New to Cattle and have problems.

[TexasGreenHorn]

Hi,

I recently bought 40 acres near Chico, TX that has not been grazed lately with tall grass in the openings and lots of oak trees.

I bought 3 young bulls from Decatur Livestock Market, 280lb, 280lb, and 160lb weights. All 3 were cut, de-wormed and generally doctored by the vet at the market prior to taking home.

I put the steers on the land, added a molasses tub, a little hay and corn. There's a pond for fresh water.

It's been 2 weeks, the little steer is losing weight and boney, I don't see him eating, the other two look strong but now I'm worrying about all of them. Today the little one had a hard time standing up and wobbled a little as he walked.

I've seen the little one dry heaving pretty hard, not sure if this is a normal part of how they digest their grass. Today I saw one of the larger steers do some similar convulsions and I'm now paranoid the larger ones are losing weight. I did see the little one drink today. The little 160lb one looked to maybe have diarrehea.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Is it possible that getting the 3 cut gave them all an infection?

TIA

-Robert

 

[ALACOWMAN]

did the vet give them any antibotic? were they fresh off the teat ? get them up and check their temp pronto the faster you get a handle on shipping fever the better and doctor all three not just the sick ones

 

[randiliana]

160-280 lbs sounds like they still need to be on milk!! Those are pretty little for weaned calves, especially the 160 lber. Probably their rumen isn't developed enough to get the amount of nutrition they need out of the grass. Add in all the stress from the auction and being castrated afterwards and you are asking for trouble. I would give the vet a call. Then, at least get some grain or calf starter and get them on it. Otherwise chances are you will lose one or more of them.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

160-280 lbs sounds like they still need to be on milk!! Those are pretty little for weaned calves, especially the 160 lber. Probably their rumen isn't developed enough to get the amount of nutrition they need out of the grass. Add in all the stress from the auction and being castrated afterwards and you are asking for trouble. I would give the vet a call. Then, at least get some grain or calf starter and get them on it. Otherwise chances are you will lose one or more of them.

I fully agree Randiliana!

Calves that small, bought at sale barn, probably not more than 3-4 months old should still be on teat. Normal average weaning date for beef calves is ~205 days. CALL THE VET!

If they had been castrated then the Vet should have given a Tetanus shot.

Calves may need de-worming.

Calf starter and/or any other good bagged feed with molasses content (to add palatability) plus hay and other stuff.

Were calves fully vaccinated for all the usual things? Did they get their follow-up booster shots if they had their 1st series?

Calves that are not at least 6 months old bought at a sale barn is Caveat Emptor. ;-)

 

[cowvet]

another thing to think about is the oak trees you mention - are there acorns that the cattle are eating...they are poisonous to livestock!!!

 

[Workinonit Farm]

I bought 3 young bulls from Decatur Livestock Market, 280lb, 280lb, and 160lb weights. All 3 were cut, de-wormed and generally doctored by the vet at the market prior to taking home.

I put the steers on the land, added a molasses tub, a little hay and corn. There's a pond for fresh water.

It's been 2 weeks, the little steer is losing weight and boney,

I agree with Randiliana and RAB. For starters, that 160 lb'er was/is probably only about 5 to 6 weeks old. Pretty much too young to be without milk. The 280's aren't much better off.

Good chance they were weaned the day they hit the sale. That equals stress. Being cut at that time equals more stress. Their bodies and immune systems very stressed.

Have you observed them using the molasses tub? What is the protein content?

By the sounds of this, especially the littlest one, lack of proper nutrition (for a baby) and stress are the root of their troubles. Thereby making them susceptible to any opportunistic 'germs' that they come across or were exposed to at the sale.

Get them up, check their temps, check their breathing (how does it sound, is it labored, etc.) then take that info, call your vet and see what they suggest.

JMHO

Katherine

 

[Caustic Burno]

You picked them to early I can see almost worthless potbellied calves in your future. 180 pound calf is 2 1/2 months old heck his rumen didn't develop until he was 21 days old.

 

[highvoltagecattleco]

As everyone has said, 160 lbs is way to small to not be on milk. You may want to give him electrolytes for a few days along with some milk. Get him seperated and confined. You really need to boost his immune system and nutrition. I personally would give him an A,D & E shot, a B shot and LA 200 (not everyone here is a fan of LA 200). Give him electrolytes and milk at alternating feedings. Those other two calves are going to need their nutrition boosted. A protien tub is ok, but they cant lick enough to get what they need. Get cubes or a high protien grain. Ponds aren't always the best fresh water source.

