Plastic Disease

[kirkdickinson]

Here is a good article that discusses the severe consequences of plastic ingestion in cattle, a problem often overlooked and difficult to diagnose. Plastic can block the digestive system, leading to symptoms like diarrhea, bloating, and eventually death. Diagnosis is challenging, and many cases go undetected or misattributed to other diseases. Prevention measures include diligent removal of plastic from grazing areas. Unlike diseases, no vaccine or specific treatment exists, making proactive management essential. Owners may never know the true cause of unexplained cattle deaths due to plastic ingestion.:
https://www.texaslonghorn.com/longhorn_info/management_tips/index.cfm?con=plastic

 

[Lucky_P]

In addition to 5 years in mixed veterinary practice, I spent a total of 35 years doing diagnostic veterinary pathology at university-affiliated veterinary diagnostic laboratories, with daily necropsy caseload comprised primarily of food animals.
I could count on one hand the number of cattle I saw that had any significant accumulation of 'plastic' - whether baling twine/netwrap, plastic bags or poly rope in their rumen, and in every case, it was a minor incidental finding, totally unrelated to the cause of death. Never saw a cow or goat that was killed by the plastic materials they may have ingested.
Far more cases of 'hardware disease' (traumatic reticuloperitonitis/pericarditis) from ingestion of wire/nails, etc.

I had a bottle calf when I was in college that would not stay in the pasture. He went up and down the side of the highway eating every scrap of paper, hamburger wrapper, McDonalds Big Mac styrofoam clamshells, etc., that passing motorists had thrown out. You name it, he would eat it. This was probably before the advent of plastic grocery bags or water bottles. The day that he thoroughly chewed one leg on each of four brand new pair of Levi's jeans I'd bought to start the fall semester, hanging on the clothesline, was the last straw. Off to the processor!

 

[TCRanch]

My cattle have eaten plastic bread bags and who knows what else. I suspect a number of missing gloves from my Polaris. And I try to keep a clean pasture. Booze cruisers chucking their beer bottles into our pastures are the bane of my existence because they almost always shatter on the rocky terrain. Lost yet another cow this year to "hardware", in spite of the fact that every cow, retained heifer and bull has a magnet.

 

[coachg]

I've lost one to a Walmart bag . Sorry neighbors.

 

[Travlr]

I've seen a cow with baling twine coming out both ends. First thing I do when I buy acreage is patrol it for anything that isn't natural.

 

[simme]

And those helium filled mylar balloons with a long ribbon that get released in the air and settle in pastures are a nuisance. I remember a calf running around the pasture chewing on one. Those things should be banned.

 

[4hfarms]

We must have bought a garbage dump from the 50s. LOL! Back here in rural TN, electric didn't even come through some parts til the late 80s and 90s. The dump was built after that. Before that, was at the back of every property. We pulled 7 vehicles that were rolled down the hill into the creek. Lots of everything else. Every time it rains I go collect the ummm, pay. Every once in a while something still pokes through.
Literally loads of fun since I have been here. I have put so much time into this property, and it takes no time at all to disrespect it.
.

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

I pulled a Walmart bag out of a Rottweiler's azz once. actually twice.

 

[puzzled in oregon]

I pulled a Walmart bag out of a Rottweiler's azz once. actually twice.

Same bag ?

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

Same bag ?

Nope!

 

[Hippie Rancher]

try living with an interstate running 5-7 miles through the middle of your place, never mind the crap left during human migration the last 20 years. I don't know for sure how many have died from plastic but I sure have seen a lot of trash in gut piles from dead cows. (get some good samples from rail road kills too) they definitely love to eat the stuff. we found a huge wad of fabric and big heavy duty zipper in an old gut pile one time, finally figured out it had been a sleeping bag.

a friend lost a heifer and on a post mortem they found an ear tag she had chewed of another animal and it was blocking something critical, apparently.