Pink Eye - Dec in WI?

[mitchwi]

We have had bouts of pink-eye in the past always in the heat of the summer, dry, dusty, you know the drill.

I am 90% positive I have a steer with pink-eye. All normal symptoms of it. One treatment this morning, will continue to treat...

I am wondering if others in the cold north have had it this time of the year???

 

[Texas PaPaw]

We have had bouts of pink-eye in the past always in the heat of the summer, dry, dusty, you know the drill.

I am 90% positive I have a steer with pink-eye. All normal symptoms of it. One treatment this morning, will continue to treat...

I am wondering if others in the cold north have had it this time of the year???

Mitch

Could possibly be a Mycoplasma Bovis infection. M. Bovis is a bacterial infection that has been rearing its ugly head the past few years, mostly in feedlot and stocker operation. This critter can settle in several places in the body including eyes, ears, lungs and joints. I think it will resemble pinkeye if it settles in the eye. .

According to an article i read a few months ago, the only antibiotics that are effective on M. Bovis are Nuflor and Baytril. The article mentioned that most antibiotics, including Micotil are not effective.

I just bought a weaned 170lb holstein steer (cheap $40/hd)with a squinting eye, and a yellow discharge. I suspect this may be M. Bovis as most of the pinkeye i see, seems to have a clear discharge in the early stages. I have treated with Baytril, but too soon to know if getting a positive response.

Hope this sheds a little more light on the situation.

Good luck & Merry Christmas

Brock

 

[semen demon]

Two years ago we had three angus hifers get it in January in central Illinios. Don't know what brought it on, but we were able to treat it right away and it cleared right up. It didn't seem to hang on as long as it does in the warm weather. It sure does throw you for a loop when you first see it. You think " What the heck? No way that could be what I think it is!"

 

[mitchwi]

Three treatments with the puffer when he came up to the feed bunk. First treatment, easy as pie, he never saw me coming, second treatment, it was like I was playing tag with him between the feed bunks til I got a good shot at him....third treatment, I got lucky and was able to hide behind "Twinkie" and reached under her neck, as he was eating right next to her. Plain lucky on the third, and pretty much no sign of pinkeye left.

 

[jkwilson]

We had a spell of it in our heifer pen last November and December. Didn't think we were ever going to get over it. Brought in an outside heifer in October. If I had to do it over, I'd have just lined up the lot of them and treated them all when the first one showed signs. We wound up treating all 6 one at a time.

 

[Beefy]

traditionally our pink eye cases have coincided with bird migration.

 

[WestieGirl]

I know that very often with us in winter there are few cases of pink eye this is usually caused when bedding the calves down. Depending what you are using for bedding can cause some cases of pink eye....straw can poke the eye and allow for bacteria to enter causing the pink eye, or if you are using wood shavings the dust that is related with them can aggravate the eye just like dust in the summer can do...
This is just my experience with cold winters up here, bedding and pink eye. I dunno...hope this can help you out some.

 

[mitchwi]

Does snow count as bedding?? ;-) Probably an eye poke tho from a round bale could happen....

 

[Stocker Steve]

Does snow count as bedding?? ;-)

Only when it is a dry powdery snow.

 

[buckaroo_bif]

We have had bouts of pink-eye in the past always in the heat of the summer, dry, dusty, you know the drill.

I am 90% positive I have a steer with pink-eye. All normal symptoms of it. One treatment this morning, will continue to treat...

I am wondering if others in the cold north have had it this time of the year???

Had any snowstorms Mitch? I have seen just as much problem after a snowstorm as in the summertime with stocker cattle. The bright sun can help aggaravate the problem too.
bif