.htm

 

[branguscowgirl]

I do not agree with that article on foot rot. I can not even tell who wrote it. A vet? I have discussed it with many vets, and the conscencise is "those that recover without treatment, did not have foot rot to begin with." There is a multitude of injuries and infections that can affect the hoof, but true hoof rot is very destructive to the tissue and can spread to the bone. Google it and read the university documents, there are many.