Small Calf Issue.

[Mudge]

We've got this calf, and we bought it about month or 2 ago, and its been growing good, but now it's popped up with this random issue.

Not sure if these photos give you a good enough look at what the problem is.

Patches of skin are missing in random places all of a sudden, around the nose area. the legs.

is this a big problem? or just a minor concern?

Thx For The Help In Advance..

BTW, What Breed Of Cow Is This?

 

[rockridgecattle]

i'm no expert but it sort of looks brown swiss or jersey or a cross of ? just a big time guess.

please no disrespect but the calf is looking like it might need a bit more protien. And maybe some pour on ivermec or such for deowrming.

what are you feeding him? and how much milk?

We have two bottle babies. we had three but found a momma for her.
the milk replacer we use is 20/20/20. % of each fat protien and can't remember. As well they are on calf starter it is a grain especially formulated for babies.
We tried to skimp to the cheap milk replacer and noticed a difference in the coat, shape and health of the calves before 1/2 a bag was gone.
It was either MSSCamp or Alice or many another knowledgeable baby raiser who said steers need more protien than heiffers. The were right.
A guy at the local co-op suggested we get some soymeal from feedrite and mix in the milk or grain. Adds the extra fat they need. Seeems how we have cut the bottle and they are eating the grain real well we have started to add it to their grain and they go nuts for it.

edit...possibly the loss of the hair could be due to lackof protien...just a guess but i would not rule out the dewormer just in case.

 

[Mongoose]

As far as the breed I agree with rockridge. I am no expert either, but that calf needs more milk and free choice calf starter. As far as the patches of hair missing, it could be anything. Could have any kind of worms. I would worm with either ivomec injection or pour-on, if that doesnt help call a vet. I would also start feeding him alil more. 1 more bottle a day + Calf Starter. Hope this helps.

 

[Mudge]

Thanks alot guys with the feedback. My father was thinking its no big deal, ME i told him id be best to come here and ask some more knowledgable people. Its his first year doing this. and ive been helping when i could.

TBH, this has been the first bottle its had in awhile, we've been slowly stopping the milk intake because he was eating grain and calf starter food like a beast along with the other 7 Calves. Its been a week since its had a bottle id persume. All of the cows look very lean and beefy and really filled out when your upclose to them. only diffrence ive noticed in them has been there coat not as shinny.

So, Start Bottling Again, and Some Deworming. and the calf should be up to par again?

 

[rockridgecattle]

how much grain? Should be getting about 2# 2x a day each to be taken off the bottle mabe even three. could add some of that soy meal might help
What is TBH?

 

[ALX.]

TBH, this has been the first bottle its had in awhile, we've been slowly stopping the milk intake because he was eating grain and calf starter food like a beast along with the other 7 Calves.

TBH Mudge, that calves BCS indicates it will be DOA before the hair loss becomes a problem.

 

[Mudge]

Its been, 15-20 lbs of feed at each feeding time. Twice a day. 10am - 6pm usualy. thats 8 calves sharing the feed.

TBH = To Be Honest.

 

[rockridgecattle]

here are our bottle babies when they were 6 weeks old and the red one was 2 weeks old. The one on the left is ozzie

This is ozzie at four months

I know yours is more dairy than angus thus different build but note the difference in the way they are filled out.
Maybe a pic of yours while the calf is standing normally would be good. Maybe cause it is streched while drinking it looks thin. please no disrepect intended.

 

[Mudge]

belive me, no disrespect is taken, its out first year doing this, we know there is alot to learn.

How many weeks/months do you keep your calves on milk?

What all would you suggest to make this calf and others that you've not seen become more healthier and filled out.

 

[rockridgecattle]

i would weight the grain to make sure they are all getting miminum 2# to start. then check and see is there one or two fighting to eat grain. are there a couple who are grain hogs.
Next straight calf starter naught else unless soy meal.
Next what type of milk replacer did they get before.
Ozzie and Harriet, the other black were on 5.5 to 6 # of grain before they were weaned off the milk. 4 months old.At 4# they got 3/4 (3.5months old) of a bottle at night. But like i said the "good stuff" 20% protien and made from milk protien products rather than the soy protien stuff. Big difference. i would bottle feed 2 bottles 2x a day or split that up to 3 feedngs.

PM Alice or Msscamp...good bottle feeder info

 

[Mudge]

i dont really know much about the type of milk replacer that was used all i know is, that it was bought from Tractor Supply CO, and It was 75$ Smackarooz.

I Will PM Those people, to dig into there brain a lil bit like im doing to you Belive me iam very thankful for your advice.

Here are photo's of the other calves. theres 2 missing i believe, they where to shy to be photographed.

