Sick Calf ~5 months

[Soapweed]

Take the calf to the stock yard next sale. Don't waist your time and money on a calf that will not produce.

Just shoot the little critter, and save wear and tear on the next owner. Remember the old "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Some bleeding heart do-gooders would say, "but think of the poor calf." Don't worry about the calf. He's not enjoying life very much this way. If you shoot him, he can go to that meadow in the sky, be knee deep in crimson clover, and his scoury days will be over forever.

 

[Mudhen]

Take the calf to the stock yard next sale. Don't waist your time and money on a calf that will not produce.

Just shoot the little critter, and save wear and tear on the next owner. Remember the old "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Some bleeding heart do-gooders would say, "but think of the poor calf." Don't worry about the calf. He's not enjoying life very much this way. If you shoot him, he can go to that meadow in the sky, be knee deep in crimson clover, and his scoury days will be over forever.

I do not play GOD if it is his time he will go. I am going to keep him for a few more months then I am going to sale him that is if he don't grow on me.

 

[rancher]

Take the calf to the stock yard next sale. Don't waist your time and money on a calf that will not produce.

Just shoot the little critter, and save wear and tear on the next owner. Remember the old "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Some bleeding heart do-gooders would say, "but think of the poor calf." Don't worry about the calf. He's not enjoying life very much this way. If you shoot him, he can go to that meadow in the sky, be knee deep in crimson clover, and his scoury days will be over forever.

I do not play GOD if it is his time he will go. I am going to keep him for a few more months then I am going to sale him that is if he don't grow on me.

I say shoot the poor guy. Why do you want to sell him to someone else and have them get the screw job. Either shoot him or keep him at YOUR place until he dies a slow death. No sense making your problems someone elses, unless you are a horse trader. :x

 

[Faster horses]

I agree with the posts that advise putting him down. The calves with navel ill are so tender in the joints, it hurts them to walk. No one will pay much for him and it is the humane thing to do to put him out of his misery. It will get worse, not better.

Check out his knees. I bet the hair will be off right in a little round spot in the center. Sometimes they break and run in these bare places. Navel ill is a terrible disease.

 

[Mike]

Never seen "Navel Ill". Must not be prevalent here. What exactly is it? A bacterial infection?

We very seldom have scours down here either. VERY seldom.

 

[Faster horses]

Mike, I'm glad you don't know what navel ill is.

What causes it is when bacteria gets into the bloodstream through the navel. That is why anyone that calves in a shed in this part of the country, puts iodine on the navel. If you calve outside, you usually don't encounter the problem, but that isn't 100%.


As I said before, the bacteria goes to the joints because the circulation is poorer there and the antibiotics don't get there very easily and the bacteria is safe. It takes aggressive treatment to conquer it.

Sometimes, if you catch it quick enough, you will notice a swollen navel. Usually when we realized we had a problem it had advanced to where the joints were swollen and the calf walked tenderly, even acting very sore-footed. Sometimes they don't stand right up on their legs, they are so sore, so it appears they are buckled over at the knee.

It is a nasty disease.

 

[Shelly]

I also agree with the posts suggesting the calf should be put down. Selling it is a dirty, dirty trick! If you keep it for a couple of more months, you'll just prolong it's agony. It'll only get worse as time goes on. We had one just the same years ago, and eventually the naval infection ended up in it's belly and developed a huge swelling (and I mean HUGE!) on it's underside that never went away. It looked like waterbelly (if there is such a thing), we put it out of it's misery.

 

[TimH]

I don't know if this will work on a calf that is several months old, but, I have had really good results ,in younger calves with navel or joint ill, using 6 to 8 cc's of Micotil, sub-cutaneous(under the skin in the neck). It is a one treatment thing.
We calve in April, when the cattle are confined, and navel infections are not unusual.

 

[DOC HARRIS]

{I do not play GOD if it is his time he will go. I am going to keep him for a few more months then I am going to sale him that is if he don't grow on me.[}

Has GOD told you to keep a creature that is ill and hurting and has a condition that will possibly infect the rest of your herd?? :shock: Do you think it would be GOD'S WILL that the rest of your calves (or herd) should die a very painful death because "it was their time to go" and you were too reluctant to manage your BUSINESS properly? GOD helps those who help themselves!

It would be advisable to NOT shackle another rancher with a horrendous problem!

It would be advisable to humanely put the little guy out of his undeserved misery.

It would be advisable to ALWAYS have CLEAN areas for calving, and practice hygienic prophylactic measures for those suspect cases, if not all, depending on the practicality of the situation at hand. Don't play "Russian Roulette" with your BUSINESS! :shock: :???: