Limp that might be a sprain?

[Brandywine Pastures]

Hello! This is a 5 yr old bull, he was turned out to about 25 open cows recently. He was going pretty hard and then starting about 5 days ago I noticed he has a pronounced limp in his front right leg. He will barely set it down but throws his head while bringing up his left and has to shift weight to it.
I got him up 3 days ago, cleaned it out with baling twine. Rinsed it out good. There was no smell, no flies gravitating to it. No foreign objects nails rocks. I went ahead and gave him a round of LA200 in case it was foot rot. Felt his hoof and leg over, there's no noticeable swelling anywhere, compared his right to his left as an example. There's also no visible cracks.
I checked him today, same limp. He's tame enough I can pet and sit next to him, took some close pictures.
It's definitely below his "knee" because he will bear wait on his knee no problem to get up. While laying I jabbed him with a twig a bit I can wiggle the claws of the hoof, spread and scrape between with no reaction.
He only flinches when I poke his "ankle" 1-2 inch above hoof. But there's no swelling in the boney area right there above hoof claws.

Could it be a sprain or would that have healed by now? I'm kind of trying to avoid a vet if he just needs rest and time, and because it's a bit of a pain getting him caught up for them.

Sorry for them super long novel and thanks in advance

 

[J+ Cattle]

You should review this foot scoring guide.

https://www.angus.org/performance/Documents/footscorebrochure.pdf

Based solely on the picture posted I would say it's an 8 for hoof angle. Marginally unsound
His limp might improve if he can take it easy but not while he's romancing the ladies.

 

[wbvs58]

Try squeezing the hoof with a pair of pinchers work around squeezing between the wall and the sole.

Ken

 

[alacowman1]

Probably gonna needa few days rest..probably hit the ground wrong dismounting...

 

[TCRanch]

@wbvs58 suggestion with the pinchers is a good idea and to determine if the bull possibly has an internal abscess/inside the hoof. My only other suggestion is to give him Banamine Transdermal for pain/inflammation (and it's good for 3 days).

 

[Buck Randall]

Most lameness is in the hoof. If you want him to be sound in a reasonable amount of time, he probably needs to be seen by a professional hoof trimmer or a veterinarian that can work on feet.

 

[Brandywine Pastures]

You should review this foot scoring guide.

https://www.angus.org/performance/Documents/footscorebrochure.pdf

Based solely on the picture posted I would say it's an 8 for hoof angle. Marginally unsound
His limp might improve if he can take it easy but not while he's romancing the ladies.

I think that's mostly the way he's standing he seems to be trying to stay on that heal at not roll it forward like normal. His feet were noted at a 6 on his bse.
Im gonna get him split off to himself for a while and try and pitch the claws like Ken was saying to determine if could be in the hoof

 

[Silver]

I know the frustration of it. The last two years I have had more lame cattle than ever. Most times there is no evidence of foot rot, but past that it is very hard to diagnose miles from home out in the bush and hills. I do treat those that I can tell are foot rot, and fortunately the others seem to come in in the fall in sound condition.

 

[Brandywine Pastures]

I know the frustration of it. The last two years I have had more lame cattle than ever. Most times there is no evidence of foot rot, but past that it is very hard to diagnose miles from home out in the bush and hills. I do treat those that I can tell are foot rot, and fortunately the others seem to come in in the fall in sound condition.

I hate seeing them hobbling along makes me feel like they're about to keel over.
Amazes me how tough cattle are, and how fragile they can be... They'll go stand in a puddle and come out with foot rot. Fly land on em and bam! they've got pinkeye.

 

[TCRanch]

Just an FYI, because it doesn't seem to be the case with your bull, but if you do have one with foot rot and can't get them in, Sustain III cattle boluses are very effective in treating it if caught early. I either break them in half and hand-feed with cubes (basically shove 'em in the mouth) or mix them with cubes in a bowl, sometimes drizzling molasses over it.

 

[sunnyblueskies]

Could be a sprain, coming off of a cow and landing wrong. Or check the hooves like the others said with a 'pressure test'.
Good news though....... it's a front leg/foot not a back one.