Crippled cows

[CowboyRam]

I have a couple cows that are crippled. One got her leg caught in the gate when we were preg testing back in December; she may have broke it, or at least dislocated her shoulder. I'm not really sure, but she is good enough that she can sure come after you. A week or so ago we had her in and gave her a shot of LA300, I had to jump up on the fence, as she came after me; she was not a happy camper. She is a bit on the crazy side. The other cow she has gotten a couple shot of LA300, and it did not help; I am thinking she has something wrong in her hind quarter. I know that I can't take them to the ranch, at the very least I will have to keep them here at the farm; I don't think they will survive out on the ranch. With two cows I should have enough grass for all summer. So do I take my lumps now, or sell them as a cow/calf pair in May?

 

[callmefence]

I would think a antibiotic would be a pretty poor choice for muscle/skeletal injury. If I decided to treat with what I had on hand it would be dexamethasone and I'm sure there's better options than that.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

I have a couple cows that are crippled. One got her leg caught in the gate when we were preg testing back in December; she may have broke it, or at least dislocated her shoulder. I'm not really sure, but she is good enough that she can sure come after you. A week or so ago we had her in and gave her a shot of LA300, I had to jump up on the fence, as she came after me; she was not a happy camper. She is a bit on the crazy side. The other cow she has gotten a couple shot of LA300, and it did not help; I am thinking she has something wrong in her hind quarter. I know that I can't take them to the ranch, at the very least I will have to keep them here at the farm; I don't think they will survive out on the ranch. With two cows I should have enough grass for all summer. So do I take my lumps now, or sell them as a cow/calf pair in May?

Are they in condition to sell at this time? It might be prudent to be certain of their condition as opposed to speculation.
I would question if a cow with a broken leg could carry a calf to term without consequence to the fetus or herself.
I see someone has posted already so you may have the ''Rosetta Stone'' in hand as we speak. Good Luck!

 

[Silver]

If you're hoping to get a live calf I would steer clear of the dex. Metacam is good NSAID.

 

[callmefence]

If you're hoping to get a live calf I would steer clear of the dex. Metacam is good NSAID.

Thanks for the correction. I'd like to think after a bit of thought that would have came to me. .... would hate to have steered someone wrong.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

had a bottle baby that somehow broke front shoulder/elbow or possibly was shot? we never could tell. this was after she was grown. she never put wieght on that leg again, but she got around pretty dang good. it would be shocking to find her up in the rocks on the mountain or miles from the house. she had two calves after the injury and I think 2 before, but missed the last 2 or three years. finally got real thin this summer and we put her down. leg was fused at the elbow and someone who knows a little about it said it was probably badly infected early on. I am waiting for the person to actually come look at the bone, hopefully before the dogs wreck it. heh

had the last old country vet around here for another case and he said he buys broken legged cows and keeps them in his feed lot, they do fine. he may AI, but our old girl got bred the old fashioned way

crazy with an injury like that might be at risk for further damage.

I have another one that broke a back leg hanging it jumping a gate, she is fine, just looks kind of bad. settled her goofy butt down pretty good.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Like Silver said. NO Dex in bred cows or you will have open cows. If they can walk off the trailer sell them. If not shoot them, or just leave them be and see what happens.
The LA 300 may be doing more harm with the tissue swelling that can happen.

 

[Bestoutwest]

Benign neglect or freezer beef.

 

[faster horses]

2 strikes with us and the cow is gone. You have a crazy crippled cow. I'd say that is 2 strikes.
Again, my husband says your first loss is the easiest to take. This is a case in point.
Whatever you decide I hope it works out for you. I don't like watching cows cripple around
and a crazy cow triples that.

 

[wbvs58]

I'd be reluctant to pump anything into them as most have clearance times for slaughter. I'd just try and get them sold to slaughter as soon as possible.

Ken

 

[TCRanch]

Banamine Transdermal is another option for pain that won't cause them to abort, and I believe withdrawal for slaughter is 8-10 days. Shoulder injuries won't heal (at least in my experience) and it sounds as if the other cow may have stifled. When are they due? That would determine my course of action but regardless, I would keep them contained.

 

[CowboyRam]

Banamine Transdermal is another option for pain that won't cause them to abort, and I believe withdrawal for slaughter is 8-10 days. Shoulder injuries won't heal (at least in my experience) and it sounds as if the other cow may have stifled. When are they due? That would determine my course of action but regardless, I would keep them contained.

They should be due near the middle of March. The bulls were in with the cows for 60 days.

 

[WFfarm]

Any cow that goes after us, even after getting a shot would not stay at our place. That said, we do have one good momma that is a rip the first day or two after her calf is born.

Make sure to check the withdraw time before slaughter for the LA300. It will also usually leave some welts at the injection sights.

 

[TCRanch]

They should be due near the middle of March. The bulls were in with the cows for 60 days.

Okay, so 2 months +/-. I'm assuming they haven't been seen by your vet or you have not contacted him/her? No more antibiotics (which won't do squat unless it's foot rot or something like that). Banamine injectable IV only for pain/inflammation if you don't have transdermal. If they were mine (well, they'd be gone because of the attitude but . . . ) I'd keep them in a small space until they calved. Unless they're clearly in pain and the only right thing to do is cut your losses and put them down &/or try to salvage as freezer beef. You can't sell them now because of the withdrawal time for the LA unless you sell mid to late Feb., and you know they won't sell as bred if they're crippled (here, they'd sell as canners). If they do well enough to calve, you'll have to reassess the situation then.

 

[Buck Randall]

If they get around reasonably well, put them on a truck. If they don't, put them down. You're past the point where treatment would help, if it ever would have, and it's not humane to keep an animal that doesn't have a reasonable chance of getting better.

 

[gcreekrch]

I'd be reluctant to pump anything into them as most have clearance times for slaughter. I'd just try and get them sold to slaughter as soon as possible.

Ken

They have 45 days to go now.

 

[gcreekrch]

I would calve them, sell calves or put the calves on cows that lost their own. Wait a week and have them butchered and ground.

 

[collegeboundgal]

After calving I would advertise to someone looking for dog/cat food. Lot of folks are doing a RAW diet for their pets.

 

[kenny thomas]

After calving I would advertise to someone looking for dog/cat food. Lot of folks are doing a RAW diet for their pets.

That's an interesting thought. I can actually see that working if you could get one in to slaughter. Has anyone sold meat for animal food?

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

That's an interesting thought. I can actually see that working if you could get one in to slaughter. Has anyone sold meat for animal food?

My buddies meat shop sells dog meat, people complain about $5 hamburger but buy $3 dog bones!