Worried- My Bull is walking slow, looks tired and sad

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No haven't seen that (sounds neat) can you re-share? Well, I didn't even have to stick it to the hay man...everyone's out of hay. There's only one farmer nearby that's making those big white marshmallow hay bales and stacking them 3 high in long rows and leaving them for everyone to see. I imagine he's hoarding them for jealous needy ranchers like me. I'm getting the impression he thinks there will be a second year of drought and he'll sell those nice marshmallow rolls for $500. in late 2023 early 2024. It does get me curious...there's only 48 days of winter left here!!!!.....hurry up sell your hay NOW!!!
You can lead a horse to water..
 
Last few days I've noticed my bull is walking slower to the feeders and is eating slower than the cows...he's not his aggressive fast-eater self. He even moved from one spot to check for different food in another feeder (he never does that). He might just be run down from breeding all night or chasing off dogs/coyotes....I'm just not sure. Here's the list of the NEW THINGS that I have done recently (experimenting)...where I might have hurt his rumen floral. What I'm really concern with. FYI, Bull's balance is fine, he looks like he's dragging himself to the feeder, like "Do I have to come and eat?"...like it's a job for him.

1. Placed out two lick tubs....very minimal usage, appears nobody is using them, only minor usage-licks-scruffs.
2. Poured out too much molasses onto whole oats, oats won't hurt him....(realized my mistake after) I've calculated he might have gotten up to a quart of molasses. Ouch, that seems bad.
3. Alpha cubes (dry)...the cattle didn't seem to like them much, half avoided them and half ate a few slowly was a 15lbs test. Anyway, about a week later I just threw the remaining 35 lbs of alpha in for them to eat, maybe the bull ate it all (wasn't watching).

What are your expert thoughts?...I don't see any bloat, he's not foaming at the mouth, he is still eating--@65% of a cow's pace, not his normal 170%....He looks like he went through a marathon, super tired walk, head held a bit lower (not much) and even his chewing has slowed down. But he is eating. What did I do to my majestic fast running hungry bull? How do I fix him? Cut back on feed? I've been HAVING to grain them more this winter due to drought... hay being unavailable. Cows are doing ok...just my bull looks slow, weak and tired. My cattle are still grazing some green legumes and rye grass, not much there, but it's still growing. Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions.
I'm no one for much advice but I bought a nice black Angus from a guy close to me. Said he had all the shots he needed 3 months prior to my buying him. In 8 months he was acting the way you say yours is acting. Getting a vet here is next to impossible and for 2 days I called 10 different cat/dog vets. Finally I called my sale barn and they gave me their vets name. This was on a Friday eve when I talk to him and he said it would be Monday morning before he could possibly be hear. He is little over 100 miles from me also. I told him I thought it might be pneumonia but he was supposed to have his shots. He came Monday morning about 11:00am and said it was pneumonia and was very far along. Hr could give a shot of draxson (misspelt) and said if he was alive by 6 o'clock that evening he would likely be ok but he didn't know it he would make it, Handed me a bill for $290
and drove off. Bull died around 2 pm same day. If you can get a vet to come out, get him on the road. Another thing, don't take anybodies word on shots if you don't see it. Like I said I don't know enough to give advice but can give past experience. I wouldn't have minded the vet bill if he have lived but it taught me to have a vet as a buddy even if you just have him come out and look, pay him him for his trip, then when you need him, he may respond quicker. Just my 2 cents worth.
 
I'm no one for much advice but I bought a nice black Angus from a guy close to me. Said he had all the shots he needed 3 months prior to my buying him. In 8 months he was acting the way you say yours is acting. Getting a vet here is next to impossible and for 2 days I called 10 different cat/dog vets. Finally I called my sale barn and they gave me their vets name. This was on a Friday eve when I talk to him and he said it would be Monday morning before he could possibly be hear. He is little over 100 miles from me also. I told him I thought it might be pneumonia but he was supposed to have his shots. He came Monday morning about 11:00am and said it was pneumonia and was very far along. Hr could give a shot of draxson (misspelt) and said if he was alive by 6 o'clock that evening he would likely be ok but he didn't know it he would make it, Handed me a bill for $290
and drove off. Bull died around 2 pm same day. If you can get a vet to come out, get him on the road. Another thing, don't take anybodies word on shots if you don't see it. Like I said I don't know enough to give advice but can give past experience. I wouldn't have minded the vet bill if he have lived but it taught me to have a vet as a buddy even if you just have him come out and look, pay him him for his trip, then when you need him, he may respond quicker. Just my 2 cents worth.
I didn't see the results until I chimed in. Glad to hear that he pulled thru. I had to pull mind off.
 
I'm no one for much advice but I bought a nice black Angus from a guy close to me. Said he had all the shots he needed 3 months prior to my buying him. In 8 months he was acting the way you say yours is acting. Getting a vet here is next to impossible and for 2 days I called 10 different cat/dog vets. Finally I called my sale barn and they gave me their vets name. This was on a Friday eve when I talk to him and he said it would be Monday morning before he could possibly be hear. He is little over 100 miles from me also. I told him I thought it might be pneumonia but he was supposed to have his shots. He came Monday morning about 11:00am and said it was pneumonia and was very far along. Hr could give a shot of draxson (misspelt) and said if he was alive by 6 o'clock that evening he would likely be ok but he didn't know it he would make it, Handed me a bill for $290
and drove off. Bull died around 2 pm same day. If you can get a vet to come out, get him on the road. Another thing, don't take anybodies word on shots if you don't see it. Like I said I don't know enough to give advice but can give past experience. I wouldn't have minded the vet bill if he have lived but it taught me to have a vet as a buddy even if you just have him come out and look, pay him him for his trip, then when you need him, he may respond quicker. Just my 2 cents worth.
Very good reply. I buy calves fairly often and even if im told they have had their shots they get the same treatment as those thst i know haven't had anything.
Starting this month having a good relationship with your vet will be even more important. Most all antibiotics will need a vets prescription.
One of my biggest pet peeves is hearing people talk about giving a vaccine that requires a booster but never give a booster.
 
Also, just because cattle get their "vaccines", they are not 100% guaranteed. If given properly (clean needles, no contamination of vaccine, kept proper temp, got booster IF required) you NEVER get 100% coverage.
Anyone that has livestock should welcome a vet out for just a routine visit to establish a relationship. If you are not a "regular" customer, why should they respond to an emergency?
 
Also, just because cattle get their "vaccines", they are not 100% guaranteed. If given properly (clean needles, no contamination of vaccine, kept proper temp, got booster IF required) you NEVER get 100% coverage.
Anyone that has livestock should welcome a vet out for just a routine visit to establish a relationship. If you are not a "regular" customer, why should they respond to an emergency?
True. About half the years I got a flu shot I got the flu, and about half I didn't. Same thing when I DON'T get a flu shot. sometimes I get the flu and some times I don't. Now, I religiously vaccinate my horses for everything there is, and on a timely schedule. In nearly 20 years of running 100-120 Corriente cows that are never given any kind of shot, or wormed, I have never had even one to get sick. Other herds at other places....registered or commercial cow-calf operations, I have vaccinated as recommended. It is one thing to lose qa $250 cow, vs a $2500 cow. And you can bet the bank, if you are running a mixed herd of $250 Corrs and $2500 Simms, the Simms will be the only ones to get sick!
 
After I retired from hosptial work I never got a flu vaccine for the last 14 years. But I got the swine flu when it first came to Texas out of Mexico in 2009 and no body knew what it was. Man that was bad. Living alone out in the woods. I was so weak I could not even turn over in bed, too sick to get up and find my phone and call 911.

What about lepto and blackleg? Those are supposed to be boosted once a year after the first 2 shots a month apart. It's endemic in the soil and spread by carrier cattle and wildlife " cattle may be infected with the organism but not show signs of disease. However, in herds with low resistance, animals infected with the organism may show mild to severe signs of disease" That could make a bull walk slow and look tired.
 
Last few days I've noticed my bull is walking slower to the feeders and is eating slower than the cows...he's not his aggressive fast-eater self. He even moved from one spot to check for different food in another feeder (he never does that). He might just be run down from breeding all night or chasing off dogs/coyotes....I'm just not sure. Here's the list of the NEW THINGS that I have done recently (experimenting)...where I might have hurt his rumen floral. What I'm really concern with. FYI, Bull's balance is fine, he looks like he's dragging himself to the feeder, like "Do I have to come and eat?"...like it's a job for him.

