Calf ?
- Thread starter tenbach79
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JF Ranch
Well-known member
jingo2 said:
My experience leads me to agree with Jingo2. :shock:
Over my years of ranching, we've had these from time to time, with some worse than others. If you can get it to nurse on it's own, forget about it. It will take longer than a week or so, but by weaning, you won't even remember which one it was.
Kato
Well-known member
It's called contracted tendons. The tendons on the back of the legs are too short. It's as simple as that. In horses, its a mineral thing, but I'm not sure about how that translates to cattle. Make sure he gets his vitamins. Sometimes splints will help, especially in making it easier for him to stand. You have to watch them carefully, and change them often. It's amazing how quick they grow out of them, and if they get sore spots underneath, you have a whole other set of problems.
JF Ranch
Well-known member
jingo2 said:
Why would you think that? Please note that I have never had an argument with you. EVER.
I have a fair amount of experience and I simply agreed with the majority of your comment.
If the pictures were bigger you could tell how bad they are. His right leg is almost turned side ways even when you put his legs out in front of him. I appreciate all the help some more than others. I don't think he will get better (especially in a week) but I could be wrong.
jingo2 said:
How about this idea!!!!YOU read the first two sentences of the post and you will read that he had talked to a vet :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: Now then you can dispense advice Kolo=jingo=lulu=allie :wink:
It must be a hard life to be a a-hole all the time.jingo2 said:
I did call my vet and he said to give them 10cc of LA200 through a IV. Now that seems like alot for a 80lb calf thats 3 days old. I like Ranchers.net that you can ask diffrent people all over that might have or had the same problem that you have. You just have to weed through the people that just like to cause problems.
milkmaid
Well-known member
As to the calf- oxytetracycline (LA200) is frequently used in horses and does help contracted tendons. Yes the dose is high, but it's not to treat an infection, it's to relax the tendons. Different purpose, different dose. It's not generally used in calves, not certain why. I've splinted quite a few calves with contracted tendons, some people get more concerned about it than others. Usually a bit of time will do the trick for most calves. I've splinted them in front and in back. PVC pipe cut in half, padded, and taped for 12 hours to the back side of the leg works pretty well. Make sure he's on a soft enough surface he doesn't cut the front of his joints stumbling around- joint infections are much more difficult to fix than contracted tendons!
That said- in the first picture the calf appears to have the left front twisted - is that leg straight or is it rotated from the "knee" down? I saw a calf a couple years ago whose lower leg from about the knee was rotated a complete 90 degrees. There was no way that calf could walk when one knee bent forward/back and the other sideways. Is that the case with this calf?
That said- in the first picture the calf appears to have the left front twisted - is that leg straight or is it rotated from the "knee" down? I saw a calf a couple years ago whose lower leg from about the knee was rotated a complete 90 degrees. There was no way that calf could walk when one knee bent forward/back and the other sideways. Is that the case with this calf?
His one leg is turned alittle when straight out in front but not to bad. I did put a splint on both legs so will se how it goes from here. Had a twin the other night so I put that calf on this cow and just dealing with this calf by himself. She was starting to get alittle spooky getting her in to nurse the calf.
The LA 200 does which did seem high to me and I made that comment to the vet and he said the same thing you did. But he told me that it probably wont work anyway. I never asked the vet, but do you give him one does of that and thats it? Or do you give him some more later on depending on if it works?
The LA 200 does which did seem high to me and I made that comment to the vet and he said the same thing you did. But he told me that it probably wont work anyway. I never asked the vet, but do you give him one does of that and thats it? Or do you give him some more later on depending on if it works?
Faster horses
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tenbach79 said:
If you give him a blast of LA-200, it would be good to give him
some probiotic as well to get the microbes going again.
Antibiotics can kill good microbes that calves need to digest properly.
