Calf is losing its hair!!

[Tep]

I don't know what's going on with this calf. It was born 3/10 and everything appeared fine when we tagged it. I noticed two weeks ago that it was missing it hair on it's head. Now it's missing hair on it's ears, neck, and patches on all legs and back. Mom appears to be fine and so are the rest of the calves. Cows were poured for lice in the fall. Is this genetic or enviromental? It's a black calf but do I need to worry about sun burns? Do I even want to brand it? No hair appears to be growing back. Has anyone else had this problem? Thanks!

 

[iowafarmer]

Sounds like lice or mange. You should poor the calves. and might as well vaccinate whileyou poor and castrate and dehorn if you have to.

 

[Tep]

we have had a lot of coyotes with mange, even saw one by the cows not to long ago. We are branding May 3, so if I can't catch it this week, I'll pour it then. But wouldn't the rest of the herd be losing hair too?

 

[Aaron]

TAKE IT'S TEMPERATURE!!! Hair loss can be a sign for fever. We had a calf that lost 50% of its hair and was ready to call it quits. Luckily with electrolytes, drugs and some time in the barn, we saved it and it recovered enough (weight and frame wise) to be sold with the rest of the steers the next year. Mange is very rare in cattle and with proper annual worming, it is usually the last thing you need to worry about.

 

[TREY-L]

Ringworm.

 

[larryshoat]

In a calf that age when I hear of missing hair I think of cryptosporidia . If that's the case and he acts normal otherwise the hair will come back in time .

Larry

 

[jt]

i had a white calf do this once. it was photosynthesis. dont know if black calves get that or not?? if so he will be fine.

good luck

jt

 

[milkmaid]

jt -- I hope it wasn't photosynthesis -- only plants are supposed to be able to do that. All joking aside, I know what you're talking about but can't remember the name for it either.

Aaron's given some good advice -- it's quite common for sick calves to lose their hair after having a high fever. Nothing to worry about. It'll grow back.

 

[jt]

jt -- I hope it wasn't photosynthesis -- only plants are supposed to be able to do that. All joking aside, I know what you're talking about but can't remember the name for it either.

LOL, you are right.. it was photo something?? anyway, it took mine about a month to completely get over it. it would start to grow back quick, but he kept losing it in other places. i was beginning to wonder if he would ever get straightened out. my vet said that some calves were real sensitive to the sunlight and that was the cause.

anyways..

good luck

jt

 

[IluvABbeef]

jt -- I hope it wasn't photosynthesis -- only plants are supposed to be able to do that. All joking aside, I know what you're talking about but can't remember the name for it either.

LOL, you are right.. it was photo something?? anyway, it took mine about a month to completely get over it. it would start to grow back quick, but he kept losing it in other places. i was beginning to wonder if he would ever get straightened out. my vet said that some calves were real sensitive to the sunlight and that was the cause.

anyways..

good luck

jt

Photosensitization is I think what you two are looking for. Usually caused by eating plants that contain chemicals that intensify the damaging effects of the sun, where pigmented skin is usually not affected but pink skin is.

 

[Tep]

Thank you guys so much, he seems healthy. But would you brand him or wait till the hair comes back? We are branding on May 3rd.

 

[KNERSIE]

Mange isn't quite as rare in calves as you think, especially in drier dusty conditions or very sandy soil. It's caused by a mite and is easily treatable with ivermectin. Ivomec would be my prefered treatment and even if mites isn't the cause the Ivomec will do more good than harm. It will help if its lice too.

The hair will take about 4-6 weeks to grow back.