Did I do the right thing?

[Farmer Kevin]

To give as little background I have been buying calves at around 250 to 300 pounds and feeding them out to get myself started. Have been having lots of luck with them and hoping to not have to lose any to death loss, but I do know it DOES HAPPEN.

The situation I have is that I check my calves regularly and noticed that one of its ears are beginning to drop. I have read in forums and cattle magazines about a microplasm that has been affecting cattle and was thinking it was that because of the symptoms. By the way the calf weighs 250 and the drugs of choice that I have given him was:

10 cc's LA 200 ( 5 in each back leg)
12 cc's Penicillin (Neck)
3 cc's Banamine (Temp was 103.8, so I thought it could not hurt)

I was planning on following up with pen. tomorrow and than LA 200 the next day and repeat that until temperature is back to normal and ear is back up.

NOW THE QUESTION IS: DID I DO THE RIGHT THING?

 

[Bama]

I don't usually use pen. After unloading them off the trailer I'll hit em with LA-200 in the neck. Most of the time one treatment is enough, on the stubborn ones it may take more treatment.

 

[Farmer Kevin]

Thanks for the reply, but what I did will keep it alive you think?

 

[Scotty]

To give as little background I have been buying calves at around 250 to 300 pounds and feeding them out to get myself started. Have been having lots of luck with them and hoping to not have to lose any to death loss, but I do know it DOES HAPPEN.

The situation I have is that I check my calves regularly and noticed that one of its ears are beginning to drop. I have read in forums and cattle magazines about a microplasm that has been affecting cattle and was thinking it was that because of the symptoms. By the way the calf weighs 250 and the drugs of choice that I have given him was:

10 cc's LA 200 ( 5 in each back leg)
12 cc's Penicillin (Neck)
3 cc's Banamine (Temp was 103.8, so I thought it could not hurt)

I was planning on following up with pen. tomorrow and than LA 200 the next day and repeat that until temperature is back to normal and ear is back up.

NOW THE QUESTION IS: DID I DO THE RIGHT THING?

No. Never anything in the back leg. Today we have better grugs than pen and LA 200. You did right with the temp. I would say you have some resp. problems. Don't know give more info. Caugh oor breathing probs?


Scotty

 

[Bama]

It should, just keep an eye on it. Treated early you can knock it out much easier. If you can take its temp. This will tell if your doing any good. Also look at the eyes to see if they are clear and perky. The ears should not be drooping on a normal calf, unless its one with a lot of natural ear.

 

[Farmer Kevin]

There were no breathing problems that I have noticed. I placed him in a lot by himself. Eats feed and drinks water like a perfectly healthy calf. Like I said it seemed ok, but the dropped ear, so I took his temp. and it was a little high.

 

[milkmaid]

Pennicillin interfers with the action of the tetracyclines (LA200) so it's advisable not to give them at the same time. Pick which one you want to use.

 

[Beefy]

i'd stick with the LA200, give in the triangle of the neck, and check the ears for any brahman influence.

 

[Farmer Kevin]

No brahman. They are holestein angus cross. I like this cross because they still get the size of the holestein and finish out like an angus

 

[Beefy]

tell us more about this mircroplasm? i'm sure your calf just has something common and since you are catching it early it shouldnt be that big of a deal. *fingers crossed*

 

[Farmer Kevin]

I am not a professional in this subject, but I have seen it and treated it in a couple of my bosses dairy calves. The symptoms are dropping of the ears and a sudden tilt of the head. Many people mess it up with the idea of ear infection. My boss has treated it with LA 200 and pen. with a repeat of pen. for a couple of days. He has had great success with this combo. Sorry I did not get the technical terms, but that is all that I really know about it.

 

[cowspider]

I have been told DO NOT mix Pen. and LA200 they cancell each other out.

 

[tapeworm]

You gave to much stuff I think..shouldnt have used the pen with the la..maybe your boss hasnt tried the treatment without the pen?? I dont give banamine for low temps like that..check your temps at the same time ever day adn dont use anyting for low fevers and that way you can tell if your treatment is working

 

[ctlbaron]

Milkmaid and Cowspider are right if you gave LA and Pen at the same time they cancelled each other out. Give one or the other.Start over.You may want to give him some Aureomycin crumbles in his feed. What do you think Crowder? Good luck.

 

[Farmer Kevin]

Thank you all for you input and I wil retreat the steer today with just LA 200. He is looking better and I have his temp. at 102.2, so I thik I did not do everything wrong. The reason for the banamine was because of the temp. I know you should not give it if they have stomach problems and he was eating just fine so I thought it could only help. I will keep everyone posted.

 

[Cheyenne]

I could be wrong and I am sure I will be corrected if I am, but I would be carefull how you use banamine. Without re-researching I think that is the drug that can cause kidney damage, especially in dehydrated animals. Doesn't sound like yours is dehydrated, but just a word of caution.

Good Luck.

 

[dph]

Kevin:

Don't know your situation or how many claves you have. But I always considered banamine to be like asprin. Meaning it would help something feel better quickly and short term. If they had an ear dropping or snotty nose etc, I wouldn't rely on banamine alone, in fact our vet always has us give it in conjunction with something. If we think it is something like pneumonia we use Nuflor. It's expensive but....they won't be dead the next morning or same thing as. If you aren't aggressive enough, and it lingers, it could seriously harm the animal for the long haul, as in ruining its lungs. And that there is no cure for. If it is really sick we use Baytril, although one wonders what is going to happen there with the USDA. We use LA-200 for foot rot and watering eyes, and pen. to ward off or help them cope with an infection. But if it is something with its lungs we don't depend on either of them to get the job done.

 

[docgraybull]

If you choose to retreat with LA 200 - at least give the calf a decent dose. Give him 4.5 - 5.0 cc per 100lb of body weight, or 11.25 to 12.5 cc for a 250 pounder.