Sick Cow, please help

[triumph]

I have a holstein bull that has come down sick. His eyes are crusted over, his nose is runny and he has become extremely thin. We have started feeding him away from the others and gave him a dose of electrolytes. Does his symptoms sound like pneumonia? Do you have any suggestions? I am new to this (farming) and I am learning as I go.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!! Thank you all!!!!

 

[Mahoney Pursley Ranch]

Get a Vet out there if you can.

 

[Alice]

If it's not pneumonia, it's some other vile respiratory illness brought on by allergens, lousy weather, virus, bacteria...who knows. A vet is definitely your best bet. Call your vet up and tell him/her you need some really good prescription antibiotics...FAST! Also, ask for some banamine, and ask the vet about the dosage. If you can't get hold of a vet, and you know other cattle raisers, call them.

Good luck,

Alice

 

[larryshoat]

What Alice said. I would use a thermometer on him. It's cheap easy to use and gives a lot of insight into the nature and severity of disease.

Larry

 

[milkmaid]

How old? how much does he weigh now?

how long have you owned him?

 

[triumph]

How old? how much does he weigh now?

how long have you owned him?

He is one year old and weighs about 440lbs, I've had him approximately 4 months. The electrolytes have seemed to help some, they perked him up and his appetite has seemed to have picked up as well. I have become very attached to this guy as he was sick when we got him home from the stockyard.

Thank you to all who have replied!

 

[Alice]

Ya' know what? If electrolytes perk him up, then keep giving them.

As old as he is...and if he was sick when you got him...and if you've become attached...then whatever it takes to keep him going is what I would do. However, I'd still try like crazy to get some good antibiotics into him.

Chances are, if he lives, he'll be a chronic lunger...and won't live a long and fruitful life. But, if you want to keep him around, good antibiotics, with a side shot of banamine from time to time, is his only hope. That's my 2 cents and I'm sticking to it.

Alice

 

[triumph]

Ya' know what? If electrolytes perk him up, then keep giving them.

As old as he is...and if he was sick when you got him...and if you've become attached...then whatever it takes to keep him going is what I would do. However, I'd still try like crazy to get some good antibiotics into him.

Chances are, if he lives, he'll be a chronic lunger...and won't live a long and fruitful life. But, if you want to keep him around, good antibiotics, with a side shot of banamine from time to time, is his only hope. That's my 2 cents and I'm sticking to it.

Alice

Alice, Thank you so much for your reply. I am going to call my vet tomorrow and see what we can do. I am new to all of this and I appreciate everyone's help. You all are great! :tiphat:

 

[Alice]

;-) Been there, done that, got the lousy T-Shirt...and learned from it. You do what YOU need to do. It's not written in stone that you'll do the same the next time. And if you do, that's ok, too. ;-)

Alice

 

[triumph]

Hi everyone, I am so thankful for you all. I found an entire syringe of Banamine that I kept from the last time "Triumph" was sick, my husband is giving him 1cc as we speak. I thank everyone for your help. I am a huge animal lover and we bought "Triumph" as a rescue, I am probably going to put him in the pasture with my donkey and miniature horse since the other cows are bullying him and not allowing him to eat. Thank you to everyone once again! :clap:

When a cow laughs, does milk come out her nose? ~Author Unknown

 

[milkmaid]

400lb animal needs about 8cc's of Banamine. Figure on 2cc/100lbs.

He sounds like a chronic; talk to your vet about giving him a thorough exam and trying some good antibiotics. If he hasn't been treated with antibiotics before you may have a halfway decent chance of getting him well. The above is based on if you like him enough to put that kind of cash into him. Otherwise just cut your losses and sell him.

Also, a 400lb animal that's a yearling is very behind schedule - he should be around 700-900lbs. What are you feeding him?

 

[triumph]

Hi, we feed them 10% grain mixed with cracked corn along with good quality hay, they also have a protein bucket...they are fed daily and of course then have a 20 acre pasture to roam freely. See, the vet was out a couple of months back with this same situation and he told us 1cc and I swear "Triumph" is smaller now than he was a couple of months ago. I have a call into my vet, the answering service stated since it's not an emergency they won't call until morning, so I am going to definitely get him checked out. He is very weak.

 

[dun]

Has he ever been vaccinated? With the crusty nose and eyes my mind says maybe IBR if he isn;t lungy/raspy sounding sounding.

