• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

Had Better Days

N

Northern Rancher

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 10, 2005
Messages
12,247
Location
saskatchewan
Just got back in from post morteming eight cows with the vet-I found them dead yesterday I guessed blue algae poisoning and I was right. We had a big rain last Monday/Tuesday but damage was done by then. I've had more trouble with cows and waterholes the last two years than I did the twenty before that.
 
Sad deal NR....... We have a neighbor who had 5 head of bred cows get in their neighbor's old barn and couldn't get out and die....... And a friend of ours who rents a pasture had someone turn the pump off for there water......
 
Guess I've got better luck than you NR cause only found one dead cow yesterday. Boys from the reserve cut a fence and one bunch of cows got out in a neighbors oat field. Oats didn't agree with one cow, found her bloated up and dead. Really should teach those boys to open and shut a gate someday. Funny part is I just rode that fence the day before. Well it's not really that funny.
 
Sandy said:
Boys from the reserve cut a fence and one bunch of cows got out in a neighbors oat field. Oats didn't agree with one cow, found her bloated up and dead. Really should teach those boys to open and shut a gate someday.
Click to expand...

Then let me in on your secret of what works for teaching them-- so I could use it too..... :wink: :lol: :lol:
 
That's sure bad news NR. Funny how too much rain can be as bad as no rain in some cases. Our Dug outs were really low but clear as a bell until it dried right out.

I just got word of 8 cows dieing near Raymond MT from Anthrax. There seems to always be challenges.
 
Northern Rancher said:
Just got back in from post morteming eight cows with the vet-I found them dead yesterday I guessed blue algae poisoning and I was right. We had a big rain last Monday/Tuesday but damage was done by then. I've had more trouble with cows and waterholes the last two years than I did the twenty before that.[/quote

I recently separated 5 young bulls for weaning in a woods lot with a small pond. Got real busy and didn't check them as I should have and found them all dead a week later within 3 ft. of the pond, the pond was very low(probably not over 6in. deep) and covered with algae. Although I didn't have any post mortem done, I felt sure it it was something they had injested and now I am feeling like it was the algae. The last bull I got to in time to try to feed and water but he had the trembles and just laid down and died just like the others-within 3 ft. of the pond. I had cattle in the lot before with no problems but not when the pond was this low.
Click to expand...
 
And I was feeling bad about looseing one cow - - - she had a hedge apple ( orsage orange ) stuck in her throat.

The cattle love to eat them and I've never had a problem before - - - I guess she tried to eat it whole to keep the others from getting it.

Only good part was that I was going to cull her this year anyway as she had a huge udder this time around.
 
Yikes, my cows love those hedge apples.. I haven't even noticed them this year but haven't soent much time back in the old hedgrows.. I can't imagine why they like them, they stink to all high heaven, supposed to help keep bugs out of the basement..

sorry to hear about that Northern.. Hopefully one of these years you won;t be having these water hole problems.
 
Financially that kinda loss hurts. It's also hard to go out and find all the dead it can be an emotional toll and scary for the rest of the herd until you figure out why they are dropping.


Last night coming home from work I came across cattle out and the owner saw me stopped and then noticed the calves out. They had torn down some fence and were light brown yellow colored and hard to see with it being evening and their color. He and I visited a bit and I told him my Dad and Mom had lost one this summer hit on the highway. The first one in 12 years yet now we are all a little gun shy about the cattle near the road. Scared they will figure a way out, break out, or just a flook get a gate down. My folks looked at it two ways how long the critter might have suffered and the 750 bucks they had lost.
 
Well I was pretty relieved to go out in the big meadow and not find 80 of them-there was kind of a trailof dead cows back that way. Megan and I got them all dragged away today-one ten year old cow has absolutely perfect feet-I'd never got as good a look at them as when she was post mortem. I did find my best bull with broken love tackle so the day was pretty bad.
 
Tough deal and costly.We lost 10 of them at one time about 6 years ago they were eating on a silage pile with a hot wire across the end when the top caved in on them the rest just walked up on them and kept eating.It was on Easter Sunday that it happened sure had alot of orpan calves that year..
 
So sorry about your loss NR :( Around here just about very pond, slough and dug out is full of algae. I have never seen it before and assume the plentiful rain and 90 degree days must have created this mess.
 
i've seen cattle drink alot skunkier water but I guess the stars must of lined up wrong. The dugout is pretty much brimfull-they sure drop fast-three never made it out of the water even.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top