I think it’s an inbreeding problem

[Lee VanRoss]

ANC I doubt if Chapin needs or wants you to fight his battles and is quite cognizant of responsiblilites made more difficult by the
paucity of good help and veteranarian facilities. Just because you have matches does not mean you should light a fire,,,,

 

[Banjo]

I had a "hare lip" calf this season. Born live, missing half her hard palate, her nasal passage was open in her mouth, bottom jaw had grown into the gap. She couldn't suckle properly, obviously had numerous other developmental issues and I put her down a couple of weeks ago. She was never going to be able to feed on her own and she'd amount to nothing useful so it was time to call it.

I have a hare lip calf now almost 2 years old......she is fine otherwise.....going to make freezer beef out of her rather than give her away at the stockyards. I think it was genetic.....her mother had a hare lip calf previously so i sold her after i weaned this calf ......no more problems.

 

[jerry27150]

lepto , vibrio, trich, pi3 ,rhinotracheitis, fungal abortion. could have lots of different reasons

 

[Chapin81]

Chapin: I cannot stress enough how important it is to moniter the cattle but also of any one working with them. I made mention of this is in my earlier
statements. Without going into detail suffice it to say we had a run in that involved hogs resuting in wholesale slaughter and burial. Fortunately
the cattle tested negative and after some duration could be sold but I don't think it was for human consumption as I remember them talking about
how little they brought. It seems like it was 5 years before we had stock on that part of the place where the hogs were located. I don't have anyone
to ask about it anymore but it seems like the folks were monitored for (Johnson's disease?) It has been so long ago and I could have 2 events ran
together. The point I would make to anyone on this forum is IF there is a health problem with your livestock treat it as if it were the Black Plague until
it is certain there is no risk to the health and well being of your family. I will freely admit I know nothing of the culture where the cattle are located
but I would submit you can not have a viable operation and have the local population believing (rightly or wrongly) that your livestock poses a risk
to anyone working there. LVR

LVR I agree, thanks for the comments. I spoke to my
Manager about disposing dead cattle because it's never been brought up and he said they usually just leave the body and let nature take care of it. For example vultures, wild dogs, coyotes and ocelots will eat it. From now on I asked for him not to use his barehands because it can be a risk to him and his family and bury any dead animals and not leave them out in the open.

I'd like your thoughts on this or anyone else. IS IT SAFE TO BEEF that test positive for brucellosis? The vet I spoke to at the government agency said infected animals are sold to slaughterhouses...how does it work here in the U.S??
Again thanks for your patience.

 

[jerry27150]

brammers also have a weak calf syndrome , could also be harjo- bovis. inbreeding would do it if it is weak calf ,good luck

 

[Lee VanRoss]

Chapin: Since you have so much at stake I think I would enhance any information received on this or any other forum by contacting
a licensed vet or the Veteranarian Assc (or similar) in Albany . Any knowledge I have is probably outdated and you no doubt want to
get ahead of the curve on this. There may be some on here who are acquainted with or are veteranarians and will get you started in
the right direction. The information that infected animals are going to slaughter gives me pause unless they are hot cooked for pet food and
not for human. Good Luck LVR To answer any question about USDA packing laws is above my pay grade! Sorry,,,,,

 

[wbvs58]

I can't say for certain as my experience with Brucellosis goes way back to the late 70's but I am sure Lucky will correct it if I am wrong. I think Brucellosis is mainly confined to the reproductive tract and placenta being the main cause of human infection. When we were testing for Brucellosis in the eradication program in Australia in the late 70's, any +ve's (complement fixation antibody tests) were sent for slaughter for human consumption and then the herd had to go through 3 clear tests before it had the clear status.
Meat inspection generally is a visual inspection so there is no guarantee that it is completely clean of pathogens. You should always practice a degree of hygene when handling raw meat.
We probably sent those that tested over to the US in boxes to make your hamburger for McDonalds.
Large properties in Northern Australia where it was not practical to do several musters for testing were destocked and sent to slaughter. Helicopters then came in to shoot any that evaded the muster.

Ken

 

[Lucky_P]

Right Ken.
Here in the USA, brucellosis is pretty much eradicated from the domestic cattle populations as far back as the early 2000s - still present in elk/bison in the Yellowstone area, and occasionally spills over into cattle in the area that may be exposed to abortuses from infected elk/bison.
Last brucellosis abortion I saw, was back around 1980 - and was in a cow from a USDA Brucellosis research herd... not a commercial herd.

 

[Putangitangi]

I have a hare lip calf now almost 2 years old......she is fine otherwise.....going to make freezer beef out of her rather than give her away at the stockyards. I think it was genetic.....her mother had a hare lip calf previously so i sold her after i weaned this calf ......no more problems.

I would have kept this one going if she'd fed for herself. Bottling her twice a day and then having to cut her food would have been far too much to go on with. We don't know what caused it other than chance since we've excluded BVD, Lepto, any of the other diseases mentioned. Possibly the mother had a passing fever from some infection at the time of formation and some things didn't end up where they should have. I'll see how she goes next time round. Nice 2yo heifer.