Need Advise on a Tripod Steer

[Stocker Steve]

We are processing a lot of gras cattle right now and the lots are icy. I have a Rwf steer who won't use one hind leg. He moves it back in forth but won't put any weight on it. I get him up twice a day when I feed and push him over to the stock tank for a drink. Otherwise he lays out on packed snow next to a fence. He does not come up for grain and has no belly left. He had a snotty nose today so I treated him with A180 and banimine.

Any tips on where to go from here?

 

[Alice]

My first thought is to call a vet, and if for some reason you can't do that, then my next thought is to put him out of his misery.

Barring that, can you put some sort of bedding down for him to get him off the packed snow? I would think that would be the same as laying on cold concrete...which, if the steer has pneumona, is the worst thing in the world for it. Can the steer be driven to a barn? A shelter?

Also, if the steer is injured in his leg or has a joint problem, maybe a shot of dexamethazone would be in order.

But, back to my first thought...why don't you call the vet?

Alice

 

[Stocker Steve]

I have called my vet out for lame animals - - the standard advise is "it is a soft tissue injury so give them some banimine and see if they get better"... I don't need to pay $45 for that. I did have a vacation replacement vet out once and he roped up a leg and actually did a physical exam.

The steer has access to a dry bedded shed right next to the water. A lot of the cattle I buy in eat some straw, walk by the grain starter ration, and then go lay in the snow for the first couple days. They are not used to a 4 star facility. This guy is just taking a longer than most.

 

[Alice]

This guy is just taking a longer than most.

With a hurt leg, and possible respiratory crud/pneumonia, I can see him taking longer than most. If he's in pain, and has to walk very far to eat or drink, he just won't do it. Try the dexamethazone...at this point what do you have to lose. It won't kill the animal.

If you are having to get the steer up and drive it to water and food, then can't you drive it to the shed? If you gave him antibiotic for a snotty nose, and the animal has laid on packed snow since then...I dunno, I can't see how it could do anything but harm him. However, I live in Texas and rarely do we have to deal with packed snow.

When we've had steers with hurt legs, we've kept them confined in a smaller areas that provided easy access to food and water and shelter...and they were given a shot of dex, waited a few days to see how they were doing, then depending on if there'd been much improvement or not, another shot of dex...etc.

I don't remember having to give more than 2 shots of dex. But then, they didn't have to walk much distance to food and water, so they were able to keep hydrated and nourished.

Alice

 

[msscamp]

We are processing a lot of gras cattle right now and the lots are icy. I have a Rwf steer who won't use one hind leg. He moves it back in forth but won't put any weight on it. I get him up twice a day when I feed and push him over to the stock tank for a drink. Otherwise he lays out on packed snow next to a fence. He does not come up for grain and has no belly left. He had a snotty nose today so I treated him with A180 and banimine.

Any tips on where to go from here?

If you have the means of seperating him, do that. We have a steer who is doing the same thing, except it's a front leg. We put him in a small pen so he can see the other calves and he's gaining weight very nicely. We will undoubtedly end up butchering him, but he should make some good eating.

 

[cowvet]

If your steer is not putting any weight on the leg and is spending most of the time lying down then there is more going on than a soft tissue injury (and I think all vets would agree with me!!)

Non weight bearing lameness would more likely be explained by a fracture or dislocated hip. Neither are going to get better with antibiotics or anti-inflams.

If he has shown no sign of improvement then you need to either get an accurate diagnosis and prognosis, or put the animal out of its misery.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Non weight bearing lameness would more likely be explained by a fracture or dislocated hip. Neither are going to get better with antibiotics or anti-inflams.

If he has shown no sign of improvement then you need to either get an accurate diagnosis and prognosis, or put the animal out of its misery.

He is standing quite a bit now but still putting little weight on the leg until him runs out of the chute. I had not though of a rear hip dislocation. Can they be popped back in?

