unknown growth

[Anonymous]

My market steer has a growth on his rear heel. It's about 3 square inches in size and I don't know what it is. It doesn't seem to hinder his walking and none of the other cattle have it. I found it because there were flies all over it and when I touched it it seemed to hurt him quite a bit. What is it? and How can I treat it?



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[Anonymous]

It is probably a hairy wart. A pretty effective treatment that I know of is applying Adolph's Meat tenderizer and wrapping the heel in duct tape. By the time the duct tape falls off the wart should be gone. Oxytetracycline sometimes works, and the wart can also be cut off. Though I don't recommend doing that without a vet as you could sever a tendon.