cattle with pneumonia

[MAGONZ1969]

Please help, I have a herd of 18 cows that are 3plus years old, 4 yearlings and 11 heifer calves from this year. In the last few days I noticed some of them coughing and one that wasn't eating as it should. I suspect pneumonia and treated that one with excenel but am afraid I might have to treat others also. Worried that this might get out of hand. Weather here is crazy, warm in the day and cold through the night. Calves are still running with mom cows and not sure if I should just separate them now. Would sell 11 heifers but market is so low now that I would like to wait but not sure if I will. I'm a one man operation and is getting me a little too worried. This would be a disaster for me. Any suggestions from others having gone through same situation or familiar with my problem would help greatly.

 

[JW IN VA]

:2cents: I'd get a vet in there ASAP.
1/ To know what you've got.
2/To get the right treatment.
I do most of my own work but when I don't know,I call my vet.Cheaper in the long run.Cattle are lower but dead ones don't sell.
Hope the best for you.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Stress is additive. Usually see this kind of problem with a poor milking cow.
Make sure they have a dry place to go.
Make sure they are getting good feed.
Make sure they are vaccinated. Look at Inforce 3.

 

[angus9259]

Stress is additive. Usually see this kind of problem with a poor milking cow.
Make sure they have a dry place to go.
Make sure they are getting good feed.
Make sure they are vaccinated. Look at Inforce 3.

Stress is additive. I wouldn't wean. Not sure what a being a poor milker has to do with anything. Usually they stay healthier because they aren't passing their calories to their calves - the calf can struggle but the cow should be fine. Cattle don't need a dry place. Most of the cattle in the world are in the world. Mine don't have a dry place. Vaccination doesn't do much for weather induced pneumonia and being in a barn can make it worse depending on the barn.

I agree with the post that says to have the vet out. If it were me, I would just keep an eye on them and treat who needed to be treated but clearly you're a little panicked so get the vet out and sort through the situation with them.

 

[angus9259]

Also - coughing and snotty noses are not something I treat. Going off feed, droopy ears, lethargy - that's when I get them up to take a temperature. If they have a temp, I give antibiotics and banamine. If they don't have a temp I call the vet to dig deeper.

 

[JMJ Farms]

Also - coughing and snotty noses are not something I treat. Going off feed, droopy ears, lethargy - that's when I get them up to take a temperature. If they have a temp, I give antibiotics and banamine. If they don't have a temp I call the vet to dig deeper.

Good advice :tiphat:

 

[MAGONZ1969]

I want to thank those of you who took some time to comment on my post. I treated them with excenel for now and will keep an eye on them. Some of the advice helped a lot and since I like to work the cows myself I hope they get better. I did some research and if the excenel don't work then I will try LA 300 pro since the recommendations are also positive. By all means thank you very much for sharing your experience and info, greatly appreciated. Have a great nite; hope the cows do.

 

[angus9259]

Liking to work the cattle yourself doesn't substitute for a vet unless you are one.

If the excenel doesn't work, then more antibiotics won't work - equivalent of doing the same thing over and over hoping for different results. That said, if they don't have a bacteriological issue, then antibiotics won't work at all. But keep shooting them up if it helps you sleep.