Next time I buy high boot I will save label to tell you what's in it.First, you have to make sure it is hoof rot.
We had a customer who called because he said he was having a lot of hoof rot.
So I went there with my ASM and looked the cows over. It wasn't hoof rot.
Those cows had poor feet. He was feeding cake and they were running after the cake wagon.
It had snowed and melted...and got really cold so everything was a skating rink. The
cows, after chasing the cake wagon (and I mean running) then had to walk back to water.
Their feet couldn't stand that, so they wound up with sand cracks and some had the low
pasterns where their hooves grew out and made it painful to walk. They had 20 head in the corral to treat. The vet had been selling them anti-biotics and sulfa boluses.He had never gone to the ranch to take a look. We asked if he had taken temps on the cows before they were treated and he hadn't. The vet never said anything about that. We had a cow thermometer with us and gave it to him. We said to temp them when they were run through the chute. He came back and told us that of those 20, only one had a temp that indicated it might be hoof rot.
Feeding mineral helps the quality of the hoof so that they can stand more stress. We used to get hoof rot and it was awful. Sometimes we couldn't stop it and it would go up the leg. That was before we were on a mineral program. After that, when cows had to walk on ice, one might show up a little 'off' when walking. We just waited it out and in a couple of days those cows were fine.
What is the source of copper in your Hi Boot? Is there any zinc? Supplementing zinc really helps with footrot. Getting the copper and zinc ratio out of whack can cause problems.
I'm glad you are seeing good results with Hi Boot. If it works, it's far beyond me to have you change anything but I'd sure be feeding a loose mineral. I would take a look at what Big Muddy is using. One other thing, I would never depend on a block to get salt and/or mineral into a cow. They get tired of licking before they get their daily requirments and walk away.
Feeding mineral helps with many things. That's not just me talking, it's customer feedback for 28 years.
Good luck!!
Scours was never a real problem until moved to current location in 2008.Evans, is it only Scour Bos 9 that you won't be able to get, or any scour vaccine? We switched to Guardian last year, it is a little more expensive. Doesn't cause quite the injection site reaction and is supposed to have better E. coli protection.
We would like to quit using any but are chicken. The people who were here before us had HUGE out breaks. We are on a good mineral program and have thought about adding bio moss for scours. We never have a problem but don't want one either!
Our vets say that when switching between brands of scour vaccine you don't need to do the 2 shots. We didn't when we switched from Scour guard to Scour Bos and then from Scour Bos to Guardian.Scours was never a real problem until moved to current location in 2008.
Then it was horrible with 100 percent scours.
So started I think with scour guard and then after talking to neighbouring outfits went to scour boss 9.
The scour boss 9 works so I'm scared to try anything different.
I was able to buy enough scour boss 9 for me for this calving season so I'm okay.
My understanding is other brands of scour vaccine will be available.
I just don't like to try new things plus of I switch then everything will need booster shots and if it doesn't work then the following year then everything will need 2 shots again to go back to the scour boss9
The cookies you are referring to, I think is what I called 'cake'. Cake is a protein molasses pellet big enough for a cow. Some call them range cubes. Heck, when I was little my uncle called them "Tomahawk". It was years later that I realized Tomahawk is who made the cake, so he just called them Tomahawk.Next time I buy high boot I will save label to tell you what's in it.
The guy that was treating for foot rot but did not have foot rot. Do he kept giving antibiotics and viws did not respond?
Cookies? We used to he able to get what we used to call range cubes. You would order it from feed mills and they would truck it out your grain bin. Most would fill 5 gallon buckets and hand feed to cows in winter on top of sod. Is that what you mean by cookies?
I always feed hay away from water and shelter do cows have to walk so they keep in shape for calving.
I believe some genetics are more prone to feet problems. I would rather get rid of problem cows than start spending more money on inputs.
Vaccines are gone nuts in price. I haven't been vaccinating like I used to cause everything blew upnin my private life a while back.
I just bought a bunch of cattle master not realizing the price and I'm regretting it now.
However scour boss is one really good vaccine that works for my area.
Okay yeah,like I make mine walk 1/4 mile or maybe 1/2 mile. I don't just feed them in the corral.The cookies you are referring to, I think is what I called 'cake'. Cake is a protein molasses pellet big enough for a cow. Some call them range cubes. Heck, when I was little my uncle called them "Tomahawk". It was years later that I realized Tomahawk is who made the cake, so he just called them Tomahawk.
Yes the cattle responded to antibiotics but it was more because he kept them shut up and they weren't travelling to feed and water. By travelling, I mean miles one way and then that far back to water.
I did miss this so I'm fixing it here:
"they were running after the cake wagon.
It had snowed and melted and froze again and made it pure ice..and got really cold..."
I do agree that hoof problems can often be genetic.
When Vigortone delivered the one driver that came here liked the small pallets as it kept him in shape while driving so much, He enjoyed his time out of the truck, Then they went to the big pallets and I had to buy a pallet fork for the loader. Not a big issue as I use it lots now that I have it but then they didn't want to deliver to the yard and wanted me to find a way to move the big pallets in Plentywood, where we used to swap the little pallets,That's for your horses, looks like. Good for you. Don't be surprised if they inhale it. When horses are shut up they get really bored and when they find the mineral...BINGO!! This doesn't have much salt as a limiter. Can you put out some salt with it?
Yeah, 50# seemed like nothing when we were young, now its like UGH!!
Mr FH used to use a cart and a ramp when delivering mineral. 10 bags on a little pallet.
He was in really good shape then. Now it comes on a big pallet which holds 40 bags (1 ton)
so he no longer has to do that. The drawback is that when people weren't home, he could still deliver it, but now they have to be home or leave a bobcat out for the driver to unload.
Most all mineral comes on the big pallets, not just Vigortone. We were the last ones to have it come on small pallets.When Vigortone delivered the one driver that came here liked the small pallets as it kept him in shape while driving so much, He enjoyed his time out of the truck, Then they went to the big pallets and I had to buy a pallet fork for the loader. Not a big issue as I use it lots now that I have it but then they didn't want to deliver to the yard and wanted me to find a way to move the big pallets in Plentywood, where we used to swap the little pallets,
One of the straws that broke the camel's back.
Its for my cows and horses. Its what most Angus crowds seem to use in my areaThat's for your horses, looks like. Good for you. Don't be surprised if they inhale it. When horses are shut up they get really bored and when they find the mineral...BINGO!! This doesn't have much salt as a limiter. Can you put out some salt with it?
Yeah, 50# seemed like nothing when we were young, now its like UGH!!
Mr FH used to use a cart and a ramp when delivering mineral. 10 bags on a little pallet.
He was in really good shape then. Now it comes on a big pallet which holds 40 bags (1 ton)
so he no longer has to do that. The drawback is that when people weren't home, he could still deliver it, but now they have to be home or leave a bobcat out for the driver to unload.