Sore Footed Feeders

[Stocker Steve]

We have had more than our share of "foot rot" problems. I justed started to blend in the 3.65% Duravet iodine into our mineral mix. That should help based on the recent posts.

My question is on the 20% of "foot rot" patients that do not respond to basic antibiotics. They seem to usually show up after turnout in the spring. I have tried retreating - - with no success. I have had my vet examine the several chronic limpers in the past - - and he said "Father time will have to do his work." I have one now that has been limping in the pasture for 8 weeks (Yes, we do not have grass till early May), with no obvious swelling and no response to antibiotics. Any suggestions? Thanks for the help.

 

[dun]

We have had more than our share of "foot rot" problems. I justed started to blend in the 3.65% Duravet iodine into our mineral mix. That should help based on the recent posts.

My question is on the 20% of "foot rot" patients that do not respond to basic antibiotics. They seem to usually show up after turnout in the spring. I have tried retreating - - with no success. I have had my vet examine the several chronic limpers in the past - - and he said "Father time will have to do his work." I have one now that has been limping in the pasture for 8 weeks (Yes, we do not have grass till early May), with no obvious swelling and no response to antibiotics. Any suggestions? Thanks for the help.

Are they on fescue pasture? If they don;t respond to antibiotics I would look to another root cause other then footrot

dun

 

[Stocker Steve]

They are not on fescue. What kind of foot problem(s) should I be looking for?

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Did the vet actually pick up the foot & clean it out. They could have a rock lodged deep in between the hooves??

 

[Muratic]

They are not on fescue. What kind of foot problem(s) should I be looking for?

Are you feeding an extremely hot ration or on they on only grass now?

 

[Stocker Steve]

The steers are on grass and 2 pounds of corn per day. I had one flounder on grass last year at turn out, but I do not think that is the case here. The vet will pick up the hoofs for a look if you push him, otherwise he is in to much of a rush.. How common are wedged rocks?

 

[ffamom]

I read an article a short time ago that talked about hairy heel wart showing up in beef cattle. It stated that most owners thought they had a bad case of hoof rot that wasn't responding to treatment. If you can look at the bottom of the foot, heel wart will be on the back half of the hoof while foot rot is usual found on the front half. This may be something that you want to research.

 

[Muratic]

How common are wedged rocks?

Real common. Rocks, sticks, thorns there are lots of things.
Had a yearling bull that was sold. The day before the new owner came to pick him up I pulled a barn spike out from between his toes. The hole that it left was big enough to put the end of an 80cc syringe in and pump LA200 into the wound. After some TLC and bout 3 days of antibiotic he went to his new home. Never knew there was a problem. I would have never seen the head of the nail with out picking his foot up.
Sounds to me like yet another vet that needs more than pushed

 

[Dee]

Maybe mix CTC crumbles in with their grain for 4 days. If they have a water tire/tank that they drink from, dump some lime around it. We usually have some problems in the early spring when it's wet and they are still in the lots waiting for the grass to green, and it's been improved with lime around their waterer, and if it's extreme I give CTC at a treatment level, and 30 days later a preventative level of CTC.

 

[TheBullLady]

I bet it's a different problem as well. My bull went lame last summer, and we did the "foot rot" thing for two weeks with no noticable change. I loaded him up and took him to A & M and found he had a huge gash in the bottom of his foot that was up into the soft fleshy part. I had actually lifted his foot myself before hauling him and didn't see it. Some of those things are hard to determine without a table.

My experience with foot rot is they respond quickly to treatment.

 

[joe]

I also put the lime around the waterer when the feed lot gets soupy. It's supposed to help dry and harden their hooves. I would maybe suggest to your vet if you see no improvement to look for hairy heel or strawberry warts. Usually a couple shots of LA fixes up hoof rot. Those cuts and debris are hard to see in a dirty hoof. We usually scrub the hoof realy well, tie the leg up, and use a trouble light and really go over the foot. Have found small nails and screws this way.

 

[Chuck]

How common are wedged rocks?

Real common. Rocks, sticks, thorns there are lots of things.
Had a yearling bull that was sold. The day before the new owner came to pick him up I pulled a barn spike out from between his toes.

Old cow here stepped on a lag bolt a few years ago. Had quite a time getting it out. Flushed it out and gave her LA200. She healed up fine.

 

[Stocker Steve]

It sounds like I need to do a better job of inspecting feet, but I do not have a table. Any better approach than putting them in the head gate, and than putting a rope on the leg and trying it up?

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Picking it up by hand - which is VERY difficult & can be dangerous. We use a soft cotton rope with them standing in a chute with headgate - sides of chute open up completely.

 

[certherfbeef]

Picking it up by hand - which is VERY difficult & can be dangerous. We use a soft cotton rope with them standing in a chute with headgate - sides of chute open up completely.

We pretty much use this same method. But I have a bar that runs up and down in my chute once the gate is open. That helps me hold 1200 lbs of animal up. They tend to want to lean on me when their foot is picked up. That bar holds them off me so I can work.