Lost our heifer bull

[coachg]

Don't know if it was from the heat last week and high humidity or what . No pond in that pasture but plenty of shade . All the signs of pneumonia. Labored breathing, excessive mucus discharge, droopy and no appetite. He's always been a loner and didn't like new folks around so when he didn't come up I just thought he was being his usual self . We were working on replacing the electric fence power source. Then the next day I saw him standing in the shade and he didn't join the heifers . Still didn't throw up a red flag . Then yesterday the same so I went and found him . He was bad sick . Loaded him up on a generic draxon but found him dead this morning. Probably too little too late ; I could kick myself for not checking him sooner . First bull I've ever lost . He was the ultra black we bred to our heifers . I figure this is about 5-6000 $ loss . The price of a new bull and his value .

 

[Warren Allison]

Don't know if it was from the heat last week and high humidity or what . No pond in that pasture but plenty of shade . All the signs of pneumonia. Labored breathing, excessive mucus discharge, droopy and no appetite. He's always been a loner and didn't like new folks around so when he didn't come up I just thought he was being his usual self . We were working on replacing the electric fence power source. Then the next day I saw him standing in the shade and he didn't join the heifers . Still didn't throw up a red flag . Then yesterday the same so I went and found him . He was bad sick . Loaded him up on a generic draxon but found him dead this morning. Probably too little too late ; I could kick myself for not checking him sooner . First bull I've ever lost . He was the ultra black we bred to our heifers . I figure this is about 5-6000 $ loss . The price of a new bull and his value .

That sucks, @coachg . Any of the other cattle in that pasture showing any symptoms?

 

[snakegap1]

Don't know if it was from the heat last week and high humidity or what . No pond in that pasture but plenty of shade . All the signs of pneumonia. Labored breathing, excessive mucus discharge, droopy and no appetite. He's always been a loner and didn't like new folks around so when he didn't come up I just thought he was being his usual self . We were working on replacing the electric fence power source. Then the next day I saw him standing in the shade and he didn't join the heifers . Still didn't throw up a red flag . Then yesterday the same so I went and found him . He was bad sick . Loaded him up on a generic draxon but found him dead this morning. Probably too little too late ; I could kick myself for not checking him sooner . First bull I've ever lost . He was the ultra black we bred to our heifers . I figure this is about 5-6000 $ loss . The price of a new bull and his value .

That stinks, do you think he got any bred?

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

I feel your pain. I bought a real nice bull last fall. Turned him out with some spring cows in May and went to pull him out Saturday and he dropped probably 500lbs and was all by himself way back in the brush and took us 2 hours to get him out and into a trailer. No obvious signs, no fever, he eats and drinks, stool is normal, etc, we thru the medicine cabinet at him but I'm not hopeful.

 

[Travlr]

I feel your pain. I bought a real nice bull last fall. Turned him out with some spring cows in May and went to pull him out Saturday and he dropped probably 500lbs and was all by himself way back in the brush and took us 2 hours to get him out and into a trailer. No obvious signs, no fever, he eats and drinks, stool is normal, etc, we thru the medicine cabinet at him but I'm not hopeful.

Hardware?

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Possibly, he got magnets. Also possibly liver flukes so did what we could for that. Haven't lost an animal in a few years so I'm due, just hate that it is a costly bull.

 

[Travlr]

Possibly, he got magnets. Also possibly liver flukes so did what we could for that. Haven't lost an animal in a few years so I'm due, just hate that it is a costly bull.

Fingers crossed...

 

[TCRanch]

Possibly, he got magnets. Also possibly liver flukes so did what we could for that. Haven't lost an animal in a few years so I'm due, just hate that it is a costly bull.

All my cows, bulls and retained heifers have magnets. And yet, I lost a great cow to hardware last year. It can also be caused by a shard of glass or PVC pipe, honey locust thorns, basically any sharp object. Any swelling of the brisket or legs? Neck extended?

Since you treated for liver flukes, another possibility is BLV. Any swelling of the lymph nodes? Unusual lumps, bloating on the right side, swollen &/or red eyes and limping without signs of foot rot can be clues.

Sending good luck!

 

[coachg]

That sucks, @coachg . Any of the other cattle in that pasture showing any symptoms?

No sir , been keeping an eye out on them ! Thanks for asking.