 

[larryshoat]

Hi, we feed them 10% grain mixed with cracked corn along with good quality hay, they also have a protein bucket...they are fed daily and of course then have a 20 acre pasture to roam freely. See, the vet was out a couple of months back with this same situation and he told us 1cc and I swear "Triumph" is smaller now than he was a couple of months ago. I have a call into my vet, the answering service stated since it's not an emergency they won't call until morning, so I am going to definitely get him checked out. He is very weak.

If he said 1 cc he no doubt meant per 100 lbs, which is still light. As milkmaid said 2 per 100lbs.

Larry

 

[DOC HARRIS]

PRIME LESSON NUMBER 1

DO NOT bring SICK animals home from the sale barn! Love animals all you wish. Most Rancher's do. But for Pete's Sake - don't expose your other animals on your place with a sick animal that you just "can't help" hugging and feeling SORRY for!

A little bit of just common old ordinary "horse sense" goes a long way in keeping your animals healthy and alive!

I am resisting putting the "Dunce" Smiley Face on this post!

DOC HARRIS

 

[cypressfarms]

I have a holstein bull that has come down sick. His eyes are crusted over, his nose is runny and he has become extremely thin. We have started feeding him away from the others and gave him a dose of electrolytes. Does his symptoms sound like pneumonia? Do you have any suggestions? I am new to this (farming) and I am learning as I go.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!! Thank you all!!!!

Quarantine him immediately! If he is 1 year old and 440 pounds he has a serious problem. He should be more than double that. He needs the attention of a vet and quick. There are a number of things that could be wrong from what you mentioned, but that weight/age is a definite red herring. I hope you are not planning on using him as breeding stock.....

 

[triumph]

I have a holstein bull that has come down sick. His eyes are crusted over, his nose is runny and he has become extremely thin. We have started feeding him away from the others and gave him a dose of electrolytes. Does his symptoms sound like pneumonia? Do you have any suggestions? I am new to this (farming) and I am learning as I go.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!! Thank you all!!!!

Quarantine him immediately! If he is 1 year old and 440 pounds he has a serious problem. He should be more than double that. He needs the attention of a vet and quick. There are a number of things that could be wrong from what you mentioned, but that weight/age is a definite red herring. I hope you are not planning on using him as breeding stock.....

He is quarantined and no, he will not be used for breeding. The vet won't come out until tomorrow, but he has been very alert and has been eating very well today. The nose is no longer runny and the eyes look better. Since the vet couldn't come out I called and spoke to my local feed owner (he is a retired vet) he explained to me that alot of times cows get very "puny" during the winter. He told to keep up with the banamine (yes, 2cc's per 100lbs) and the electrolytes. He is looking a lot better. Thank you everyone. BTW, at the stockyard we attended we are not given the opportunity to view the animals before bid, when we loaded him into the trailer he was very slugish and had a bad runny nose. The vet came out and explained to me that the person who oversee's our stockyard doesn't take care of the animals, therefore my cow was probably under nourished and weak. I didn't buy him because I felt sorry for him. I bought him because I wanted one cow that I could raise from young and keep forever (or as long as God intended) and I have been responsible thus far with having him UTD on shots and having them come out anytime the cow looks at me the wrong way. But this time, he was weak and the weight just seemed to fall off. I thought maybe it was because we have a longhorn mix that is a bully and maybe she wasn't allowing him to eat and have found out that yes, that is a major part of the problem. So, he is quarantined and improvements have been made. I am new to the farm life and am learning as I go along, but I understand it takes a lot more to it than feedings and water, I know shots and routine vet visits are required. But, learning the behavior and differences in all my animals I am still learning day by day. They are all so amazing. Thank you to everyone!!!! I value everyone's say and I appreciate you all!!! :tiphat:

 

[CKC1586]

I have a holstein bull that has come down sick. .....


He is quarantined and no, he will not be used for breeding. ...... I bought him because I wanted one cow that I could raise from young and keep forever (or as long as God intended) and I have been responsible thus far with having him UTD on shots and having them come out anytime the cow looks at me the wrong way. ...... I am new to the farm life and am learning as I go along, but I understand it takes a lot more to it than feedings and water, I know shots and routine vet visits are required. But, learning the behavior and differences in all my animals I am still learning day by day. They are all so amazing. Thank you to everyone!!!! I value everyone's say and I appreciate you all!!! :tiphat:[/quote][/quote][/quote]

What are your plans for this animal?? Bulls are not pets. You need to have him castrated or you will be having problems. Holstein bulls are known to get mean, you are asking for trouble/injuries if you don't get him castrated.