pics of cow problems and other stuff -- for the newbies

[jersey lilly]

Thought those of you that are new at this might like photos of a cow birthin a baby. I caught this one last year, start to finish. Took all of about 30 minutes.

Just gettin started when I pulled up.

Walkin and doin circles.

Lay down, get up, lay back down. I see one foot.

Crossed the slough, I see two feet!!

there's a head.....

Here we go

Almost there

Whewww.....made it

First bath

Uhg....I just got here mom, I can't be that dirty.

Taste Test.

First Nap

 

[mariner3302]

That is an awesome series of birthing! Thanks!

 

[randiliana]

This one shows the swelling of the face and tongue of a calf after a LONG hard birth. You don't want to see this, but it will go down within a day or so. The biggest thing is that with the swollen tongue they have difficulty sucking. This guy will require a bit of TLC, but I think he will be fine.

 

[Beefy]

randi, this is a really good link. it may even be deserving of its own sticky?

http://kinne.net/ob4.htm

 

[randiliana]

randi, this is a really good link. it may even be deserving of its own sticky?

http://kinne.net/ob4.htm

haha, I just posted it over on the Breeding/Calving Issues board. Once I got going through it I thought the same thing . Great minds think alike ;-)

 

[randiliana]

Here are some more pics

Contracted tendons on the front legs

Blind eye due to an old pinkeye infection. She has been like this for about 8 years. Doesn't affect her much, other than the one time she got pinkeye in the other eye. Made it difficult to get her home!! You also have to make sure she knows where you are.

Old, dried up lump, not one to worry about

Extra teats. The middle one is the extra.

A good udder on a heifer

A case of pinkeye that we caught early. You can barely see the cloudiness. She also has a case of ringworm

 

[Double R Ranch]

Thanks MM. This truly is a great post. Thanks to all the others who keep posting pics. This is a great place for begginners to learn. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and in this case that statement couldn't be truer! Thanks for posting this. Hope it helps a lot of people. If I get anything interesting/educational on film I will be sure to post it here!
Double R

 

[katscars]

hi, thanks for the pics! they r very useful. I think my calf has a ill joint. it is swollen and sore to the touch. how do I treat it? Apart from the swelling he otherwise seems happy and healthy. Culling is not an option as he is so tame like a puppy. the kids want to keep him to rid on.
Thanks Kata

 

[dun]

hi, thanks for the pics! they r very useful. I think my calf has a ill joint. it is swollen and sore to the touch. how do I treat it? Apart from the swelling he otherwise seems happy and healthy. Culling is not an option as he is so tame like a puppy. the kids want to keep him to rid on.
Thanks Kata

High doses of penn for a long period of time. Do a search for navel ill or joint ill. Better yet, talk to your vet.

 

[bambi_boy]

I KNOW this sounds sick - but does anyone have a picture of what "scours" look like? Begining stages & worst case.

 

[Beefy]

i'll see what i can do.

 

[Alice]

I KNOW this sounds sick - but does anyone have a picture of what "scours" look like? Begining stages & worst case.

Don't have pictures, but I always considered anything runny or watery or even loose to be scours. AND, at that point the electrolytes started.

Once scours hits the ground, sometimes it can be so watery that it looks like where the calf peed, and the scours shoot out with such force that they don't hit the tail or the legs. But usually, scours are watery yellow, or watery white, or watery green, or watery brown. I've read articles that discount the color as being important and articles that base the kind of scours and the treatment on the color.

Big thing with scours is to remember...scours don't kill the calf...dehydration from the scours kills the calf. The calf has to stay hydrated and nourished throughout the whole scours ordeal. AND, the calf has to be watched closely for signs of respiratory ills. That's why I always gave antibiotics with scours. As many calves as I was raising, I didn't have the time or luxury of running stool samples to the vet. If you have only one or two, then it might be advantageous to take a stool sample to the vet and ask the vet for the proper treatment. BUT, before you do that, get electrolytes into the calf.

Hope this helps a little. Probably a lot more info than what you wanted or needed...

Alice

 

[bambi_boy]

Because the first calf that we were supposed to get (but didn't) died due to scours, I watch his poop & even his pee, as concentrated urine usually means a sign of dehydration, like a hawk. Because I have yet to see him drink water, I offer water in his bottle 2x a day with a small amount of electrolytes in it.

Don't know if I am doing right, but I feel like I should.

 

[Alice]

Because the first calf that we were supposed to get (but didn't) died due to scours, I watch his poop & even his pee, as concentrated urine usually means a sign of dehydration, like a hawk. Because I have yet to see him drink water, I offer water in his bottle 2x a day with a small amount of electrolytes in it.

Don't know if I am doing right, but I feel like I should.

Sounds like a plan. I read somewhere that overdoing with the electrolytes when a calf wasn't scouring or dehydrated was dangerous...don't know if that still holds true. However, a small amount in it's water...I can't think that would hurt a thing. And if it makes you and the calf feel better, hey...been there, done that, and not one bit ashamed to admit it.

Alice

 

[bambi_boy]

Been putting one tablespoon of the powder per 2 pints of water... is that ok - or should I do just water?

 

[Alice]

Been putting one tablespoon of the powder per 2 pints of water... is that ok - or should I do just water?

I cannot see how a tablespoon in 2 pints of water could possibly hurt anything. And, should I lose my mind and decide to raise baby holstein bulls again, I intend to try it.

Alice

 

[nap]

What a wonderful post. It would be great for others with cattle problems to add pictures. They really are worth a thousand words. I am currently dealing with a case of foot rot that looks exactly like the picture. Anyone have a treatment suggestions? Thanks Milkmaid!

 

[Double R Ranch]

Here are a couple pics of a heifer calf born the other day. The vet says it is just displaced tissue. Haven't decided if we will add her to the herd.

View attachment 1

Double R

 

[Double R Ranch]

This heifer was fine when we fed at night and severly dehydrated in the morning. After checking her stools we found she had scoured (vet says from the heat). She was put on scour meds and IV fluids. These pics were taken after several treatments. It looked a lot worse that morning.
Today this heifer is up and as of dinnertime tonight was bucking and playing. Thought you all who don't know what dehydration looks like might find this interesting.
View attachment 2View attachment 1
Double R

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Double R - your first heifer looks like a free-martin. Bull calf twin could have been obsorbed.