Worst mistake?

[dcara]

Vicki

I just had a feeder steer calf overload also. At first I thought it was a bloat incident (posted under separate subject on health board) but the vet set me straight. The calf was getting about 16lbs of corn chops a day with free choice hay. Him and the others had been doing great on this program for a couple of months until I gave them a new roll of high quality coastal hay which they were sharing with a horse in an adjacent pen. After a few days with the new roll this calf suddenly went completely off feed and must have dropped 100lbs in 3-4 days. Sure got my attention. After I got the calf to the vet he gave me a pretty good tounge lashing while he treated the calf. I never really noticed before how intemidating a vet can be when their a little agitated and pointing a rather large needle at you.

Anyway, one of the vets "critiques" was that 16 lbs of feed a day was too much for a 800 lb calf and he suggested only 9 lbs. Everything I've read says 2% BW of feed and 1% forage which is what I was doing. He also suggested that the corn chops were too hot and that I should mix it down with creep feed. What are your and anyone else's thoughts on this

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

I always inject first and tag last. Calf has calmed down big time and I'm getting a little braver. So I let off of my death grip to take the needle from wife. Just as I prepare to give this guy a good start on life he bucks, I trip on a root - fall hard to the ground and immediately inject the entire 2 cc's of selenium and vitamin B into my jaw.

Bez;

I remember my dad doing almost exactly the same thing when giving blackleg shots. Except he injected it into his hand. It swoll up like a balloon, but he's never had blackleg so I guess that stuff really works. I guess doctor-patient privilege doesn't apply to items like that. The reaction around town was very similar to what you experienced.