Mysterious sickness? Netwrap?

[fnfarms1]

Got a calf that's been acting off for over 10days now. Hasn't eating much at all in a week. Figured he was just off feed and he'd come around. Guy I buy feed off of mixed his own, changed from cracked corn to whole. This is a 1100lb butcher calf I've got a fortune in feed in.
Gave him 50cc of LA300 in case he had fever. Sunday nite I finally got a vet out to look at him. He gave laxatives, anti bloat stuff, and dose of Micotil. He's but stumped at to the issue as well. Personally I thinking he picked up netwrap or plastic bag blew in pen etc.
Today vet gave a more laxatives, probiotics, and a magnet to give him. To look at him he's healthy as can be. Just walks slow and poop is dark almost black and smells rotten, what very very little there is of it. Pics are all I have currently.
I'm thinking he's screwed

 

[Hpacres440p]

Got a calf that's been acting off for over 10days now. Hasn't eating much at all in a week. Figured he was just off feed and he'd come around. Guy I buy feed off of mixed his own, changed from cracked corn to whole. This is a 1100lb butcher calf I've got a fortune in feed in.
Gave him 50cc of LA300 in case he had fever. Sunday nite I finally got a vet out to look at him. He gave laxatives, anti bloat stuff, and dose of Micotil. He's but stumped at to the issue as well. Personally I thinking he picked up netwrap or plastic bag blew in pen etc.
Today vet gave a more laxatives, probiotics, and a magnet to give him. To look at him he's healthy as can be. Just walks slow and poop is dark almost black and smells rotten, what very very little there is of it. Pics are all I have currently.
I'm thinking he's screwed

And with the antibiotics will you even be able to salvage?

 

[fnfarms1]

And with the antibiotics will you even be able to salvage?

Nope. If I did take him to sale I'd have to note that he's had Micotil. In which case I wouldn't buy a healthy looking calf that had Micotil 3 days before, be lucky to get 500 for him. I could grind him to burger but if the FDA doesn't say it's safe with all the BS I see them approve, nope not feeding that to my family or anyone else's. So I'm stuck

 

[fnfarms1]

Other pics I couldn't upload earlier due to bad signal

 

[Ky hills]

Micotil has 42 day withdrawal period, not sure if the beef would be safe before that or not I wouldn't want to risk it. Micotil is good in some circumstances but it is a drug I want nothing to do with.

 

[kenny thomas]

Sometimes when on heavy feed they can get stomach issues and actually get irritation enough that they wont eat. Mixing some baking soda in the feed helps prevent it but also helps settle the stomach.
Changing the feed usually hurts also.

 

[fnfarms1]

Micotil has 42 day withdrawal period, not sure if the beef would be safe before that or not I wouldn't want to risk it. Micotil is good in some circumstances but it is a drug I want nothing to do with.

I hear ya, it can be dangerous but it has worked a lot of miracles for me that I had wrote off already so I keep a bottle handy. I also won't chance it, especially since my butcher beef business is something I'm trying to grow. Getting a bad name or a hefty fine wouldn't do well in that regard

 

[fnfarms1]

Starting to reconsider selling him. As long as I tell them he's had the meds I'm clear. If Monday he's still alive and no miracles, I'll take him to Joplin stockyards. Doubt I get 1000for him but better than dying. But that'll be at least 2wks hardly eating anything

 

[farmerjan]

Around here you would be lucky to get $.10 a lb for him.

 

[RDFF]

Why would you take him to the market that way? Would you ever risk buying one, after being told what you have told us about him? It's not all about the money... it's your reputation, like you've said. Either keep him and get him well and cleared of the meds, or keep him and take the risk yourself... that's part of the cattle business, IMO. If he dies, you can maybe do a PM on him to find out a little more what his problem was, so you can avoid it in the future. An education is never free...........

 

[fnfarms1]

Why would you take him to the market that way? Would you ever risk buying one, after being told what you have told us about him? It's not all about the money... it's your reputation, like you've said. Either keep him and get him well and cleared of the meds, or keep him and take the risk yourself... that's part of the cattle business, IMO. If he dies, you can maybe do a PM on him to find out a little more what his problem was, so you can avoid it in the future. An education is never free...........

That's why I never really considered the selling him part to start with. But several have advised to unload him and cut my loses. That's why I was asking opinions. I've never sold one with meds onboard

 

[kenny thomas]

It is actually illegal to sell cattle with drug residues. Would you buy aa steer knowing it had been given antibiotics a few days ago?

 

[fnfarms1]

It is actually illegal to sell cattle with drug residues. Would you buy aa steer knowing it had been given antibiotics a few days ago?

This was my argument but was told if you make it known about all meds it's had then it's clear. No I personally would not buy a healthy steer with meds in him. However I also don't buy salebarn anything. Their there for a reason, might just be easiest way to sell. Might have issues.

 

[Son of Butch]

Gave him 50cc of LA300 in case he had a fever.

You don't own a thermometer?
Willy-nilly drug use for decades has created antibiotic resistance and residues in the food chain and then you complain about
the availability of over the counter drugs. Those restrictions should've been in place for at least the last 30-40 years.

 

[fnfarms1]

You don't own a thermometer?
Willy-nilly drug use for decades has created antibiotic resistance and residues in the food chain and then you complain about
the availability of over the counter drugs. Those restrictions should've been in place for at least the last 30-40 years.

Nope didn't own one until this situation. Do now

 

[TexasRancher]

That's why I never really considered the selling him part to start with. But several have advised to unload him and cut my loses. That's why I was asking opinions. I've never sold one with meds onboard

My advice...I would have NOT let the Vet inject him...for a "just in case"-or for thinking it "might be" this. Magnet and laxative were good insurance. You were fattening him up with grains quickly...with grains it's a slow acclamation process and diffcult to do. Sounds like you over-grained him and he might have on-set laminitis, not eating or moving much, dropping weight fast.
He's not eating as he's recovering his rumen-stomach floral/linings. Dark black poo, might be irratated bleeding. Absolutely do not sell him at the sale barn. You should take the initiative and responsibility. He'll recover on his own if you stop graining him, help him to reset his system by administer calf bolus anibacterial pills (quantity for his weight) and put him back on hay or even better pasture grasses. I'm no doctor or Vet making money for administering strong antibotics....but I am someone that researched cattle anatomy and sicknesses for 6 months. Cattle know how to heal themselves on regular pasture land that contain a diverse set of weeds and tree leafs to choose from.