 

[coachg]

That stinks, do you think he got any bred?

Yes sir , surely in 60 days he did his job .

 

[coachg]

Hardware?

Possible but we’ve kept heifers in that pasture for 6-8 years with no issues.

 

[coachg]

Possibly, he got magnets. Also possibly liver flukes so did what we could for that. Haven't lost an animal in a few years so I'm due, just hate that it is a costly bull.

Thanks Chevy , friend broight his backhoe and we buried him less than an hour after I found him . Life goes on .

 

[Travlr]

Possible but we've kept heifers in that pasture for 6-8 years with no issues.

Not even suggesting that your bull got hardware because it sounds like he got something quick, and I was asking @chevytaHOE5674 about his bull.

But it's amazing how much metal there is in places you'd never expect to find it.

I bought a magnet recently. Just a little one, about 20 inches long with wheels and a handle. I wanted to go over an area that was maybe 20 X 30. Every time I go over it I get the side closest to the ground covered with stuff. Every time. Big stuff, little stuff, things I wonder why it got there. I've gone over it maybe ten times. This place was built in 1914, but the place I'm cleaning up is back in the pasture behind the house. At this point I would expect to fill the magnet again if I go out and do it again.

Sorry about your bull though. Any clues or thoughts now that you've had some time to think?

 

[coachg]

Not even suggesting that your bull got hardware because it sounds like he got something quick, and I was asking @chevytaHOE5674 about his bull.

But it's amazing how much metal there is in places you'd never expect to find it.

I bought a magnet recently. Just a little one, about 20 inches long with wheels and a handle. I wanted to go over an area that was maybe 20 X 30. Every time I go over it I get the side closest to the ground covered with stuff. Every time. Big stuff, little stuff, things I wonder why it got there. I've gone over it maybe ten times. This place was built in 1914, but the place I'm cleaning up is back in the pasture behind the house. At this point I would expect to fill the magnet again if I go out and do it again.

Sorry about your bull though. Any clues or thoughts now that you've had some time to think?

No sir , just the heat thing . Old farm , I’m sure it’s here . Thanks for your input .

 

[Ky hills]

Sorry that happened.
Somebody already mentioned possibly hardware. I bought the second high selling bull at a registered consignment bull sale several years ago.
Bull seemed fine, had him turned out for just a couple days. When the sale manager for the bred heifers sales that we were selling in was out to say something about the sale, he looked out on the hill and asked if that bull was sick.
I couldn’t believe he’d took sick that fast.
Had a vet out, that diagnosed and treated him for pneumonia. Bull just kept getting worse and didn’t respond to treatment so I had another vet come out.
He diagnosed him with hardware disease after listening to his heart. He said the other vets must have just listened to the upper chamber instead of both the upper and lower.
There wasn’t anything that could be done at that point.
Heat stress is real likely. I’ve seen several bulls get hot and stressed.
Couldn’t find one of my bulls one day and finally found him in the shade by himself away from the cows. He was a good natured bull and never gave any signs of aggression in any way but that day he was hot and didn’t want to be bothered. I tried to get him to move a little to see if he was ok, but he let me know he wasn’t having it.
Another year a different bull, a similar situation only that bull wasn’t quite as cranky but he wasn’t moving either.
They didn’t get sick from it but at the times I wasn’t sure that they weren’t going to.
I figure they may have over heated following and trying to breed cows,

 

[coachg]

Are symptoms of hardware affect their respiratory system ?

 

[Ky hills]

Are symptoms of hardware affect their respiratory system ?

Yes, as I understand it the lungs can be punctured by whatever is inside and that can affect the heart.

 

[coachg]

Yes, as I understand it the lungs can be punctured by whatever is inside and that can affect the heart.

That’s interesting. I’ve heard of hardware disease before but didn’t know symptoms. Never googled it till now . I’ve lost cattle over the years from unknown causes . Makes you think .

 

[Ky hills]

That's interesting. I've heard of hardware disease before but didn't know symptoms. Never googled it till now . I've lost cattle over the years from unknown causes . Makes you think .

Yeah, there’s so many things that can happen to them, hard to know sometimes.

 

[coachg]

On another note , contacted Mrs Gizmo about a bull . That might be closer to an $8 -9,000 loss .