1. Placed out two lick tubs....very minimal usage, appears nobody is using them, only minor usage-licks-scruffs.
2. Poured out too much molasses onto whole oats, oats won't hurt him....(realized my mistake after) I've calculated he might have gotten up to a quart of molasses. Ouch, that seems bad.
3. Alpha cubes (dry)...the cattle didn't seem to like them much, half avoided them and half ate a few slowly was a 15lbs test. Anyway, about a week later I just threw the remaining 35 lbs of alpha in for them to eat, maybe the bull ate it all (wasn't watching).

What are your expert thoughts?...I don't see any bloat, he's not foaming at the mouth, he is still eating--@65% of a cow's pace, not his normal 170%....He looks like he went through a marathon, super tired walk, head held a bit lower (not much) and even his chewing has slowed down. But he is eating. What did I do to my majestic fast running hungry bull? How do I fix him? Cut back on feed? I've been HAVING to grain them more this winter due to drought... hay being unavailable. Cows are doing ok...just my bull looks slow, weak and tired. My cattle are still grazing some green legumes and rye grass, not much there, but it's still growing. Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions.
First check his stool .
Seriously have to know your shyt to diagnose if he has dietary issues.

This is a good guide out of TAMU.

 
I don't know if this has been talked about but a test for anaplasmosis or other tick borne diseases may be needed.
@wbvs58 and I both suggested checking his gums and I mentioned anaplas as a possibility. Gums (and vulva in a cow/heifer) should be a nice, healthy pink - not white. Eyes should be white, not jaundice. But yes, a blood test will provide a definitive answer.

Other signs of anaplasmosis are limping, staggering, drooling, losing condition, lagging. Late stage is aggression, even if they're normally docile, and death not far behind. BTW limping & staggering, because it's neurological. Took numerous videos of one of my cows that I could NOT figure out what was going on, even though I had her in the chute numerous times. Didn't even occur to me to check her gums because I was focused on her feet, possible stifle, how she was walking. Finally took her to the vet and blood test was positive. Still early stage and LA300 stopped the progression, but she would always test seropositive.
 
@wbvs58 and I both suggested checking his gums and I mentioned anaplas as a possibility. Gums (and vulva in a cow/heifer) should be a nice, healthy pink - not white. Eyes should be white, not jaundice. But yes, a blood test will provide a definitive answer.

Other signs of anaplasmosis are limping, staggering, drooling, losing condition, lagging. Late stage is aggression, even if they're normally docile, and death not far behind. BTW limping & staggering, because it's neurological. Took numerous videos of one of my cows that I could NOT figure out what was going on, even though I had her in the chute numerous times. Didn't even occur to me to check her gums because I was focused on her feet, possible stifle, how she was walking. Finally took her to the vet and blood test was positive. Still early stage and LA300 stopped the progression, but she would always test seropositive.
Thanks. I didn't take the time to read through all replies before I posted.
 
First check his stool .
Seriously have to know your shyt to diagnose if he has dietary issues.

This is a good guide out of TAMU.

Thanks for all the help CB and the great links..I did check them out. Update...due to the drought and lack of corn stalk hay, hay, milo, sudan...my bull most likely had acidosis and standing laminitis (his feet hurt and were directly under him, instead of apart)...Jan 2nd he stopped eating heartedly until around March 1st...2 months he was in pain. Had chains in my truck ready to drag him...figured he might die. I was too ashamed to take him in to the auctions..he lost 800 lbs. But once the green vegetation came in...he quicly came back to running along side my truck and started doing his mountings...and quickly gained back his former 1,900lbs weight. I'm blessed to have him back. I almost destroyed him...it was my doing...I had to learn things about droughts, hay suppliers and grains my own way. I did get to test a lot of grains and mixtures..so i know what works and what doesn't (experience).

Out of the drought came a new supplier of hay...have my 50 bales all lined up for winter and my new 5 ton hay trailer. Lots of new equipment and enhancements to make life easier. This year i'm in the black..will turn a profit. Can't keep up with hauling calves...they're being born and getting out to 13 months (i need to be taking them at 6 to 8 months) faster than I can move. Never imagined the cattle getting ahead of me..but they are. Mr Bull didn't miss a lick even with his two months of downtime.
 

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