sick stocker calves in sw Virginia and ne Tennessee

[riverridgefarms]

Myself along with several others putting in stocker calves in this area have been having lots of problems. They calves will show signs of typical pneumonia or shipping fever when treated they may respond for 2 days then its just like they had never been treated then will die in a few days or maybe a week. They do not respond to any treatment and between the 6 people that I have talked to personally we have tried everything from old to new drugs. The vets and drug reps have no answers. Has anybody else seen this ?

 

[Howdyjabo]

I'd be thinking Mycoplasma - esp if you are seeing ear infections or joint problems in a few of them.
If so--The only thing that helps is long treatment- and even that has limited results.

If its around and you are still putting in calves start a metaphalatic program.

 

[riverridgefarms]

The vet says its not. Like I said we have tried everything.

 

[redcowsrule33]

Have you had any necropsied? If you haven't brought a live, acutely sick animal to the lab for testing (best sample you can get) do it if you can. Will be worth it if you have such a bad problem.

 

[Howdyjabo]

My second thought is quick pneumonia(its got a fancy name but I can't remember it). When its around you have to catch it within 6 hrs and treat it or there is too much lung damage. . One thing it has to identify it, is REALLY high temperatures(107-108).If you catch it fast enough they turn around miraculously- if not, they are dead. When its around I have to check cattle 4 times a day and pull anything that looks even a little off- and even then I will miss a few overnight. I usually know its around after I find one dead that I never saw any signs of it getting poor. If I pull a calf and it has a really high temperature , I will ramp up checking and pulling calves for a few days just in case. Seems like when I am seeing it so is everybody else I know putting in calves.
One good thing is it seems to run its course pretty fast and after a week its gone. And its only reared its ugly head 4 times in the last 30 years. But I remember those times VIVIDLY.

I hope whatever it is, it doesn't spread this way.


Good Luck

 

[cross_7]

My second thought is quick pneumonia(its got a fancy name but I can't remember it). When its around you have to catch it within 6 hrs and treat it or there is too much lung damage. . One thing it has to identify it, is REALLY high temperatures(107-108).If you catch it fast enough they turn around miraculously- if not, they are dead. When its around I have to check cattle 4 times a day and pull anything that looks even a little off- and even then I will miss a few overnight. I usually know its around after I find one dead that I never saw any signs of it getting poor. If I pull a calf and it has a really high temperature , I will ramp up checking and pulling calves for a few days just in case. Seems like when I am seeing it so is everybody else I know putting in calves.
One good thing is it seems to run its course pretty fast and after a week its gone. And its only reared its ugly head 4 times in the last 30 years. But I remember those times VIVIDLY.

I hope whatever it is, it doesn't spread this way.


Good Luck

i'd like to have coffee with you every morning for about the next 10 years(i'm kinda slow), i might learn to turn a profit.

 

[larryshoat]

What are you doing to the incoming cattle? Adding new cattle to the group week after week is the devil. What are the temps running? What all have you tried on it?

Larry

 

[riverridgefarms]

Cattle are not mixed. When cattle come in they get. Vira shield. Presponse. Multi min and an antibiotic after they have rested and had hay water and feed. Have stress and weaning tubs available as well as ctc mineral. They have had low grade temps. Between the 5 people that I have talked to and the vet there isn't anything that hasn't been tried.

 

[dun]

Time to get the state vet involved

 

[Howdyjabo]

I hate calves that are obviously sick with low temperatures- they are always trouble.

Probably won't help but......
See if you can get a prescription for Spectomycin. Mix it with Amino Acid oral solution.
Its a pain to use but I have had real good results on hard cases.
The poor calf will look like a swelled up pin cushion before you are done.
It has a long withdrawl so keep track of dates if you use it.

 

[greybeard]

i'd like to have coffee with you every morning for about the next 10 years(i'm kinda slow), i might learn to turn a profit.

Lots of us think the same about you and others here Cross7.
Threads like this is the #1 real reason I read CA everyday and the reason I finally registered..

 

[Howdyjabo]

I can turn a profit-- but not enough to keep up with rising health care/insurance costs-- so I guess I am failing too.
I can tell you LOTS of things NOT to do.

 

[kenny thomas]

Cattle are not mixed. When cattle come in they get. Vira shield. Presponse. Multi min and an antibiotic after they have rested and had hay water and feed. Have stress and weaning tubs available as well as ctc mineral. They have had low grade temps. Between the 5 people that I have talked to and the vet there isn't anything that hasn't been tried.

I must be near you because I am in VA right at the tn/va border. I have never used vira shield but here is a thought after googling the info on it. It says to give two shots the second one 4-5 weeks after the first. With many of the virus protections the full benifit is not realized until the booster shot is given. I think it may be fine when given to your own calves before they are stressed but not sure it is what you need for market calves. Might ask your vet about a different protection. I do use Presponse and do have good luck.
Also is there a reason for giving the antibiotic when the calves first comes in? And also what are you giving?

 

[kenny thomas]

Also some of the markets in this area have a high percentage of re-traded calves. Be sure you are not getting some of those. PM me some info and I will be glad to help if I can.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I'd be thinking Mycoplasma - esp if you are seeing ear infections or joint problems in a few of them.
If so--The only thing that helps is long treatment- and even that has limited results. /quote]

Consider hitting them with multi min and an internsal when they arrive.
Getting the stress off will help - - take them for walks and start them with a medicated sweet feed.
We had some like this the last couple years. Ended up using a cheap daily med mixed up by a local turkey farmer.

 

[cross_7]

I don't want to hijack the thread but i had always thought vaccinating and metaphylaxis at the same time the vaccine and antibiotic would interfere with each other ?

 

[kenny thomas]

I don't want to hijack the thread but i had always thought vaccinating and metaphylaxis at the same time the vaccine and antibiotic would interfere with each other ?

I agree. I know it will with some vaccine but was not sure about all of them.

 

[riverridgefarms]

This is the reason for using vira shield and an antibiotic. The antibiotic will help with protection until the booster of vira shield. I am observant on the cattle I buy and make sure the are fresh buyt also know I am sure I get a traded one now and then the best I can do. The people that have had the same problem have cattle from completely different markets and are very experienced cattlemen. This is just very odd this year. I am following the recommendations of my vet and other vets I have talked to.

 

[cross_7]

i wasn't knocking or questioning your protocol, but i had thought with the long acting antibiotics you had to wait 14 days before you could vaccinate.
if that is incorrect i'd like to know.

 

[cross_7]

Re: Antibiotics vs Vaccines

by Lucky_P » Wed Sep 28, 2011 6:27 am

The answer is no. Antibiotics will have no effect, one way or another, on the effectiveness of viral vaccines or bacterins(killed bacterial products).
However, modified-live vaccines containing BVD WILL impede immune response to bacterins - so, it's best not to administer Clostridium, Pasteurella/Mannheimia, Leptospira, etc. at the same time you give a mlv vaccine containing BVD if you really want/need those cattle to respond to the bacterin/toxoids.