Low temp/ 97.3

[Farmerclark]

We weaned a few calves , on wed of last week, one of the bigger steers, is sort of droopy looking, we took his temp, and it's only 97.3, does this mean, he could be sick? Would a shot of draxxin be a good idea, or , is it still the stress from weaning?

 

[Farmerclark]

We weaned a few calves, a week ago, one of the bigger calves is acting a bit droopy, we took his temp, and it's only, 97.3, ( normal is 101) does this mean he could be sick, or just maybe still stressed from weaning,?
Would it be a good idea to give him a dose of draxxin?

 

[CG1]

We weaned a few calves , on wed of last week, one of the bigger steers, is sort of droopy looking, we took his temp, and it's only 97.3, does this mean, he could be sick? Would a shot of draxxin be a good idea, or , is it still the stress from weaning?

How old is the steer? What's the temperature like where you are? When did you wean the calf? And explain droopy.

 

[Farmerclark]

The steer is 7 months old. / outside temp here this morn. Was 15 above, calf was weaned 7 days ago, I guess my description of droopy is: last one to come to hay, ears seem to be a bit lower than " normal", but he does eat hay, so not sure what's going on with him?

 

[CG1]

The steer is 7 months old. / outside temp here this morn. Was 15 above, calf was weaned 7 days ago, I guess my description of droopy is: last one to come to hay, ears seem to be a bit lower than " normal", but he does eat hay, so not sure what's going on with him?

Personally i wouldn't go dosing him with anything yet. I do have some bottle calves that for whatever reason always have a temperature that is lower than normal. Not sure if 15 above is in Fahrenheit? I mean, hes not hypothermic. Maybe hes effected by the cold? Maybe his body is just adjusting to the change in diet? I always provide my calves lots of grain for the first month after I wean them. Check him again tomorrow and see where he is at.

I don't know how to @ people here but hopefully farmerjan replies. Shes walked me through a lot of calve issues over the years.

 

[Buck Randall]

Healthy cattle will never have a temp that low, but I would also be suspicious of your thermometer. Try taking a temp on a couple of healthy calves for comparison.

 

[76 Bar]

I would also be suspicious of your thermometer.

Is it old style mercury glass or an instant read? When the batteries begin to fail on the latter they become unreliable/quit working. Test which ever you have on yourself and a few others. FWIW if you have an inexpensive instant read buy a new one...replacing the battery isn't worth the effort or cost.

 

[TCRanch]

Just bought 2 more instant read thermometers. Had a recently weaned calf in the chute last week & temp was 100.3. No way. He was clearly droopy - ears down, little snot, just not himself. I went ahead & hit him up with Resflor Gold because once again I'm getting spanked by Mother Nature and already had a number of calves with a temp, sure signs.

Farmerclark, you know your cattle, go with your gut. Stress from weaning is always a possibility but the droopy ears are a red flag. I use Resflor Gold because it has banamine in it, results always in less than 6 hours. But Draxxin will also knock it out.

Side note: in addition to the 2 new thermometers I have another at the barn. Always keep a back up! Had a bull with pneumonia a few years back, ended up taking him to the vet & keeping him at the barn. Vet said to take his temp after 5 days before deciding if additional treatment was warranted. Bull was dog gentle and I could simply walk up to him, scratch his butt & take his temp, no chute. Battery read Lo, couldn't get a reading. Not to worry, went to the workshop and got another thermometer. Scratched his butt, shoved it in, battery read Lo AGAIN. Dangit! Poor guy just turned his head & looked at me like WTH???

 

[76 Bar]

TCR...Been there done that with the admittedly cheap instant read thermometers. A PITA pardon the pun but I'm convinced the battery life is better if they're kept in the house. Buying two seemed prudent but experience has proven otherwise. I now have one on hand and have an old fashioned mercury thermometer as backup and order an IR as needed.
Speaking of the folly of buying replacement batteries for cheapo gizmo's...my $10 travel alarm died the other day. The two replacement batteries (flat circular ones) are $5 each. :bang:

 

[WFfarm]

"Farmerclark, you know your cattle, go with your gut. Stress from weaning is always a possibility but the droopy ears are a red flag. I use Resflor Gold because it has banamine in it, results always in less than 6 hours. But Draxxin will also knock it out."

What is the droopy ears a sign of?

 

[TCRanch]

"Farmerclark, you know your cattle, go with your gut. Stress from weaning is always a possibility but the droopy ears are a red flag. I use Resflor Gold because it has banamine in it, results always in less than 6 hours. But Draxxin will also knock it out."

What is the droopy ears a sign of?

Occasionally an ear infection or ticks but generally a fever, pneumonia being the most likely cause.

 

[WFfarm]

Can they have pneumonia without snotty nose or labored breathing? We had a 6 month old feeder steer acting dopey with ears down. He seamed thin and loose stool. He'd been weaned about a month and had booster round of vaccines about a week earlier. Digital thermometer read 100.5 (not sure I trust it, had problems with the digital ones before). Gave Nuflor, Sulpha bolus and some Probiotic paste and a comfy indoor pen. Seams to have perked up and is feeling better after a few days. Not sure what did the trick.

 

[76 Bar]

Seams to have perked up and is feeling better after a few days. Not sure what did the trick.

Sounds like he's on the mend. Often difficult to pin point exactly what helped him the most. Your close observation, timely Rx & effort to make him comfortable all played a role. :clap: I don't entirely trust the instant read thermometers either. Keep a traditional glass mercury one on hand. Tip...attach fishing line thru the top ring and an alligator clip at the other end so you can securely clip it to the tail head hair.

 

[WFfarm]

We had a bran-new one from Jeffers we used for on week old calf and indicated no fever when checked a few times. When the vet arrived, we read 100.7 and the vet's thermometer read 103. Threw it right away.

 

[TCRanch]

Can they have pneumonia without snotty nose or labored breathing? We had a 6 month old feeder steer acting dopey with ears down. He seamed thin and loose stool. He'd been weaned about a month and had booster round of vaccines about a week earlier. Digital thermometer read 100.5 (not sure I trust it, had problems with the digital ones before). Gave Nuflor, Sulpha bolus and some Probiotic paste and a comfy indoor pen. Seams to have perked up and is feeling better after a few days. Not sure what did the trick.

What 76 Bar said. And yes, they can have pneumonia without the snotty nose or labored breathing. Thing is with cattle, you have to watch them when they don't think you're looking. That's when you pick up most of the signs of a sick animal. And you didn't trust the thermometer (good call!!) - precisely what I meant by follow your gut. Nuflor is great for pneumonia, sulfa will clear the runs and the probiotic paste is always a good thing; bonus on the comfy indoor pen. Well done!