Sick Heifers

[Old Cow Lady]

OK, I have been raising cattle for over 30 years and I have never seen anything like this before.
I have 3 calves up in a small lot halter breaking them. They were getting feed the same thing twice a day. They were all fine one afternoon and the next day one of the heifers was standing by the waterer with he head dropped and mucus comeing out of her mouth and nose. Not a snotty nose, just clear mucus. She wont eat or drink and was uranating blood. Called the vet, he doesn't have a clue. been treating her with LA200, b-complex, jugging her with fluids, not much improvement, if any. We go out today and the other heifer is doing the same thing, but a week later. Has anybody ever had one do this???? Three Vets here don't have a clue.

 

[bigbull338]

OK, I have been raising cattle for over 30 years and I have never seen anything like this before.
I have 3 calves up in a small lot halter breaking them. They were getting feed the same thing twice a day. They were all fine one afternoon and the next day one of the heifers was standing by the waterer with he head dropped and mucus comeing out of her mouth and nose. Not a snotty nose, just clear mucus. She wont eat or drink and was uranating blood. Called the vet, he doesn't have a clue. been treating her with LA200, b-complex, jugging her with fluids, not much improvement, if any. We go out today and the other heifer is doing the same thing, but a week later. Has anybody ever had one do this???? Three Vets here don't have a clue.

from what you describe id say numionia.but thats just a guess.an you are shooting them with LA200.an you say thats not helping.have you taken their temp.id say they are overheating.but im no vet.i think id take them in to see the vet.

 

[Outrigger2]

did the vet come out and look at the heifers or just tell you over the phone they have no clue?

 

[Old Cow Lady]

The vet came out and checked the first heifer out. We just found the second alittle while ago and the Vet is comming as soon as he can today. It's not the heat, I don't think, because
I raise Brahmans and they don't have much of a problem with the heat.

 

[dun]

How long on this feed? Have you gotten a new batch recently?

 

[bigbull338]

How long on this feed? Have you gotten a new batch recently?

dun i was thinking that the feed was changed.or that she got a bad batch.i think id have the feed checked.

 

[Old Cow Lady]

I thought of that, but that doesn't explane the bloody urin.
And I mean bloody, almost straight. I have had cattle with peumonia and that doesn't just come on over night. These calves were fine the day before. And as I said before, it wasn't old yellow snot.

 

[dun]

I thought of that, but that doesn't explane the bloody urin.
And I mean bloody, almost straight. I have had cattle with peumonia and that doesn't just come on over night. These calves were fine the day before. And as I said before, it wasn't old yellow snot.

That was why the question about the feed. Maybe nitrate/rite poisoning, mold, something screwing up the internal organs.

 

[Old Cow Lady]

I'm going to have that checked, but I have several head eating the same feed twice a day and no one else is showing any signs. I guess that doesn't mean anything though, neither did these. Got one bag left of this bach and I will send it off to see.

 

[rockridgecattle]

did the vet take stool or blood or both samples, if not get him to do it when he comes again.
Do you vaccinate?

 

[larryshoat]

bigbull's right I would pull temps.If no temp then I'm puzzled too.I think from what you said they wiil be running a temp 103 plus.If thats the case then you need to change antibiotics until something works.Banamine might help relieve some of the symptoms.

 

[Old Cow Lady]

2 More Vets just left. 2nd heifer died. They still don't have a clue. NO temp, pulled blood, got stool sample, and we sent the dead heifer to UGA. I don't think it's parisites, I just Ivermect 3 weeks ago. I'll let Ya'll know what we find out. I'm at a loss, no new animals to the herd, all were bred, born and raised here. I have some really NASTY neighbors, I PRAY it's not something like that.

 

[rockridgecattle]

sorry for the loss, it can be real frustrating. Keep us posted
RR

 

[r and s peckman]

What about the water that they are drinking?

 

[milkmaid]

I'd be putting them on a different feed and using a different antibiotic until you get results back from the lab. LA200 is OK, but there's better - and stronger - stuff out there.

 

[msscamp]

How long on this feed? Have you gotten a new batch recently?

That is what I'm wondering, too. Sounds like a possible bad batch of feed.

 

[TheBullLady]

So sorry for your loss! Nothing is as frustrating as sick animals and a vet(s) that can't help you.

I hate to say it, but it does sound suspiciously like something they've eaten.. if not the feed, which doesn't sound feasible since others have eaten it as well, then maybe something else.

Please keep us posted.

 

[msscamp]

I thought of that, but that doesn't explane the bloody urin.

If it is a bad batch of feed, the contaminant could very well explain the blood in the urine.

 

[milkmaid]

Among other things that can cause bloody urine... how about red water disease?

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index ... e%2ccattle

• Bacillary hemoglobinuria is an acute, infectious, toxemic disease caused by Clostridium haemolyticum ( C novyi type D). It affects primarily cattle but has also been found in sheep and rarely in dogs. It occurs in the western part of the USA, along the Gulf of Mexico, in Venezuela, Chile, Great Britain, the middle East, and other parts of the world.
  
  Clinical Findings:
  Cattle may be found dead without premonitory signs. Usually, there is a sudden onset of severe depression, fever, abdominal pain, dyspnea, dysentery, and hemoglobinuria. Anemia and jaundice are present in varying degrees. Edema of the brisket may occur. Hgb and RBC levels are quite low. The duration of clinical signs varies from ~12 hr in pregnant cows to ~3-4 days in other cattle. The mortality in untreated animals is ~95%. Some cattle suffer from subclinical attacks of the disease and thereafter act as immune carriers.

 

[Old Cow Lady]

Water is fine, I have several head drinking from same sorse.
Vet just called and said stool sample was fine. Said he did some reserch last night and they THINK it is PIG WEED. During drought situations, it becomes very toxic. And Brahmans love pig weed. I'll know more after UGA posts the heifer that didn't make it. I'll let Ya'll know.