 

[Stocker Steve]

The vet was here and he pointed out that while tripod was putting some weight on the leg he may never totally recover. The vet recomended Banimine injections short term.

 

[milkmaid]

Keep in mind that 1) Banamine does have a slaughter withdrawal, and 2) pain takes energy -- in other words, he won't gain weight well as long as he's hurting. You may be better off just cutting your loss now than letting him become a money pit. He'll take a long time to finish.

 

[Bama]

Wow, both Alice and Milkmaid saying cut your loses. I'd say that settles it. Those two have far more patients than most. I'll add my 2 cents as well. "Don't spend a dollar to make a nickle." I'd let it go and see if it gets better on its own. If it don't and goes down. Put it out of "your" misery.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Keep in mind that 1) Banamine does have a slaughter withdrawal, and 2) pain takes energy -- in other words, he won't gain weight well as long as he's hurting. You may be better off just cutting your loss now than letting him become a money pit. He'll take a long time to finish.

How long is the slaughter withdrawal period?

 

[msscamp]

Keep in mind that 1) Banamine does have a slaughter withdrawal, and 2) pain takes energy -- in other words, he won't gain weight well as long as he's hurting. You may be better off just cutting your loss now than letting him become a money pit. He'll take a long time to finish.

Got to disagree, milkmaid. As previously stated, we've got one just like him - except it's a front leg - he's in a smaller pen that minimizes the distance(and effort needed) to water and feed, and he's doing just fine and gaining weight very nicely. In fact, we've started him on corn to finish him out for the freezer.

 

[milkmaid]

I guess it could depend on the individual animal - as well as the weight and age that they are at the time of the injury. The larger/heavier the animal and the longer they have to be walking on 3 legs, the more you'll notice the effects of lameness. I had one last summer with a bum front leg that I finally called the butcher out early for. She never gained well, and the heavier she got the worse off she was -- and I kept her in an approx 30x30 pen. I had calves months younger than her that passed her right by. Also had one calf with a problem with her back leg last winter whose contemporaries left her in the dust, and she never made it past 300lbs before I called it quits.

I'm done with cripples that do not display immediate improvement, or who have possible long-term injuries. A cow is meant to walk on 4 legs, and nothing good comes of it if they are unable to do so for extended periods of time.

 

[milkmaid]

Keep in mind that 1) Banamine does have a slaughter withdrawal, and 2) pain takes energy -- in other words, he won't gain weight well as long as he's hurting. You may be better off just cutting your loss now than letting him become a money pit. He'll take a long time to finish.

How long is the slaughter withdrawal period?

I think it's either 4 days or 7 days, but I don't recall exactly off hand. Check the label.

 

[msscamp]

I guess it could depend on the individual animal - as well as the weight and age that they are at the time of the injury. The larger/heavier the animal and the longer they have to be walking on 3 legs, the more you'll notice the effects of lameness. I had one last summer with a bum front leg that I finally called the butcher out early for. She never gained well, and the heavier she got the worse off she was -- and I kept her in an approx 30x30 pen. I had calves months younger than her that passed her right by. Also had one calf with a problem with her back leg last winter whose contemporaries left her in the dust, and she never made it past 300lbs before I called it quits.

I'm done with cripples that do not display immediate improvement, or who have possible long-term injuries. A cow is meant to walk on 4 legs, and nothing good comes of it if they are unable to do so for extended periods of time.

Valid points, and I'm certainly not going to disagree with you. This particular calf was sound when he arrived, got hurt somehow, and we are trying to salvage what we can.

 

[milkmaid]

Best wishes with him, msscamp. Hope he finishes out great for you.

 

[msscamp]

Thank you! If he does, he will be the first non-Murray Grey steer we've put in the freezer for many, many years. :lol: :lol:

 

[Herefordcross]

Have you guys been thoroughly educated on the use of banamine? I haven't but, I did get to catch an hour long discussion on it's use.