I have a heifer that has been losing a little bit of hair over the past couple of days. It is obviously something that itches because she is rubbing her neck on posts quite a bit. From what I can tell, the hair is coming off from the neck area in small chunks. I would think maybe lice or something, but it has been down around zero degrees for the last couple of days. Can lice or some other parasite survive in that cold of a temperature? If not, what could it be? How would you go about treating it? Thanks for the help.
Losing hair
- Thread starter BC Acres
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Supa Dexta
Well-known member
May even just be spring is coming. Mine are even starting to lose their winter hair and there's hardly been any sign of warmer weather here yet. Mine have been poured though. I'd start there if yours haven't.
GuySanders
Well-known member
Sounds like rain scald to me.
I've been fighting it all winter with all the rain or no sunlight we been having.
I use Aureomycin crumbles .
Guy
I've been fighting it all winter with all the rain or no sunlight we been having.
I use Aureomycin crumbles .
Guy
branguscowgirl
Well-known member
:nod: :nod: :nod:dun":2ub54liy said:
Nesikep
Well-known member
God chance it's lice, but I've heard of a lot of people having problems with it this year and this abnormally warm (over here) weather we've been having even on cattle with no lice.
I dont' get too worked up about it. It'll grow back.. and unless they've really got a louse infestation I really don't think it's cutting into the bottom line.
I dont' get too worked up about it. It'll grow back.. and unless they've really got a louse infestation I really don't think it's cutting into the bottom line.
GuySanders
Well-known member
Besides recent weather patterns the way I determine it is rain scald is when I see extensive lick marks all over the animals and maybe even see them lifting a hind leg and lick under it.
Plus if they have dirt on their face that's also a good sign they are itching from the bacteria where they can't reach to lick.
What they are doing when they lick to the point of removing the hair is they are trying to saturate the hair with saliva which has a natural antibody in it.
The only reason I worry about it is when they have dirt on their face from the itch as I have seen the bacteria get in their eyes and cause pinkeye which can lead to cancer eye.
Guy
Plus if they have dirt on their face that's also a good sign they are itching from the bacteria where they can't reach to lick.
What they are doing when they lick to the point of removing the hair is they are trying to saturate the hair with saliva which has a natural antibody in it.
The only reason I worry about it is when they have dirt on their face from the itch as I have seen the bacteria get in their eyes and cause pinkeye which can lead to cancer eye.
Guy
Son of Butch
Well-known member
:nod: :nod: :nod: :nod:branguscowgirl":1yz5bmsn said:
