Thin Heifer

[crossbredcalves]

I don't have any pictures right now, but I would like some thoughts. I have an Angus X Longhorn heifer that is less than a year old. She has been on pasture but being fed since she was weaned. She has been dewormed but is still losing weight/not gaining. Could it be hardware? What other diseases/problems could cause a heifer that young to not gain on feed?

 

[crossbredcalves]

Picture from a couple days ago.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Longhorn butt.
I see no ribs.. maybe its just the fur hiding it?

 

[SBMF 2015]

She's pretty fine boned, probably won't ever look big.
Respiratory issues could be an underlying cause. Sometimes after recovering they just don't grow.

 

[ksmit454]

Maybe sent a fecal into the vet? Pretty simple and could detect possible parasites.

 

[Warren Allison]

How long has it been since she was weaned? How old was she at weaning?

 

[crossbredcalves]

How long has it been since she was weaned? How old was she at weaning?

She was weaned in August at 5-6 months.

 

[crossbredcalves]

My uncle has had two stocker calves fall off like this. He's done some research and talked to the vet and thinks it's diphtheria, so we are treating them as such.

 

[Silver]

Any time I had a case of diphtheria I could hear the calf before I found it.