Steer ate a plastic grocery bag.

[Ky hills]

We live in an area where litter on the roadside is awful. We try to keep picked up anything that could be harmful to cattle, but still things get where the cattle can get a hold of it. My cousin told me a few days ago that when he was leaving here last week he saw a calf with a bag in his mouth. He tried to get it but the calf was just cautious enough to stay a few steps ahead, until it had swallowed the bag.
It is about a 650lbs steer that we were planning to fatten for a beef later in the summer. So far no signs of discomfort or problems, and still is the first calf to the feed trough, been a week or so.
If this was going to affect him, would it have already shown up, or could it stay in there and cause trouble down the road?

 

[Bright Raven]

It is my understanding that the plastic bags such as a Wal-Mart bag, can hang up and obstruct in the openings that communicate between the four compartments of a bovine's complex stomach. If it does, it can lead to death. Otherwise, It might have passed through. Watch the calf for signs that it is not processing food.

 

[greybeard]

Walmart bags...the Arkansas State Wildflower..
I pick them up every time I see one, but I have seen them come blowing in on the wind over the tops of the pines that grow along the FM road. They're supposed to be more biodegradable nowadays but I don't think they decompose very quickly at all.

 

[TCRanch]

I had a cow eat a plastic bread bag last summer. Gave her a ton of alfalfa and watched closely. She must have passed it. I'd just keep an eye on him, maybe tube him with mineral oil or Epson salt water if you can bring him in.

 

[skyhightree1]

I had a cow eat a plastic bread bag last summer. Gave her a ton of alfalfa and watched closely. She must have passed it. I'd just keep an eye on him, maybe tube him with mineral oil or Epson salt water if you can bring him in.

A bread bag go figure :lol: What a coincidence I had one take a bag with bread and ran off and the whole thing had disappeared by the time i found her. Shes still alive but you better not let her get near a bag of bread or she will take it and run like a thief in the night

 

[skyhightree1]

We live in an area where litter on the roadside is awful. We try to keep picked up anything that could be harmful to cattle, but still things get where the cattle can get a hold of it. My cousin told me a few days ago that when he was leaving here last week he saw a calf with a bag in his mouth. He tried to get it but the calf was just cautious enough to stay a few steps ahead, until it had swallowed the bag.
It is about a 650lbs steer that we were planning to fatten for a beef later in the summer. So far no signs of discomfort or problems, and still is the first calf to the feed trough, been a week or so.
If this was going to affect him, would it have already shown up, or could it stay in there and cause trouble down the road?

I think you are good to go if its been a while and there still eating and pooping.

 

[Lucky_P]

In over 40 years of veterinary practice and diagnostic pathology, I've seen cattle with foreign bodies such as wads of plastic hay twine, plastic grocery bags, trash bags, and baleage wrap in their rumens. It's just there, not causing a problem. Have never seen an animal with any sort of issue associated with ingesting this sort of stuff; no blockage, no 'guts all twisted up'... nothing of the sort. Does it ever kill them? Maybe... but none of them ever came to the diagnostic labs where I've worked.

When I was in college, we had a bottle calf that wouldn't stay in the fence... he'd roam up and down a half-mile of highway frontage eating every paper bag, styrofoam Big Mac tray, etc. that folks threw out. No problems that kept him from growing out and going to the custom processor when he got big enough.

 

[Bright Raven]

When I was in college, we had a bottle calf that wouldn't stay in the fence... he'd roam up and down a half-mile of highway frontage eating every paper bag, styrofoam Big Mac tray, etc. that folks threw out. No problems that kept him from growing out and going to the custom processor when he got big enough.

I think you just conceived the future of litter clean-up. A herd of trash eating cattle roaming the right-of-way. It might work if they stay off the road.

 

[Stocker Steve]

When I was in college, we had a bottle calf that wouldn't stay in the fence... he'd roam up and down a half-mile of highway frontage eating every paper bag, Styrafoam Big Mac tray, etc. that folks threw out. No problems that kept him from growing out and going to the custom processor when he got big enough.

I think you just conceived the future of litter clean-up. A herd of trash eating cattle roaming the right-of-way. It might work if they stay off the road.

