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2 yr old jersey heifier gets the squirts on grass

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lraymond8

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Joined
Sep 5, 2008
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5
Location
canada
we have a 2 yr old (approx).Bought her from sale barn, was on the thin side in december.. gained weight..until we let her out on grass in may, lost weight, got terrible dirreaha, and vet put her on borgal for 5 days, wormed her, and treated her for giradia( amprol).. she seemed fine until this week.. september, she is onnew pasture and is got the squirts again.. not brown tea but very loose stools.. and is losing weight??any idea's vet mentioned that in order for her to cycle she needs to be fatter and not have the squirts..he also mentioned colitis?? looked everywhere for information on colitis but none found for cattle//HELP!!!!!!!! :(
 
First off I've never seen a FAT Jersey, I don't think they make'em!!! :lol: :lol:

Just about any bovine that goes on " new" grass will get the squirts till their guts adjust. Give her some hay to go along and several Imodium pills.
 
I'm with Kola on this. She needs more dry matter...give her some hay...
she may not eat it all at once, but she will eat it eventually. Leave it out
free choice so she can get it when she needs it. This will work unless it is a disease of some sort, but I really don't think so.

Good luck!!!
 
can she have imodium pills??seriously?can she?It seems like she can handle the pasture as long as it is not lush.we have feee choice hay in the pasture for her. she is with three other cows and has been all summer, they are fine.Yes i agree that jersey's are not really fat, but she is kinda skrauny( not sure if spelled right)but she is young, and I an just guessing at her age she may be younger?Does anyone know how to age young cattle?he poop is grass green, normal colour just watery?VET CHECKED HER TODAY AS SHE WAS WITH THE BULL for july and august but she is open, and tonight has a ton of gas.. is that normal?this forum is a really nice place to find stuff and talk about things..thank you for your input ..we like this little lady jersey and would like to solve her problem
 
If you're that worried about her send a fecal sample and a skin sample (piece of her ear) to a lab and have it checked for BVD and Johnnes. If she has either one of these diseases anything else you do is a waste of time and she should be destroyed.
Sorry if I sound a little hard line but that's life.
 
what lab would I take it to? through my vet? and yes if thats the case , she would have to have that done? what is Johnnes?and is BVD always in the animal?
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If you're that worried about her send a fecal sample and a skin sample (piece of her ear) to a lab and have it checked for BVD and Johnnes. If she has either one of these diseases anything else you do is a waste of time and she should be destroyed.
Sorry if I sound a little hard line but that's life.
 
The other thing you might try is to give her some Probiotic. She may have a rumen upset and this will help to put the microbes back in her rumen.

Sounds like a fecal is in order, but so many vets don't have a Wisconsin Spinner and they depend on what they use to detect worms in dogs and that just doesn't cut it. I'd test her for BVD and Johnne's as was suggested earlier. If she had BVD, she could contaminate your other cattle.

BVD-Bovine Virus Diaharra. Do a google search for more information.
It is more common than any of us like to think.

I am not familiar with Johnnes Disease, but I know it is something you don't want in your cattle.
 
I had a big bull that did this same thing with good grass, had the runs, and lost weight. The vet took a stool sample and he had Cocidea (sp) worms. She kept him for 7 days and gave him everything she could think of. Ended up hauling him to the sale. She couldn't get rid of them.
 
jkvikefan said:
There are plenty of fat Jerseys. All it takes is feed.
Click to expand...

A friend of mine milk's some and they are defenatly fat.

The cow in question sounds like she has Johnes Disease.I bet she does'nt make it thru winter I would get rid of her Pronto as her feces will spread the disease thru your other cattle.
 
lraymond8 said:
can she have imodium pills??seriously?can she?It seems like she can handle the pasture as long as it is not lush.we have feee choice hay in the pasture for her. she is with three other cows and has been all summer, they are fine.Yes i agree that jersey's are not really fat, but she is kinda skrauny( not sure if spelled right)but she is young, and I an just guessing at her age she may be younger?Does anyone know how to age young cattle?he poop is grass green, normal colour just watery?VET CHECKED HER TODAY AS SHE WAS WITH THE BULL for july and august but she is open, and tonight has a ton of gas.. is that normal?this forum is a really nice place to find stuff and talk about things..thank you for your input ..we like this little lady jersey and would like to solve her problem
Click to expand...


Yeah, when we have calves that get the scours real bad.....crush up some Immodium in some Gator Aid....tube calf and problem is usually solved in 99% of the time.

Now I don't suggest tubing a 2 yr old....but crush a few up in some sweet feed and sneak'em in that way. Nothing else it will help settle her.


Bottom line...like it's stated here on the Index page.....ck with YOUR vet and take their advice FIRST AND FOREMOST in regards to your cow.

I'd say she's fine....justs a tender tummy towards good grass....you'll get it worked out.
 
lraymond8 said:
what is loomix ?
Click to expand...


Another aggravating ' problem' that won't go away!!!!!

It causes GREAT irritation...



( Nah, it's a pain in the arse guy who is a poster here) :lol:
 
kolanuraven said:
lraymond8 said:
what is loomix ?
Click to expand...


Another aggravating ' problem' that won't go away!!!!!

It causes GREAT irritation...



( Nah, it's a pain in the arse guy who is a poster here) :lol:
Click to expand...
come on Kola, old fruit of the loomix is a good guy......
 
we have two oldergirls , aswell as these two young girls, and all are yes fat.. not like beef fat but in good condition..sally :the heifer with the squirts is bright eyed, but she does have warts??had a few when she came but has alot more..he coat is not as shiny as others, have had mineral molassas licks in pasture, and salt..she just looks not the same ..if you understand what I mean.. and since pasture change she is not doing good poop..vet started her on borgal and we are changing her feed to 22% heifer food, with dry hay..How can she just be not well in april and fine all summer and then not well in september? there has to be some trigger in the grass that is doing this?
 
There should be no reason to blame the grass pasture, that doesn't make sense. If it is caused by something she ate, I would be checking your pastures for toxic/noxious weeds. Leafy Sphurge, Water Hemlock and various other plants contain secondary compounds that can knock a cow over dead.

My advice, listen to some of the others in previous posts:

1. Tell your vet that you want her tested for BVD and Johne's. If the vet has ruled out all other logical explanations, the illogical must be considered.

2. Check your pasture for toxic plants. Get a book of plants native to your area that has good pictures and go walking.

3. If you and the combined efforts of your vet and anyone else involved cannot bring her around, go with what gcreek said, and destroy her. Yes it sounds harsh, but do you think Mother Nature would give her 2nd and 3rd chances? This is exactly why native species thrive in an area as a healthy population. Weak and sickly individuals like your little lady Jersey do not survive, thus the entire population becomes stronger. It's just life.

And besides, how will you ever get your money back out of a cow that you've put hundreds of dollars of meds into? Just my 2 cents worth. Hope that helps.
 
Like I said, DO the tests. Don't know where you are but there is an excellent lab in Abbotsford B C. Your vet should have connections to one.

If this heifer is a chronic case the symptoms are going to keep recurring until she eventually sh1ts herself to death.
 

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