calf with broke leg

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xbred

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calf born... found with broke rear leg....mother may have stepped on it....bone not through skin, leg not dangling, but definitly broken above stiffle.....it has ben a week now...we cast the leg...and he can now get up on his own and suck....have any of you ever saved a calf with a broken limb?
 
We've had 3 throughout the years. Two were able to grow out. One ended up mending well, and stayed in the herd.
 
The younger they are the easier it is to save. The cast will have to be replaced a few times as the calf grows, but should heal fine if the leg was set properly . I had a 350lb 2 and a half month old last year with a broken leg above the hock and the vet said it would be to hard to cast because of how fast the calf was growing and the area of the break so I chose to put her down.
 
How in the world did you cast the leg if the break is above the stifle? You would have to immobilize the hip joint for the cast to do any good.
 
The neighbors casted a break like that for a calf out of their show cow. The calf was only a week old and the cast went right up to the hip, it was very odd to say the least and took forever to heal. I think the cast was replaced 8 or 9 times all and all and the worst part was the vet set it crooked so now hew leg is crooked.. :???:
 
redcowsrule33":2n43e3rf said:
How in the world did you cast the leg if the break is above the stifle? You would have to immobilize the hip joint for the cast to do any good.
I wish I could find the picture I took of our calves that have broke their legs that high (all have been from mom stepping on them). We welded and bent a small pipe that curved around the natural position of the calf's rear leg. Then we taped the calf's leg to the pipe. The tape went all the way up as far as possible and all the way down around the hoof.
 
Had a bull calf born 2 weeks ago. Mother rolled on him and broke both back legs. One was an open fracture, one closed. The vet set both legs. I am giving 10cc pen each day and cleaning out the wound on the open fracture. The main concern is infection in the bone. Closed fractures heal quickly if set. Should only take 4 or 5 weeks to heal. Should change casts at about 2 weeks because the calves grow so quickly. Have the calf and cow confined together so the calf doesn't want to roam. Good luck.
stumpy.jpg
 
The only calf I lost this year had a broken leg, just above a back knee. [ I posted about it] The calf would take the bottle. I would help it stand several times a day. I know I could have saved it. Trouble is, every time I placed it on it's feet his head would lower, ears drop. Obvious intense pain. To much for this old rancher, put it down as quickly as possible, a bullet to the brain.
I'm not saying this should always be done, depends.
 
update...calf getting up and nursing on it's own...i think it will make it....soooo hot....105...lots of stress on the calf...i try to keep it in the shade...thanks for all the help and encouragement...
 

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