Steer Moving Slow

[Mcp220]

We've got a steer who recently started moving around quite a bit slower than than the rest of the herd. There were a couple days he wouldn't eat grain with them. He'd make it over and just stand there while the others ate. He seems to be eating with everyone now, but is still slow and hanging back from the rest. When out in pasture, he seems to be eating fine, but stays away or on the out skirts from the rest. His eyes look off as well. A little glossy and more eye white visible. He's not lethargic or anything. Just slow. Any thoughts? We did recently move them into a different pasture. Thank you in advance!

 

[Son of Butch]

Taking his temperature is a good place to start.

 

[Mcp220]

Taking his temperature is a good place to start.

No temp - but something just doesn't seem right. Allergies perhaps? We'll call the vet out if he doesn't improve soon. Just seems odd. He's eating grass and hay fine, but is keeping a little more away from the herd. The grain it seems like he just all of a sudden doesn't want it, although once he got over there, he did eat last night. I'll see how he is tonight.

 

[Buck Randall]

No temp - but something just doesn't seem right. Allergies perhaps? We'll call the vet out if he doesn't improve soon. Just seems odd. He's eating grass and hay fine, but is keeping a little more away from the herd. The grain it seems like he just all of a sudden doesn't want it, although once he got over there, he did eat last night. I'll see how he is tonight.

Speaking as a vet, there's nothing more frustrating than dealing with people who wait several days to call after noticing something is wrong. The longer you wait, the lower the chance that your vet will be able to do anything to help.

 

[Son of Butch]

After taking temp, I would've gloved up to check manure and find out if digestive system is moving or possible blockage. Displaced abomasum (DA) is very unusual in bulls and steers, but it does occasionally happen. A hands on vet exam is needed to find out what's really going on. Sorry I can't be of more help from behind a keyboard.

 

[ksmit454]

Grain poising? I say this because you said he'll walk up to eat but won't go for the grain. Did you recently add grain, or increase how much grain you have been giving them?

 

[Mcp220]

Grain poising? I say this because you said he'll walk up to eat but won't go for the grain. Did you recently add grain, or increase how much grain you have been giving them?

Nothing new or different with the grain... The only thing new to him was the pasture. He is now eating with everyone again, but still lags behind a bit and stays a distance from the others when out grazing as well. As soon as I go in there with them, he will follow me to the feed and he's fine. We did notice he had a bit of a bump over his eye (it's gone down since). Any possibility he got kicked and is/was afraid to be close to the others? He definitely seems to be doing much better, though. I'm more just curious what may have caused it... His eyes are back to looking normal again, too. No more reddish. Thank you!

 

[Aero]

If you were feeding all grain and introduced significant forage, the gut will have to changeover the rumen biome to start digesting from what I understand. Add in fescue and maybe it's temporary and will adapt to the new feed.

 

[Mcp220]

If you were feeding all grain and introduced significant forage, the gut will have to changeover the rumen biome to start digesting from what I understand. Add in fescue and maybe it's temporary and will adapt to the new feed.

He's been on both grain and pasture. We just moved him and the others from one pasture to another across the creek. He seems to be doing much better now, other than being the last guy to come in! He is eating grain with everyone and also noticed he has been hitting the minerals a bit more often than what he had been previously. Thinking maybe he just had too much too fast when we moved them over? Or with the lump over his eye (that has gone down and is back to normal), wondering if he got kicked by another steer and that was why he was hanging back from the herd a bit? Not sure, but he's improved tremendously, so I think we are good!