Help, calves losing their tail switches

[Dave from MN]

Ok. I discover my oldest calf had lost her switch to her tail a few days ago. She was born April 21st. The tail was gone up to about 1 & 1/2" from the bone tip. Figured she had it under a cow's foot and got up and darted. Nice solid red impresive heifer. Now today I see that my black angus heifer ( 14 days younger) has lost her tail switch as well. Same thing, a boney tip and no switch. She had her switch 2 days ago. What could be going on? There is no chance of dogs chasing. Never hear any coyotes, cows would take care of them. They are getting free choice 16% creep feed. Have fresh water available at all times. Pasture is short but they always have a nice round bale in the feeder. This just started, they have been on pasture for a couple months. Creep feed about the same. There are alot of fly's and mosquitoes. They dont seem to have lice. Please give me some help. Vet isnt answering

 

[milkmaid]

Do you have fescue?

 

[dun]

Do you have fescue?

Pretty much the wrong time of year for fescue problems.

 

[larryshoat]

I don't know, the only things I can think of are 1. could they be getting caught on something ? 2. Freezing (I think we can rule this out ) . 3.I've seen holstein calves form a crap ball on their tail and if you don't get it off eventually the tail will fall off just like you had put a band on it, we watch those closely and it is only a problem when they are young .

Larry

 

[hillrancher]

Watch to see if dogs are chasing your cattle and pulling the tails off. Have had this to happen.

 

[Dave from MN]

I don't know, the only things I can think of are 1. could they be getting caught on something ? 2. Freezing (I think we can rule this out ) . 3.I've seen holstein calves form a crap ball on their tail and if you don't get it off eventually the tail will fall off just like you had put a band on it, we watch those closely and it is only a problem when they are young .

Larry

No crap balls, the calves have all been very clean. I couldnt find anything the coulb be getting caught on. I called the vet this am and they didnt help much.

 

[Dave from MN]

Watch to see if dogs are chasing your cattle and pulling the tails off. Have had this to happen.

Nope No dogs or coyotes in the pasture ever.

 

[CKC1586]

Are they maybe chewing each others tails????

 

[Dave from MN]

Do you have fescue?

Honestly, I do not know. The pasture the are keeping chewed quite short. They have been out there for a couple months. Just started noticing problems. I am feeding large rounds to supplement the lack of lush pasture. That hay is from a feild that a freind has been baling for years and he has never had any problems, he doesnt think there is any Fescue out there. IF it is this Fescue issue, what can I do as preventive measures? I know the cattle ran out of minerals for a few weeks. I have sinced restocked them with Purina "WIND AND RAIN- ALL SEASON" minerals and a salt block. Could it be from to much creep feed?

 

[CPL]

Do you have fescue?

Honestly, I do not know. The pasture the are keeping chewed quite short. They have been out there for a couple months. Just started noticing problems. I am feeding large rounds to supplement the lack of lush pasture. That hay is from a feild that a freind has been baling for years and he has never had any problems, he doesnt think there is any Fescue out there. IF it is this Fescue issue, what can I do as preventive measures? I know the cattle ran out of minerals for a few weeks. I have sinced restocked them with Purina "WIND AND RAIN- ALL SEASON" minerals and a salt block. Could it be from to much creep feed?

Try and find a mineral high in copper.

 

[Aaron]

Your 100% there are no other marks/scratches on them? Sure sounds like coyotes. I would pack a gun, start doing some walking and shoot anything that moves. :cowboy:

 

[milkmaid]

Do you have fescue?

Pretty much the wrong time of year for fescue problems.

OK. I wouldn't know -- we don't have fescue here; all I know is that it can cause feet/ears/tails to fall off.

 

[dun]

Do you have fescue?

Pretty much the wrong time of year for fescue problems.

OK. I wouldn't know -- we don't have fescue here; all I know is that it can cause feet/ears/tails to fall off.

It's typically a winter time problem. Sore feet in the late summer are also a symptom. The winter deal has to do with reduced blood circulation caused by the endophyte and the extemities, tail, ears, feet, will slough off from lack of blood.

 

[nagwag]

Would you happen to have any multi floral rose bushes in your pasture? I have them in my pasture where you can't get at them with a tractor to mow them. Once in a great while I will have a calf that will have it's switch gone or on a bull calf, it's sac it tore open from going through the rose bushes and having the thorns get caught on the calf and the calf pulling to get away. Many years ago, the rose bushes were pushed in the area for "living fences" and wild life habitat. Now every pasture in county has these "pain in the butt"

 

[dun]

Many years ago, the rose bushes were pushed in the area for "living fences" and wild life habitat. Now every pasture in county has these "pain in the butt"

That must have been a pretty wide spread phenomenon, they did the same thing around here. With the same result!

 

[larryshoat]

Many years ago, the rose bushes were pushed in the area for "living fences" and wild life habitat. Now every pasture in county has these "pain in the butt"

That must have been a pretty wide spread phenomenon, they did the same thing around here. With the same result!

The same around here and to that you can add johsongrass, same deal .

Larry

 

[mnmtranching]

Important question. Was there blood?

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

How old are these calves? Never heard of calves still on the cow losing there tails from fescue or lack of mineral. If there are weaned i am with cpl better mineral.

 

[dun]

I too would think it's more of a case of the switch getting snagged/caught and pulled of. Barbed wire, field fence, some types of trees/bushes, clumbsy animal standing on it's tail, etc. Does seem kind of strange that it would happen to more then one. One every few years maybe, but 2 in one year justs seems kind of strangely coincidental.