 

[Beefy]

bottle calves can definitely be weaned at the 2 months!
if they are eating adequate feed, you can probably feed that cheaper than milk replacer.

All those calves are dairy or dairy cross. i see some jersey and some holstein. they may be crossed with something.

 

[larryshoat]

It looks like to me your calf has ringworm. Worm him with ivomec pour on 10 ml. Apply iodine 2x daily on patches until gone.Be careful to wash your hands after treating calf.

Larry

 

[CKC1586]

It looks like ringworm to me also. The "paint" calf looks like he has a spot by tail head too. This stuff is contagious so if it is ringworm you need to get on it and keep on it to clear it up. They may all end up with it. There are products that work well on getting a handle on ringworm, from Jeffers, Valley Vet, TSC even has a product that is okay.
Oh and wormer won't get rid of it. Ring worm is a fungus not a worm.

 

[CKC1586]

It looks like ringworm to me also. The "paint" calf looks like he has a spot by tail head too. This stuff is contagious so if it is ringworm you need to get on it and keep on it to clear it up. They may all end up with it. There are products that work well on getting a handle on ringworm, from Jeffers, Valley Vet, TSC even has a product that is okay.
Oh and wormer won't get rid of it. Ring worm is a fungus not a worm.

The paint calf looks like a glue line from a sale barn tag not ring worm.

Ring worm is usually confined to the head and neck area.

I have seen it cover an animal. Once it has spread like that it is very difficult to keep it confined to one animal.

 

[milkmaid]

The calves could use more grain... plan on feeding at least 2% of their body weight at this age/size.

That said, they look healthy, content, and they aren't the first underconditioned dairy calves I've seen... and they aren't about to drop over from starvation. They'll live and they'll grow, but it'll be really slowly.

Ideally, this is how you want them to look...

 

[larryshoat]

It looks like ringworm to me also. The "paint" calf looks like he has a spot by tail head too. This stuff is contagious so if it is ringworm you need to get on it and keep on it to clear it up. They may all end up with it. There are products that work well on getting a handle on ringworm, from Jeffers, Valley Vet, TSC even has a product that is okay.
Oh and wormer won't get rid of it. Ring worm is a fungus not a worm.

The paint calf looks like a glue line from a sale barn tag not ring worm.

Ring worm is usually confined to the head and neck area.

I have seen it cover an animal. Once it has spread like that it is very difficult to keep it confined to one animal.

it is very rare to see it outside the head and neck area. Yes it can be problomatic and spread. The paint calf does not have ring worm visisble in the picture its a glue patch from the sale barn tag.

Often I advise people to worm cattle as a management practice. It will not cure ring worm, that is what the iodine is for.If they have not been wormed all the calves should have the ivomec[generic] pour on .As far as the glue patch if he has had a glue patch on him that could be if not then thats not it .

 

[CKC1586]

It looks like ringworm to me also. The "paint" calf looks like he has a spot by tail head too. This stuff is contagious so if it is ringworm you need to get on it and keep on it to clear it up. They may all end up with it. There are products that work well on getting a handle on ringworm, from Jeffers, Valley Vet, TSC even has a product that is okay.
Oh and wormer won't get rid of it. Ring worm is a fungus not a worm.

The paint calf looks like a glue line from a sale barn tag not ring worm.

Ring worm is usually confined to the head and neck area.

I have seen it cover an animal. Once it has spread like that it is very difficult to keep it confined to one animal.

it is very rare to see it outside the head and neck area. Yes it can be problomatic and spread. The paint calf does not have ring worm visisble in the picture its a glue patch from the sale barn tag.

Okay, if the calf had sale tag glued on and it took the hair with it that's it. It is difficult to make diagnosis from pictures but the calf in question does look like he has ring worm (fungus) and if it is it will take an antifungal to get rid of it. Once you have it chances are good that it will crop up again. I guess the fungus gets into wood etc. from what our Vet told us. So the quicker you can get rid of it and work on cleaning where ever the infectd animal was the better your chances of it not spreading. I am not sure what area you are from where it doesn't occur except on head and neck but I have seen it many times all over an animal.

 

[Beefy]

i think they are just dinged up. looks like two of them have sticker glue spots, the others probably just got skint up on a trailer, in a pen, at the salebarn, pushing each other around, sticking their heads in places being curious..etc. that one with the marks on its head- it might be ringworm starting but i cant really tell. either way its nothing to worry about.

 

[CKC1586]

Okay whatever. I was just trying to be helpful and point out that many many times I have seen it ..... oh never mind.
To the original poster, I hope it isn't ringworm and your problem goes away and your calf gets healthy and fat. Best wishes to you.