Hump Back Angus

[Medic24]

New to the board as a member, but been reading for sooo long, have learned sooo much..... thanks to all the 'learned" and experienced folks out there, your experiences don't become my mistakes!

But, I could not help but to accept an offer of several Angus cattle out of a closed, and I do mean closed herd ( line breeding, ie : inbreeding), several cows showing signs of hump backs and odd walking gates were offered at a low, low price, The history is that they all raised fine calves in the past,
I brought them to our farm, and they remain in an isolated paddock, as they have never ever seen wormer or vacines before this week............my question- Have I read correctly in past topics that Angus sometimes inherit such a malady? If so, any relief? If this is a more accute problem, any ideas as to how it may be happening, and how one fixes the problem?

Now mind you, I am not complaining, I knew what I was getting, and : because I am practicly stealing these animals that seem to otherwise be in rather good condition, BUT it is unerving to see them in such a condition, that may possibly be corrected? Any ideas?

 

[Jake]

being ground up for burger is about the only fix for it... the back would be a result from inbreeding which can occur in many breeds.

 

[Medic24]

Likely right on that account... hamburger is an alternative... but gees...if I can maybe raise a few calves off of them........and only one successful calf more then pays for them all!
Wondering tho... can i safely assume it only gets worse with age?

 

[Jake]

I would say that if you can pay for them in one calf, keep them for two then ship them. Their problem will most likely get worse with age. Breeding them to something with a little sway in it's back may take some of the hump off ;-)

 

[Beefy]

probably anything other than angus will take the hump out. what did you do, get them for free or something?

 

[milkmaid]

I know cows will sometimes develop a humped back and odd ways of traveling if they have had a lameness for a long time.

 

[Medic24]

Well, not exactly free, but darn close to it, meaning that if hamburger was the only solution, I would have been eating very cheaply for a long time to come. I feel kinda blessed about the whole thing, except for the humps.

They are far along bred, and I will likely try to keep them, and take several folks advice and breed with a swayback bull of some other persuasion. Always hard to beat almost free anything UNLESS they bring pathogens to your farm, which in this case wont happen.

As always I appreciate al of you!

 

[cowgal]

Surely there is more to it than "linebreeding"! What would the answer be if you didn't know they came from a closed herd? Is it weakness in the back? We have a young cow that looked fine until after she calved and didn't hump up immediately after, but a month or so later she did and has been since. She looks like she's ready to urinate (except her tail isn't up) all the time. She acts healthy otherwise--should she be given a magnet just in case? We once had a bull with a bit of a hump--is it just lousey conformation? I guess linebreeding would over-emphasize a genetic weakness--but how can it just be chalked up to "linebreeding"?

I mean absolutely no insult, I just feel that surely there must be more to it--anyone?

 

[dun]

Age and conformation can cause the humpiing. We have one old cow that looks humped up wehn she's filled. After she lays around, chews her cud and dumps she looks normal, till she eats again.
But she also has bad arhtrits in her hips so it may be a case of the extra fill weight causing her to have more weight then is comfortable on her hind legs.
The last month or two before she calves she's alwasy humped up too. I think that's a weight issue also.
BTW, she's the dam of the black baldy in the other thread.

dun

 

[Medic24]

Actually, I failed to mention, both of these cows are only 4 yrs old, and I see mentioned here now about magnets...we did think of hardware, after all the guy I bought them from has dumped his building trash into his pasture for yrs.
But we assumed if it was hardware it would be to late to help with magnets, already being hunched up and all, or pehaps not? Anyone?

 

[TheBullLady]

If it is hardware, magnets will definitely help now. You can't be "too late".. unless of course the cow is dead. I would give them magnets and let them calve.

 

[Double A Ranch]

cowgal, We had a cow with a uriary trac infection that walked around with her back humped up. Maybe this is the problem of your cow?

 

[Beefy]

if you have more than one of them like this, AND they are angus, chances are its genetic. Is the hump closer to the shoulder or in the middle of the spine. if near the shoulder, its genetic, if midspine, it could be stress related or hardware or something.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Also, cattle that are "post-legged", a structurally unsound trait, tend to "hump" when they walk. And this IS a heritable trait. If you really look at them critically, & decide they are post-legged, you can pick a sickle-hocked bull to use.
But, it they are getting around & in good health, let them raise calves for you. They may not be giving you beauties, but if you're selling pounds of beef - who cares.

 

[Medic24]

well, looks like you are all on the right track, had our vet do an over herd health check the other day, and he looked closely at these two young "beauties" he stated he would bet dollars to donuts, thsi was a case of poor confirmation inherited from close breeding. But he great news is..... it should be able to be bred out of any calves, and otherwise they cows are in great condition. Looks like some inexpensive breeders for a few more years....I hope. :lol:

Thanks for all the input ya'll