 

[Bama]

I buy lightweight calves all the time. The smallest last year was 110 pounds. I ain't got time to put them on a bottle. Most of them smaller ones are 225- 300 range. If I see something I can make a dollar on I will buy it. The smallest get calf starter with some powered milk topdressed on top. ( dry ). I keep all new arrivals away from the main herd. They stay in a barn for 3 days. If they seem healthy after three days they go into a small lot for 3-4 weeks. They are close enough I can watch them closely. If one seems sick I hit em hard with meds. With calves this young and stressed you can't wait a day to see if they get better. The biggest thing that determines the outcome on these calves is my decision in the ring. You have to be careful which ones to buy. I've been doing this for years and still lose one from time to time. A word of warning - some folks around here have tried to do the same thing I do and have lost some big money. I wouldn't recommend this type of operation to anyone that don't have a "eye" for cattle. I'll buy anything I think I can turn a profit on. One of my less risky actions is to buy a old rough heavy bred cow and get the calf out. I let her raise the calf and send her back to the salebarn as hamburger. I do well with my operation, but its like anything else. The more money to be made the more risk are involved. You have to learn to manage those risk.

 

[cow_crazy_101]

160-280 lbs sounds like they still need to be on milk!! Those are pretty little for weaned calves, especially the 160 lber. Probably their rumen isn't developed enough to get the amount of nutrition they need out of the grass. Add in all the stress from the auction and being castrated afterwards and you are asking for trouble. I would give the vet a call. Then, at least get some grain or calf starter and get them on it. Otherwise chances are you will lose one or more of them.

o.k . sorry if i am butting in on this thread, but i have a calf that was born on january 2, 07 so he is almost 4 monthes old. but he has been weaned for more than a 1 1/2 months old and will eat feed, grass, and hay. he probley only weighs 230-250. I weaned him cause he was eating good and gaining weight... did i do right???

 

[mdmdogs3]

o.k . sorry if i am butting in on this thread, but i have a calf that was born on january 2, 07 so he is almost 4 monthes old. but he has been weaned for more than a 1 1/2 months old and will eat feed, grass, and hay. he probley only weighs 230-250. I weaned him cause he was eating good and gaining weight... did i do right???

was he a bottle baby or was he on his mama?

if Mama - why take him off of her? (I'm pretty new too and I'd just like to understand your thought process)

 

[Dusty Britches]

The acorns aren't dropping yet and won't until the fall. As long as they have other stuff to eat, they most likely will stay away from the acorns. However, if they eat some, they will quickly like them and that's where the problem starts.

Most light calves are weaned between 350-450 pounds. Heavies will wean at over 550-650 pounds, and are obviously much older.

The best advice here is to get them to the vet and ask for advice from him/ her.

 

[Bez>]

Hi,


Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

-Robert

Well Robert - you got your advice - what is your response?

Bez>

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Well Robert - you got your advice - what is your response?

Bez>

I think Robert is another one-post-wonder. :roll:

Katherine

 

[Bez>]

Well Robert - you got your advice - what is your response?

Bez>

I think Robert is another one-post-wonder. :roll:

Katherine

He may be back - but it happens - I am curious to his thoughts.

Outa here

Regards

Bez>

 

[Moocow11]

we have been in the cattle industrie well since my great great great great greta grand parents came to the U.S. and even now we still dont buy anything under 400 lbs at the sale barn. i would hit them all with L.A200 and start to give the baby some powdered milk and i wouldn't advise buying anything under 300lbs since you are just starting out

 

[TheBullLady]

You would do much better with your situation if you buy 600+ weight steer calves that are already well started. Those young calves you bought are too young to be turned straight out on pasture. It also sounds like you may have shipping fever or pnuemonia in the group. Get a vet

 

[cattleluvr18]

we still dont buy anything under 400 lbs at the sale barn. i would hit them all with L.A200

wish i could say that. i would give them LA200 when you first got them. i would give them nuflor now.

 

[Proverbs 12:10]

Hi,


Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

-Robert

Well Robert - you got your advice - what is your response?

Bez>

I think you got the cart before the horse...took action and then asked for advice...here is a good place to hang out and ask questions before opening the wallet.

 

[Moocow11]

you know what i completly forgot about Nuflor. nuflor would work a lot better use that instead