Cow knocked her horn off

[wgf]

So- this was a new one for me, despite the fact that I've kept cattle for 38 years in 2 different states (WV and Maine). Yearling heifer, being kept out of the way of the bull- but then he jumps the fence and it was a bit befre I got them separated. She didn't seem to suffer any ill effects, but after a few days of keeping her in the barn(she wasn't happy), I noticed one of her little stubby horns seemed somewhat slanted a little differently than the other. I waited, all seemed well- then she went off her feed for a day or so. . checked her over, horn seemed kind of tender, a few bits of hay sticking to it which I cleaned off, but still tilted, still in place and not too loose. So I read up on it, hand-fed her some bagels (no, that's not a medical treatment, just wanted to get her eating again.). Went and bought some 'Alushield aerosol bandage' to spray on- 'just in case' I was missing something- didn't want her to get sinusitis or sepsis.. Boy, THAT was a chase. She does NOT like spray cans. I prevailed- and.. then 2 days later I see a widening separation, horn tilted further, progressing to dangling, then gone today. I can't find it in her bedding- (I wanted the trophy, you know, it's silver..) and it seems my spray application was better than I knew because the nubbin that's left is silver color too. Her appetite's come back, and she's a bit less skittish. I'll have to spray her again most likely. So, my concerns are a) fly-strike, horn flies etc. Temp up here in Maine is still cool. She'd do overall better out in the sunshine, I know. And b) what happens long term. I'm picturing that it will just stay dried down, but I don't really know. I'm sure lots of people have dealt with this so hoping for a good word.. thanks in advance. lw

 

[alacowman1]

if your not dealing with alot of flies now she'll be fine..just keep an eye out for screwworm..should heal up fairly quick since it not opened much.. Like a true dehorning..

 

[wgf]

if your not dealing with alot of flies now she'll be fine..just keep an eye out for screwworm..should heal up fairly quick since it not opened much.. Like a true dehorning..

Thank you for that!

 

[gcreekrch]

Now take the other off and clean up the first.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Neighbor had one over the winter that took like the outside shell off. It was pretty nasty looking for a while. Dang thing just fell off. Dont think they ever did anything to/for her.

 

[alacowman1]

Neighbor had one over the winter that took like the outside shell off. It was pretty nasty looking for a while. Dang thing just fell off. Dont think they ever did anything to/for her.

Had a simbrah do the same thing..just shed the outer and left a nub..I had dehorned her as a calf..but they came back ..shoddy job I'm sure..

 

[Lannie]

I have a mama milk cow that has one horn (I tried the dehorning paste when she was little and she rubbed off the left side, I guess). Anyway, she knocked hers off once, too, just the outer shell, leaving a bloody looking nub. She was careful with it for a few days because I'm sure it hurt, but it was winter so I just left it alone. It dried out and became her "new" horn after a little while. She still has it. It's her gate-opening tool. If she wasn't already 13 years old, I'd think about doing something about it, but she's a good girl and only uses it to open gates, so I put backup chains and clips on all the latches and that slows her down.

Anyway, unless flies or something get at it before it dries up and heals, your heifer should be just fine.

(I never found my cow's horn shell, either... and I looked!)

 

[Hereford2]

If you have flies up there right now, and it's open, spray with Screw Worm spray, flies don't like it, and it will kill any that get in there.