That would be a good start on a carbon fixing DOT herd, but to get more buy in plus brush control a multi specie herd is needed. I thinking one big mob of cattle, goats, and miniature horses. :cowboy:

 

[HDRider]

In over 40 years of veterinary practice and diagnostic pathology, I've seen cattle with foreign bodies such as wads of plastic hay twine, plastic grocery bags, trash bags, and baleage wrap in their rumens. It's just there, not causing a problem. Have never seen an animal with any sort of issue associated with ingesting this sort of stuff; no blockage, no 'guts all twisted up'... nothing of the sort. Does it ever kill them? Maybe... but none of them ever came to the diagnostic labs where I've worked.

When I was in college, we had a bottle calf that wouldn't stay in the fence... he'd roam up and down a half-mile of highway frontage eating every paper bag, styrofoam Big Mac tray, etc. that folks threw out. No problems that kept him from growing out and going to the custom processor when he got big enough.

You have put my, and I am sure others', mind at ease.

 

[TexasBred]

When I was in college, we had a bottle calf that wouldn't stay in the fence... he'd roam up and down a half-mile of highway frontage eating every paper bag, Styrafoam Big Mac tray, etc. that folks threw out. No problems that kept him from growing out and going to the custom processor when he got big enough.

I think you just conceived the future of litter clean-up. A herd of trash eating cattle roaming the right-of-way. It might work if they stay off the road.

That would be a good start on a carbon fixing DOT herd, but to get more buy in plus brush control a multi specie herd is needed. I thinking one big mob of cattle, goats, and miniature horses. :cowboy:

don't forget to account for all the cow farts and belching.

 

[TCRanch]

I had a cow eat a plastic bread bag last summer. Gave her a ton of alfalfa and watched closely. She must have passed it. I'd just keep an eye on him, maybe tube him with mineral oil or Epson salt water if you can bring him in.

A bread bag go figure :lol: What a coincidence I had one take a bag with bread and ran off and the whole thing had disappeared by the time i found her. Shes still alive but you better not let her get near a bag of bread or she will take it and run like a thief in the night

You know how I roll! Girls love their carbs. I do have about 7 that fight over hubby's banana peel & any that are a little brown every morning :banana:

Couple years ago I was doing inventory, went back to my Polaris and noticed the key was gone. WTH? Eventually discovered some calves had ripped it out of the ignition by the keychain - and fortunately didn't eat it. Nothing is sacred!

 

[Caustic Burno]

I know they will eat survey tape.

 

[skyhightree1]

I had a cow eat a plastic bread bag last summer. Gave her a ton of alfalfa and watched closely. She must have passed it. I'd just keep an eye on him, maybe tube him with mineral oil or Epson salt water if you can bring him in.

A bread bag go figure :lol: What a coincidence I had one take a bag with bread and ran off and the whole thing had disappeared by the time i found her. Shes still alive but you better not let her get near a bag of bread or she will take it and run like a thief in the night

You know how I roll! Girls love their carbs. I do have about 7 that fight over hubby's banana peel & any that are a little brown every morning :banana:

Couple years ago I was doing inventory, went back to my Polaris and noticed the key was gone. WTH? Eventually discovered some calves had ripped it out of the ignition by the keychain - and fortunately didn't eat it. Nothing is sacred!

I have a cow that can open the doors up on my farm explorer i wondered how my mats got out in the pasture and the interior was torn up till i see her

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Walmart bags...the Arkansas State Wildflower..
I pick them up every time I see one, but I have seen them come blowing in on the wind over the tops of the pines that grow along the FM road. They're supposed to be more biodegradable nowadays but I don't think they decompose very quickly at all.

here, it's common to see a airborne dollar general bag,flying across the pasture. then wrap around a strand of barb wire couple times to get a good hold...

 

[Workinonit Farm]

I know they will eat survey tape.

:nod: :nod: :nod:

 

[slick4591]

Living on a business highway I have to make rounds frequently. So far the two calves I have here haven't made a habit of eating plastic bags.

 

[farmerjan]

Only Sky's cows will open doors then drag the floor mats thru the mud..... :? :roll: :roll:

 

[BK9954]

I know back in the BIG DROUGHT that hit Tx my brother was buying hay that people were baling on the side of the highway. There was trash in it. Never seemed to bother the cattle.

 

[slick4591]

I know back in the BIG DROUGHT that hit Tx my brother was buying hay that people were baling on the side of the highway. There was trash in it. Never seemed to bother the cattle.

Used to go up into Oklahoma lot more than I do now and I would sometimes see small square bales along the roadside. I never figured out if they were free courtesy bales or would I end up in jail for grabbing a few. I never stopped so I never found out, but I figured the courtesy bale thought was probably not the way to go.