Calf lost a hoof

[Little Joe]

The calf that was born right before Christmas the night it was so cold has been limping for a few weeks. It always lays under the hay manger so I assumed it probably got stepped on, it still got around okay just held it’s right back leg up like it was hurt. Today I see it’s getting around worse and has blood around hoof area on that foot, get to looking and the whole hoof portion of that foot is gone. Could it have gotten frost bite when born that caused this? Any suggestions of how to make it more comfortable or should I just put it out of its misery? If it can make it to weaning I’ll grind it up, but I’m starting to doubt it can.

 

[Mat Man]

The only one I seen lost one side of its hoof . Mine grew back like a finger nail. A lot quicker than I would have thought. Not sure if it might be frost bite.It would help if you had a dry lot or barn to put it in for a little while to keep it cleaner and dry.
Good luck

 

[Lucky_P]

If you were a calf, and had to be 3-legged, loss of a rear leg is better than a front, at least as far as being able to get around.
You may be pleasantly surprised at how well the calf will do

 

[TCRanch]

Lengthy thread but lots of good info.

Anyone w/ experience w/ frozen hooves on valuable calves?

My situation is that we had a heifer calf born into a blizzard about five weeks ago. While otherwise healthy (she's nursing, alert, can hobble around reasonably well), her right rear hoof has never been right. This morning when I was out with them, I was watching her real close -- and saw the...

www.cattletoday.com

 

[Lee VanRoss]

The calf that was born right before Christmas the night it was so cold has been limping for a few weeks. It always lays under the hay manger so I assumed it probably got stepped on, it still got around okay just held it’s right back leg up like it was hurt. Today I see it’s getting around worse and has blood around hoof area on that foot, get to looking and the whole hoof portion of that foot is gone. Could it have gotten frost bite when born that caused this? Any suggestions of how to make it more comfortable or should I just put it out of its misery? If it can make it to weaning I’ll grind it up, but I’m starting to doubt it can.

I see this as another text book case for not calving in the winter.

 

[50/50Farms]

They can deglove sections of their hooves. Is it completely gone?

 

[MurraysMutts]

It will make its destination ok. (The dinner table)

Don't try n sell it. May as well just give it away

 

[50/50Farms]

Yeah, I'd beef it.

 

[Little Joe]

I see this as another text book case for not calving in the winter.

Cow was bought 2 weeks before it calved, supposed to have been 2nd period bred.

 

[Little Joe]

They can deglove sections of their hooves. Is it completely gone?

Completely gone

 

[Little Joe]

It will make its destination ok. (The dinner table)

Don't try n sell it. May as well just give it away

I just wasn’t sure how well it would do between now and then. Yeah I’ll definitely beef it if it survives.

 

[MurraysMutts]

I think you'll be surprised at how well it does once it's healed!

Sounds like your preg checker is as good as most around here.... 😉

 

[50/50Farms]

Completely gone

Beef it

 

[50/50Farms]

It will heal enough. Getting around enough won't be a problem. I'd either beef it yourself or sell it as freezer beef to somebody else. I'd personally sell it in quarters and keep one myself.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

Cow was bought 2 weeks before it calved, supposed to have been 2nd period bred.

That can happen. Hope it works out. I would wish that in any case.

 

[gcreekrch]

The calf that was born right before Christmas the night it was so cold has been limping for a few weeks. It always lays under the hay manger so I assumed it probably got stepped on, it still got around okay just held it’s right back leg up like it was hurt. Today I see it’s getting around worse and has blood around hoof area on that foot, get to looking and the whole hoof portion of that foot is gone. Could it have gotten frost bite when born that caused this? Any suggestions of how to make it more comfortable or should I just put it out of its misery? If it can make it to weaning I’ll grind it up, but I’m starting to doubt it can.

Has happened here a couple times, as long as infection doesn’t set in it will grow a protective pad that won’t likely be a hoof. They will grow but as they get heavier it creates more pressure on the foot. We are butchering a yearling heifer this coming week that is just such an animal.

 

[wbvs58]

Well I don't think you could get better advice/opinion than from gcreek on this subject. Dave's experience on cold is second to none. A couple of other members such as Silver might equal the experience.

Ken

 

[Nesikep]

My friend had a cow that was seriously frostbitten as a calf, and she had bad feet, needed regular hoof trimming but she was a productive cow that made good calves.
I'd try and keep the calf as dry as possible, I used to have some 25% tetracycline powder that worked really good as a poultice when bandaged up and that would prevent infection from setting in

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

As others have said, if you can keep it clean & dry, it should heal and you can let the cow raise it. You will just have to play it as it goes. If it heals and calf gets along fine, no reason to get rid of it.