I don' have a clue--help!

[dburkhart]

:???: Bought some heifers averaging around 500 pounds. They came in with a temp average of 103 and so I gave them a shot of penicillin. Temp wasn't down yet a couple of days later (some were higher) so gave them all another round. Almost 10 days later the temps finally started dropping close to 101 then a couple of days later shot up again to 103 average. They are eating, playing, and drinking. Ears are perky. Initially they had snotty noses and a cough. Some still have a little cough but otherwise act fine. In fact, they are gaining good weight. I've tried three different types of antibiotics in the course of three weeks--nothing seems to be holding these temps down.

Suggestions or ideas???

:help:

 

[dun]

101-103 is pretty much in the normal range. Outside facotrs can affect the temp besides illness. High ambeint air temp, high humidity just for starters.
If you are going to give antibiotcs for something serious, use serious antibiotics, Nuflor, Baytril, Excenel, Excede, etc. The stuff from the feed store is fine for things that won;t kill them, footrot, pinkeye, and anscess, etc., but they aren;t worth squat for anything serious.

 

[angus9259]

I tend to let mother nature do her thing if the calves are doing their's - eating, pooping, playing, belching, etc even if they get coughy and snotty noses. I probably wouldn't even check a temp if they were doing what calves do. In short - watch their attitudes - if they slip, then follow dun's advice.

 

[vclavin]

Have they been tested for BVD? If one is a carrier, then they will keep being reinfected.
Valerie

 

[jedstivers]

5 cc's of Draxxon an 5 of A180 will do wonders when you rally need it.

 

[danbrady]

101-103 is pretty much in the normal range. Outside facotrs can affect the temp besides illness. High ambeint air temp, high humidity just for starters.
If you are going to give antibiotcs for something serious, use serious antibiotics, Nuflor, Baytril, Excenel, Excede, etc. The stuff from the feed store is fine for things that won;t kill them, footrot, pinkeye, and anscess, etc., but they aren;t worth squat for anything serious.

I agree with dun, don't wait on this, you can likely go to your vet and he will sell you the right antibiotics just by your description. That's what I do, and I keep Nuflor on hand for the ill ones. Let us know how they come out.

 

[piedmontese]

banamine works good for a fever and it is cheap.i had a group of 19 300lb steers a few weeks ago that were coughing and went off feed so i treated all with resflor.next day 2 were dead so i retreated all of them with draxxin.all got better and were back eating and drinking within 8 hours.the cough took about 6 days to get rid of but they were eating and acting fine the whole time.draxxin is expensive but it works.i wish i would have used it first,probably would have saved the 2 i lost.they were holstein steers.took them to the salebarn last week and got .84 a lb,not bad for holsteins.

 

[Caustic Burno]

101-103 is pretty much in the normal range. Outside facotrs can affect the temp besides illness. High ambeint air temp, high humidity just for starters.
If you are going to give antibiotcs for something serious, use serious antibiotics, Nuflor, Baytril, Excenel, Excede, etc. The stuff from the feed store is fine for things that won;t kill them, footrot, pinkeye, and anscess, etc., but they aren;t worth squat for anything serious.

They also forget about critical temps that can effect cattle especially this time a year effecting health and body condition. A cow with a normal coat can hit critical temp as high as 60 degs wet and as low as 18 degs heavy coat and dry. Maintaining a feed source with the right energy requirements is very important to cattle health.

 

[dburkhart]

Draxxine is one that we used. It took the temps down to almost 101 even; two days later, temps spiked back up to almost 104. Dispositions are good, they are eating and drinking. Snotty noses are gone, ears are perky, some still coughing (28 days later). They received all their vaccinations just prior sale, which is what we thought was the initial reason for the high temps.

Vet doesn't know what is up either especially since they are not off feed. Our concern is we don't want the rest of the herd sick if they do in fact have something.

 

[dburkhart]

They also forget about critical temps that can effect cattle especially this time a year effecting health and body condition. A cow with a normal coat can hit critical temp as high as 60 degs wet and as low as 18 degs heavy coat and dry. Maintaining a feed source with the right energy requirements is very important to cattle health.

Caustic--

What do you mean 60 degs and 18 degs?