TWO COWS DIED SAME PASTURE

[momanto]

THIS IS A FOLLOWING UP OF MY POST "HEIFER HAS DISCHARGE'

THAT ONE DIED JULY 31. ANOTHER MATURE COW IN THAT PASTURE DIED OVERNIGHT- FOUND HER TODAY. SHE WAS ABOUT 5 OR 6 MONTHS PREGNANT. BULL WAS PUT IN HER PASTURE ON FEB. 20. ONLY HALF DOZEN COWS IN THERE. THEY HAD THE RUN OF 40 ACRES, NATURAL POND FOR WATER. THIS COW HAD KINDA HUNG BACK FROM THE HERD FOR ABOUT 4 DAYS. TODAY SHE WAS MISSING WHEN I WENT DOWN THERE AND FOUND HER DEAD. SHE HAD SOME BLOOD COMING OUT ONE NOSTRIL. SHE WAS TOO BIG TO TURN OVER TO SEE IF SHE WAS SHOT. WILL TAKE TRACTOR AND DO THAT IN A DAY OR TOO.

THE HEIFER HAD BEEN LETHARGIC FOR NEARLY TWO WEEKS. THIS COW HAD ONLY BEEN "HANGING BACK" FOR 4 DAYS. CAUSE I BEEN DOWN THERE EVERY DAY FOR 10 DAYS DOCTORING THE BULLS SORE PAW.. ACTUALLY JUST FEEDING HIM ANTIBIOTIC FOOD AND EXTRA PELLETS, AS HE WAS PARKED VERY CLOSE TO THE WATER HOLE. HE IS RALLYING REAL WELL AND REJOINS THE HERD AT TIMES.

ANYONE - KNOW WHAT COULD HAVE KILLED THEM? THE PASTURE IS BAHIA, PLENTY OF GRASS, SOME NUTSEDGE AND SMUTGRASS INFESTATION, A LITTLE BIT SODA APPLE ON THE OLD ROOT PILES. NOT MUCH.


THANKS.
MOM

 

[OK Jeanne]

Sounds like anaplazmosis(spelling??).

 

[Texan]

Some people just shouldn't have cattle. Period.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Some people just shouldn't have cattle. Period.

Old black power used to say you should have to pass a test to own cattle, dang if he wasn't right.

 

[dj]

Get a vet or haul her someplace to get checked.

 

[momanto]

MY LITTLE CATTLE HERD ARE PRIZED FOR MY TAME CALVES. HAVENT HAD TO GO TO SALE BARN IN NEARLY TWO YEARS.

THIS PASTURE HAD THE TAME HEIFER GIRLS. PLUS ONE OLDER COW AND LITTLE BULL AND DADDY BULL.

I AM GOING TO ASSUME ANAPLASMOSIS SINCE NO ONE HAS CHALLENGED THAT DIAGNOSIS AND GO FEED THE REST OF THAT HERD OXYTRACYLINE FEED TOMORROW EARLY. THEN WAIT AND HERE FROM ALL THOSE WHO ARE CHECKING IT OUT FOR ME.

MY GOOGLE SEARCH FOR IFAS FLORIDA SAYS THERE IS NO VACCINE, BUT OXYTRACYLINE HAS BEEN USED AS A PREVENTATIVE.

 

[msscamp]

Some people just shouldn't have cattle. Period.

I agree.

 

[3MR]

I have no idea why your cow died. I would get a post-mortom done. Two unexplained deaths in the same pastures is two to many. Regardless of how you treat the remainig herd you are just guessing at this point. Are you willing to risk loosing two more based upon that guess? I wouldnt be.

PS: Im not blaming or criticizing you, the cow could have died for any number of reasons outside yoru control. You need to find out what that reason was though and take definitive steps to prevent it.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

If it were anaplasmosis the cows would have been real anemic. when the flies bite on top of their back the blood will run strait down their side like water. and they would have went down for a while before dieing

 

[Green Creek]

If it were anaplasmosis the cows would have been real anemic. when the flies bite on top of their back the blood will run strait down their side like water. and they would have went down for a while before dieing

Only ones we ever lost to anaplasmosis were first irritable and then hostile and died very soon after symptoms first appeared. We feed medicated mineral during the summer for anaplas.

 

[OKJeanne]

My vet told me that "hanging back", and a "no energy"
appearance is usually the first sign...and normally by the
time you really know something is wrong they are either
past the worst stage and will get better, or they are dead.

He checks the tissue in the vulva and the gums above
the teeth to see if it is the correct pinkish color....since
the disease eats up the oxygen-carrying red blood cells.
Is that right, or does anyone else know more?

 

[ALACOWMAN]

sounds right.the lack of oxygen is why they want to fight and get excited

 

[peg4x4]

If it were anaplasmosis the cows would have been real anemic. when the flies bite on top of their back the blood will run strait down their side like water. and they would have went down for a while before dieing

Only ones we ever lost to anaplasmosis were first irritable and then hostile and died very soon after symptoms first appeared. We feed medicated mineral during the summer for anaplas.

Vet told me "Always think RABIES,even if you see an arrow sticking out of them" Get them checked!!
A

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

My brother lost a few like that on one pasture. Had the vet out to look. Then had the weed specialist out to look. There was an old perennial bed on an old yard site in that pasture and as near as either of them could figure, they thought the cows may have eaten Monkshood or some other poisonous plant which is apparently can be fairly toxic to them. I guess my point is, sometimes, even if you doing all the right things, stuff happens. Good Luck.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

Texan wrote

Some people just shouldn't have cattle. Period.

hmmm that was very helpful. :roll:


I would echo getting a postmortem done two is bad enough, you sure don't want the count to go higher if you could prevent it do you?

Ok see that was at least 4 days ago - heat and decay may have taken toll on good info - boy, I would sure do the next one as fast as possible.

 

[lukem86]

Im definitely no expert on this matter, but have heard some talk about it...

But herbaceous perennial weeds can be toxic to livestock if overconsumed.... ie. Burdock can lead to cyanide poisoning if grazed too short (and especially in dry weather) Sour dock can produce poisons containing ethylene glycol (basically antifreeze) in similar situations.

I would evaluate the forbs/herbs in your pasture, the weather conditions,how long were the cattle in the particular pasture and also take a close look at the mineral program you are using....

Just some things to consider

 

[momanto]

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR INPUT.

ALL THE REST OF THEM, NOW JUST 3 HEIFERS, A YOUNG BULL AND OLD BULL ARE DOING FINE. I GO DOWN EVERY DAY AND FEED THEM PELLETS AND ANTIBIOTIC FEED. ALTERNATING W/ A GROWER -FINISHER FEED. THEY HAVE PLENTY OF GRASS-BAHIA AND FRESH POND WATER. I HAVE SALT-MINERAL BLOCKS AND A TUB OF FREE CHOICE MINERAL WHICH THEY OFF AND ON EAT.

SINCE TWO YEARS OF HURRICANES, ANY MAN OR BOY WHO WANTS TO, HAS MORE WORK THAN THEY CAN DO IN THIS AREA HERE SO I HIT AND MISS ON HAVING RELIABLE HELP. CAUSE THE UNRELIABLE DONT GET ON MY LIST AT ALL.

THANKS AGAIN

 

[hurleyjd]

What you are experiancing could be blackleg. Had this happen to me two years in a row. Large calves and grown cows. Wet weather dry wheather sort grass exposes the cows to the bacterium.