Cow lame in back legs

[cowgirl]

I sure hope someone has some ideas, to this query. My best 10 yr. old cow, due middle of March, weighs about 1600 lbs. Good condition, eats everything that won't eat her first. can hardly walk,she is lame on her back end. I have had her on Bute tablets for a few months. I can't find anything in her feet, not foot rot, no swelling in the legs or feet. last winter while pregnant, she was lame in one back leg, she got over it after the calf was a few days old. Hopefully she will again. I just am trying to figure out her problem. The bute helps alittle but not much. I appreciate any input. Thankx

 

[milkmaid]

I'd put her on antibiotic...could be something like an abcess in the hoof, which is not necessarily going to cause any outward signs - other than lameness - for you to go by. What's her hoof look like? overgrown? Chronic cases take a lot of work and time to clear up.

And for the record - Bute - aka phenylbutazone - is illegal for use in food producing animals. More than that, it's on the FDA banned drug list, and you cannot send this animal to slaughter anytime soon. Try a pain killer that's actually legal - like banamine aka flunixin meglumine.

 

[bigbull338]

since you cant find no outward hoofs problems/an the cow is heavy bred.it has me to thinking the calf is putting pressure on her back leggs.with an abbcess on the hoof it would be red an inflamed.as well as tender to the touch.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

is the cow real wide from the pregnancy and and walking duck footed if this is the case she may always do this the closer to calving she gets. and it might not all be lamness but from having to walk more sickle hocked & duck footed

 

[milkmaid]

Cowgirl, have you looked at the underside of her hoof? had her in a chute? I've encountered quite a few abcesses you couldn't see until they broke through the hoof wall and started oozing. It can be over a month before they show themselves. Esp if they're deep inside the hoof or on the underside - the latter you can't tell unless you put them in a trimming chute.

 

[dun]

If there isn;t anything you can tell about foot problems, the first thing that comes to mind is either the position of the calf or more likely arthritis. If it's the latter, ship her when she weans her calf and don;t rebreed her.

dun

 

[Workinonit Farm]

My thinking is much along the lines of dun and Bigbull, that it may be the position of the calf applying pressure on a nerve.

Katherine

 

[cowgirl]

Thanks for all your input. Yes, she is very wide. The way Alacowman described her, is exactly correct. She throws her right hind out, and stands with it pointing out. I had her on Banamine for 1 wk.she was somewhat better, she was also on la 200 for a week. No change. I have looked at her feet, I trim them when she is laying down,if there is an abcess it is deep inside, that I can not find. I also think she has arthritis.if there is an abcess how long does it usually take to break through? thank you

 

[D.R. Cattle]

I've seen quite a few lately with hip problems. May seem like both back feet but it's actually in the hip. Probably attributed to arthritis like Dun said. Sometimes you can hear the hip popping as she walks.

 

[Caustic Burno]

If there isn;t anything you can tell about foot problems, the first thing that comes to mind is either the position of the calf or more likely arthritis. If it's the latter, ship her when she weans her calf and don;t rebreed her.

dun

You hit the nail on the head calf is pinching a nerve on the old wore cow.

 

[Beefy]

she is old, fat, and got a big calf in there. mostly old and fat though.

 

[cowgirl]

Thank you for the input. I realize she has some age on her and is too heavy, an easy keeper. But I raised her and her mother and grandmother and great grandmother. All of her calves have brought over $3,500.00. I imagine this calf will be the last.
Thankx