Dang It!!!!!

[cypressfarms]

Yesterday evening I noticed my prized Angus plus bull, that's six years old, had a noticable limp with his right rear leg; he drags it as he comes up with the hoof while walking. He's fairly tame and I walked up close enough to look. No swelling, nothing obviously wrong with the hoof, we really haven't had any mud b/c of the lack of rain to complicate things. I'll be heading to the vet today to have a talk. Can't pen him until Thursday.

If I'm lucky maybe just bruised - I do have some limestone roads, and maybe he bruised it. If I'm not lucky, he's hamburger. Never had a lick of trouble with him and never lost one calf, or even had to pull a calf from him. Come to think of it, I've only retained a few heifers from him. Wish I had more.

 

[Stocker Steve]

How long do your herd bulls usually last?

 

[cypressfarms]

How long do your herd bulls usually last?

If it's a good bull, I'll keep them until at least 8 years old or more, depending upon their ability to breed and maintain shape. A bad bull leaves quick.

Just got back from the vet, he gave me two hydrocortizone shots. I'll be able to examine him up close Thursday in the squeeze chute.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Yesterday evening I noticed my prized Angus plus bull, that's six years old, had a noticable limp with his right rear leg; he drags it as he comes up with the hoof while walking. He's fairly tame and I walked up close enough to look. No swelling, nothing obviously wrong with the hoof, we really haven't had any mud b/c of the lack of rain to complicate things. I'll be heading to the vet today to have a talk. Can't pen him until Thursday.

If I'm lucky maybe just bruised - I do have some limestone roads, and maybe he bruised it. If I'm not lucky, he's hamburger. Never had a lick of trouble with him and never lost one calf, or even had to pull a calf from him. Come to think of it, I've only retained a few heifers from him. Wish I had more.

Does he have access to another bull? Bull fight?
I have had them step in a hole or something and come up lame, usually put them in the lot a couple of weeks and they get over it.

 

[Angus Cowman]

How long do your herd bulls usually last?

I usually get rid of my bulls when they are 6 that gives me 5 breeding seasons from them and they are usually don't start having lameness problems til around then and the heavier they are the harder it is for them to get up and down these rocky hills

 

[jtbakv]

I have a 1500 lbs angus bull that in 1 field he always cuts the back of his legs and I never have found where he cuts it. no other cow does it only the bull. I think boys will be boys and get into things they shouldn't at times. I usually doctor it up and put him a pen for a few days and hes fine maybe he did just step in a hole or something like that. hope he will be fine.

 

[cypressfarms]

the harder it is for them to get up and down these rocky hills

We don't have hills and the only rocks are on the limestone road. Chances are he either sprained it or bruised it. I'll get a good look at it Thursday and will know better. I'll give him the shots, but if it's swelling by Thursday, then my doctoring approach will have to change.

 

[Angus Cowman]

the harder it is for them to get up and down these rocky hills

We don't have hills and the only rocks are on the limestone road. Chances are he either sprained it or bruised it. I'll get a good look at it Thursday and will know better. I'll give him the shots, but if it's swelling by Thursday, then my doctoring approach will have to change.

I know I can't believe where some of you folks live it just isn't right :lol: :lol: :lol:

I don't know what I would do if I had to live in a place with no rocks
Around here if a bull won't move or a kid needs a little straightening out or a stray dog needs running off all ya do is bend over pick the correct size of rock to do the job and fling it :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[dun]

the harder it is for them to get up and down these rocky hills

We don't have hills and the only rocks are on the limestone road. Chances are he either sprained it or bruised it. I'll get a good look at it Thursday and will know better. I'll give him the shots, but if it's swelling by Thursday, then my doctoring approach will have to change.

I know can believe where some of you folks live it just isn't right :lol: :lol: :lol:

I don't know what I would do if I had to live in a place with no rocks
Around here if a bull won't move or a kid needs a little straightening out or a stray dog needs running off all ya do is bend over pick the correct size of rock to do the job and fling it :lol: :lol: :lol:

That's why living in the desert was so frustrating! Throwing a handfull of sand just doesn;t get it.

 

[deenranch]

He might have blown his stiffle.... One of our bulls blew his mounting cows this spring.... Took him to the packers... $0.85/lb @ 1850# hanging weight...

 

[SRBeef]

He might have blown his stiffle.... One of our bulls blew his mounting cows this spring.... Took him to the packers... $0.85/lb @ 1850# hanging weight...

For this reason you may want to reconsider any shots. I'm not sure what the withdrawal period is on cortisone shots, if any, but you may want to examine and think about selling him as hamburger before giving him the shots. jmho. Good luck. Jim

 

[vclavin]

the harder it is for them to get up and down these rocky hills

We don't have hills and the only rocks are on the limestone road. Chances are he either sprained it or bruised it. I'll get a good look at it Thursday and will know better. I'll give him the shots, but if it's swelling by Thursday, then my doctoring approach will have to change.

I know I can't believe where some of you folks live it just isn't right :lol: :lol: :lol:

I don't know what I would do if I had to live in a place with no rocks
Around here if a bull won't move or a kid needs a little straightening out or a stray dog needs running off all ya do is bend over pick the correct size of rock to do the job and fling it :lol: :lol: :lol:

Lived down there in Bates COunty, mo. When you move to north Missouri... you never want to go back, unless it's for a fresh load of rocks :lol2: for throwing of course.
Valerie

 

[cypressfarms]

Well the bull is doing fine now. I gave him the shots, even though he was already improving. My guess is that he just bruised the underside of his hoof on the limestone road.

I originally posted this thread 11/22, and this morning he came running when he saw me bringing hay. He seems to be back to his normal self, going around smelling all of the cows for potential action. I will make sure he gets his yearly BSE in January of 2011, just to make sure that he's still as potent as he should be.

 

[Flacowman]

We seem to always manage to have bulls come up lame for a week or two in their 3rd breeding season, usually about a month or 2 before breeding actually. Leave em alone for a week and if it doesn't get worse than a limp they have always gotten better for us. My Granddaddy started using our old bull breeder in the '20s and in the past few years we have had a lot of foot problems. We told him and we finally figured out it had nothing to do with genetics or feeding, it was different soil. they have heavy low wet soil and we are sandier and dryer. We figured this out by bringing 10 pair with bull calves at side up to our place from the bull breeder's when the calves were about a month old. we managed them exactly the same, even trucking feed from the bull man up to our place. Low and behold the mamas started having problems about the time we got ready to wean the calves and that set of bulls is now 8 years old and 9 of the 10 are still at work. I guess it isn't related but just an interesting tangent