Pink eye help.

[vahomesteaders]

Helol guys and gals. New to the board. Need somega help. we have black . 58 head. Last year for the first time in almost 30 years we were ravaged with pink eye. Never had a case before then. Spent 6k in draxxin fighting it as it was resistant to LA 300. So this year I vaxxed for it. Put out all new rubs rabon blocks andhave a strong mineral program in place. Spray then often and fields are low. Well already have 4 cases this year. I'm stumped. Any ideas on what else I can do or another treatment cheaper than draxxin?


Thanks so much

 

[Koffi Babone]

Can you isolate the sick ones in a pen? Then you can treat the sick ones twice a day with a mastitis tube until the eyes heal. This is of course if you are certain it is pink eye.

You will need to either pass them through a head gate or halter them so that they don't move their heads too much. Apply a strip of mastitis tubes ointment in each eye and them gently rub the eye. Repeat the treatment until it clears up. Ideally use a different tube for each animal. Unfortunately, it will be more labour intensive.

Good luck.

 

[JMJ Farms]

I've had good luck treating the few cases I've had in the past with Excede.

Maybe some of the older guys can help on this one, but I had an old farmer tell me to take a handful of table salt and rub it in their eye. Said it would dry it up. Now I know this would have to hurt like he!! but then again some procedures done on humans hurt also. It's not like you're doing it just to inflict pain. You're trying to help the animal. As I said, I don't know if this works. But if it did then it would be a cheap, easy, antibiotic free remedy.

 

[Cross-7]

Black cattle
I'd suspect eartag placement, cheatgrass or confined area with lots of flies

 

[boondocks]

I've had good luck treating the few cases I've had in the past with Excede.

Maybe some of the older guys can help on this one, but I had an old farmer tell me to take a handful of table salt and rub it in their eye. Said it would dry it up. Now I know this would have to hurt like he!! but then again some procedures done on humans hurt also. It's not like you're doing it just to inflict pain. You're trying to help the animal. As I said, I don't know if this works. But if it did then it would be a cheap, easy, antibiotic free remedy.

Do NOT do this! As a rank newbie a few years back, I did this on the advice of a old farmer who likewise swore by it. It made it way worse and also wasted precious time getting actual, proper help for it. Before all was done, I had a nice animal blinded in both eyes. Luckily she recovered some sight but they are still cloudy, and she nearly killed herself jumping through fences while blinded. Just as important, she was a nice docile animal who became scared to death of people and skittish.

 

[vahomesteaders]

We haven't done the ear tags for flies. I have 250 acres sectioned off about 25 to 45 acre sections. Flies Have been minimal. Hasnt gotten hot yet. So far 4 cases. They all just caloved so isolation is difficult. They aren't very cooperative. So ivery tried to put known cases in seperate field. It's just very new to me as it has never been a problem.

 

[backhoeboogie]

We haven't done the ear tags for flies. I have 250 acres sectioned off about 25 to 45 acre sections. Flies Have been minimal. Hasnt gotten hot yet. So far 4 cases. They all just caloved so isolation is difficult. They aren't very cooperative. So ivery tried to put known cases in seperate field. It's just very new to me as it has never been a problem.

It seems to come in spurts. No cases for a few years and then it hits you.

Before I sold the farm I had seven other herds adjoining fence lines. If someone brought in a group, it could pose some trouble for the rest of us.

Innoculation seems to be the best insurance. If you and all your neighbors worm at the same time, that's a plus too