I have a cow with a 400# healthy calf. The cow is skinny now and has recently developed a runny nose. Should I call the vet for antibiotics or will it run its course and be alright? What other signs of trouble should I look for?
Reading this scared me, because it is describing a cow I was watching today. She has a big healthy calf, but all of a sudden she is laying in the hot sun, without calf, seems a little skinny, and seems to be limping, esp on back legs. Hubby took some feed out, and she looked at him weird, instead of coming right to him, like the cows all do. He can herd them anywhere with nothing but words. but this cow is isolated, and acting strangely. shes a hereford/angus mix, and only about 4 years old. She also seems to have salot of clear drainage from the nose....any ideas here? thanks!msscamp":3al5q7jx said:The fact that she is skinny tells me that something is seriously wrong. What is this cow eating, and is she eating? How heavy is her milk production? How is her breathing - labored or normal? Is she eating? Are her ears droopy? Is she aware of her surroundings? Does she isolate from the herd? Are her eyes bright and alert, or are they dull? Is she coughing? Is she limping? More information is needed to even hazard a guess.
poorboy":35s2aldm said:Kentucky has a bad run of blue tounge going on right now in the deer herd. Some say it can effect the cattle herd and some not.
Yes, skinny to me...in a cow, is seeing the ribs ( rib outlines)( she isnt emaciated), and even a few vertebra.....Brandonm2":1y24ed7c said:If our definition of "skinny" is the same (I define it as I can see all ribs and some vertebrate), send the calf to the stockyard. She is sucking that cow down and you don't want to keep a heifer out of such a cow anyway. You might want to send the cow too, rather than going through the hassle of starting an antibiotic series then if that fails having to sit through a withdrawal time. I have gone the whole isolation/treatment route and lost too many times. Too me, you might want to just cut your losses and get a check for the pair.
xxhotcoffee":3mgcukuf said:Reading this scared me, because it is describing a cow I was watching today. She has a big healthy calf, but all of a sudden she is laying in the hot sun, without calf, seems a little skinny, and seems to be limping, esp on back legs. Hubby took some feed out, and she looked at him weird, instead of coming right to him, like the cows all do. He can herd them anywhere with nothing but words. but this cow is isolated, and acting strangely. shes a hereford/angus mix, and only about 4 years old. She also seems to have salot of clear drainage from the nose....any ideas here? thanks!msscamp":3mgcukuf said:The fact that she is skinny tells me that something is seriously wrong. What is this cow eating, and is she eating? How heavy is her milk production? How is her breathing - labored or normal? Is she eating? Are her ears droopy? Is she aware of her surroundings? Does she isolate from the herd? Are her eyes bright and alert, or are they dull? Is she coughing? Is she limping? More information is needed to even hazard a guess.