Off cow

[sassafras manor]

We have a 7 year old Angus that isn't eating much, has lost some condition the past two days and is restless (will sit down then back up 10 minutes later) so we penned her up in the barn pasture last night. As the boys were walking her to the barn at dusk is was almost as if she couldn't see very well. We found some Johnson grass in the far corner of the pasture she was in and we have had frost the past couple nights but from what I have read she wouldn't have made it thru the night if it was Prussic poisoning. (We also moved all of the other cows out of that pasture once we noticed it and they all have good condition and healthy appetites) She isn's staggering or anything like that just simply walking with no direction. She is drinking (and peeing) and taking mineral but the only manure I could find this morning was 2 clumps about the size of a Danish and they were both pretty hard (not firm, but hard). I am waiting for the vet to open this morning then will call for them to come out but wanted to see what you all thought. Thanks

 

[Bright Raven]

I would like to know the outcome.

I have been monitoring my cows closely. Our fall has been like spring. Very lush green pasture. I have been reading about grass tetany. The symptoms are similar to what you describe.

Please report the results.

 

[Lucky_P]

Deleted for edit below

 

[Lucky_P]

Grass tetany highly unlikely at this time of year. Would not be a consideration IMO.

I'd be more concerned about anaplasmosis or acorn toxicosis...any oaks in that pasture?
Lymphosarcoma also a consideration

 

[sassafras manor]

They were turned into a hay field Monday evening that has some fresh lush growth of grass, clover and alfalfa and while I always use a high-mag mineral in spring I didn't think about for fall. There also are oak trees along the edge of that field. Vet is coming out at 1130am

 

[Bright Raven]

They were turned into a hay field Monday evening that has some fresh lush growth of grass, clover and alfalfa and while I always use a high-mag mineral in spring I didn't think about for fall. There also are oak trees along the edge of that field. Vet is coming out at 1130am

Grass tetany is associated with turning cows out on spring grass when they have been on hay but this fall in Kentucky has been like spring. In fact, I have the most lush pasture that I can remember. I do keep vitaferm out year around.

 

[sassafras manor]

The vet said everything points towards anaplasmosis based on how anemic the cow is and what her blood looked like when she took a blood sample. She gave her a large dose of La 300, a multivitamin shot and 2 L of IV fluids and 5 to 7 days I need to give her another hit of La 300 and she wrote me a script to pick up an aromycin (probably spelled that one wrong) tub to put out for my other cows..

 

[Bright Raven]

The vet said everything points towards anaplasmosis based on how anemic the cow is and what her blood looked like when she took a blood sample. She gave her a large dose of La 300, a multivitamin shot and 2 L of IV fluids and 5 to 7 days I need to give her another hit of La 300 and she wrote me a script to pick up an aromycin (probably spelled that one wrong) tub to put out for my other cows..

AUREOMYCIN is a trade name for oxytetracycline. When you get it, would you post the concentration of oxytetracycline in the tub? And is it a mineral tub or feed tub?

 

[Lucky_P]

Aureomycin is chlortetracycline(CTC), not oxytetracycline.

I'm sure that your veterinarian warned you to be on the lookout for other mature animals exhibiting similar signs...

 

[sassafras manor]

Yes the vet instructed me to keep a watchful eye on the rest of the herd. They are all pulled back up close to the barn to easier monitor. Bright Raven....once I pick up the tub I will provide the details about the tub. Thanks

 

[Bright Raven]

Aureomycin is chlortetracycline(CTC), not oxytetracycline.

I'm sure that your veterinarian warned you to be on the lookout for other mature animals exhibiting similar signs...

Thanks for correcting that.

 

[holm25]

Grass tetany highly unlikely at this time of year. Would not be a consideration IMO.

I'd be more concerned about anaplasmosis or acorn toxicosis...any oaks in that pasture?
Lymphosarcoma also a consideration

Cows shouldn't eat acorns?

 

[Lucky_P]

Not to excess... and some will, during 'on' years with a heavy mast crop.
In my experience, the white oak group (white, bur, chestnut, etc. ) tend to be a bigger problem, but if a large crop of red/black oak acorns was present, they could also cause issues.
http://www.thecattlesite.com/diseaseinf ... poisoning/

Deer and goats have proline-rich salivary proteins which inactivate the tannins, which are presumed to be the damaging component in acorns and oak buds, and thus can eat them with impunity... but cattle lack these salivary proteins, and mustn't eat 'all they want'.

 

[TCRanch]

Sorry to hear that! Are you going to have the rest of the herd tested? Not knowing your protocol, and you may already do this, but I would strongly suggest switching to disposable needles/syringes or at the very least changing needles every time.

 

[sassafras manor]

We always switch syringe tips at vaccination time. At this point the vet did not seem to think we needed to test the rest of the herd but will be putting out a Aereomycin tub for them as a preventative.

 

[sassafras manor]

The cow died overnight last night. It's crazy how fast she went down considering Monday night she ran up to be fed and then to be dead 3 days later. I am on my way to pick up the Aereomycin table to put out with the rest of the herd and will post details about it when I get back home

 

[Bright Raven]

The cow died overnight last night. It's crazy how fast she went down considering Monday night she ran up to be fed and then to be dead 3 days later. I am on my way to pick up the Aereomycin table to put out with the rest of the herd and will post details about it when I get back home

Sorry. Anaplasmosis is deadly and FAST. It destroys their red blood cells.

I would like to know how a tub with chlorotetracycline is going to provide enough prevention to do much good. The vet who treated rollinhills herd recommended a top dressing of CTC (Chlortetracycline)on feed. Seems that would guarantee more getting into their system.

 

[Lucky_P]

I, too, have concerns about whether or not adequate levels and consistent consumption of a tub product (I didn't know there were any) will adequately prevent additional clinical cases - if there are other animals in the herd in the incubation phase of the disease.
Blood testing(cELISA serology) will identify infected animals, but will not differentiate between animals that are in the incubation phase... soon to become clinically ill ... and those that are persistently infected, with low-level parasitemia(these animals will not become clinically ill, but may serve as a continued source of Anaplasma organisms to infect the next generation(s) of ticks, which then amplify and transmit to naive cattle.

I'm retired and have not been in active veterinary practice for some time... not sure the new VFD regs, which took effect in Jan 2017 even allow 'top-dressing' of feed with Aureomycin anymore... I was under the impression - though possibly mistakenly - that the CTC had to be mixed into a prepared feed or mineral supplement at allowed concentrations in order to meet the letter of the laws.

 

[farmerjan]

Lucky_P the way I understand it here in Va is you have to get a vet script and you can then get the 50lb bags of Aureomycin crumbles. They have to specify the # of bags allowed, and dosage per animal or per lb of feed (ton of feed), but it does not have to be directly mixed at a mill in feed. By getting the vet script, it is basically insuring that a vet has looked at and prescribed this particular treatment for this particular group of animals.

 

[sassafras manor]

The feed mill I picked up the Aureomycin at this morning had it in 50lb bags of crumbles so that was what I bought to be top dressed with their daily rations. The top dress rate is 1.6 oz/100 lbs animal weight for 5 days. My VFD runs thru April.