We have a 2 year old bull that went down 2 days ago. The vet came out and gave him an injection of steroids and antibiotics. We have him in the corral and it looks like he may have broken his back?? He is not standing on his own. He is eating and drinking. At this point, we just don't think he will get better. Should we butcher him and make hamburger? Do you think the meat will be any good? We appreciate any thoughts and suggestions that you may have. Thank you!
Young bull has gone down
- Thread starter lluebbert
- Start date
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Suzie Q
Well-known member
If he had broken his back, I would say that the vet would have picked up on that.
I am in Australia so it may be different here. We 'blood' our cattle for 3 strains of tick fever. That means that if a beast goes down we know it is probably 3 day sickness and they can recover from that. Tick fever they can die from.
3 day sickness can mean a period of infertility for a bull, so you can vaccinate against that if you want, but it is a bit like the common cold and it mutates, so if a different one comes to the one you have vaccinated against they will still get it.
If a beast is down and doesn't get up we inject with a product called Key. So far we have not had to use it.
I am in Australia so it may be different here. We 'blood' our cattle for 3 strains of tick fever. That means that if a beast goes down we know it is probably 3 day sickness and they can recover from that. Tick fever they can die from.
3 day sickness can mean a period of infertility for a bull, so you can vaccinate against that if you want, but it is a bit like the common cold and it mutates, so if a different one comes to the one you have vaccinated against they will still get it.
If a beast is down and doesn't get up we inject with a product called Key. So far we have not had to use it.
cowboy43
Well-known member
I have a seen on this board where a lot of people butcher injured cattle, but I have always wondered how a high fever or infection would affect the meat. Knew a guy that ground a 1100 lb cow into hamburger after being killed by lighting, it seems like the blood would be conjelled into the meat.
turklilley
Well-known member
I had a 3 1/2 year old bull go down last July. Had the vet out twice, he was not sure what the problem was. I gave him antibiotics for a week. I was going to butcher him, make hamburger, and give it away, after the two week withdrawal. That bull started to get better after 3 weeks of being down. After 6 weeks he recovered. I used him until now. He goes to the sale barn tomorrow, only because his daughters are going with the herd. Never did find the problem, Never expected him to recover. He was, and is, a good bull, looks good, small calves, quiet, will miss him
Lucky22
Member
During the time this bull was down did he ever get up and stand on his own?
I just had a 1 1/2 year bull go down and was down for 7 weeks and never did
get up. My vet told me that after that long he was not going to ever get up.
So very glad your's got back up. I miss mine too.
I just had a 1 1/2 year bull go down and was down for 7 weeks and never did
get up. My vet told me that after that long he was not going to ever get up.
So very glad your's got back up. I miss mine too.
GMN
Well-known member
lluebbert":2xx96b9r said:
My vet always says not to eat a downer animal, as the meat will be slimy.With a bull too, the testosterone levels will be higher, and could make the meat tough- If you don't think he will get better, you may just have to shoot him. I would give it some time though, not all downer animals are hopeless, sometimes they do get up. What were the circumstances before he went down, an injury, was he sick?
GMN
backhoeboogie
Well-known member
Any time a bovine goes down like that, I have come to assume it is lack of lose mineral.
Don't know how many times people have had this happen in the last ten years or so. Half the time I paste the cow with two tubes of CMPK and it is up within an hour or so. Had a cow take three days last spring. She had the will to live. Finally got her up. The owner had been putting out mineral blocks that were 90 something percent salt. He had spent a lot of nickels with vet calls and the vet had been giving IV's with "mineral". He told the owner to consider her a downer. She's been running in my herd ever since the owner gave her to me.
Don't know how many times people have had this happen in the last ten years or so. Half the time I paste the cow with two tubes of CMPK and it is up within an hour or so. Had a cow take three days last spring. She had the will to live. Finally got her up. The owner had been putting out mineral blocks that were 90 something percent salt. He had spent a lot of nickels with vet calls and the vet had been giving IV's with "mineral". He told the owner to consider her a downer. She's been running in my herd ever since the owner gave her to me.
