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SKINNY Angus

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kelpies4me

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A friend of mine is leasing some pasture space to a guy who has a small herd of Angus. It's a mixed herd of cows/steers and some calves (not sure of sex). This is the second winter with them. First winter they did well, and looked good. This year, he added more animals. Well, from a distance, as I drove by, I could tell they were not looking good. WAY too thin, but again, that's as I drove by.

Yesterday, when I stopped over and went in the field with the land owner, and got a good close up look, it was BAD. Spines sticking up several inches, you can see all bones, pins, hooks, you name it. They were given some sileage (how I got to see them close up) and apparently, that's a new thing. Until then, just round bales of less than optimal hay.

One calf was down, and they got him up, and when I was there, he looked okay.

My question is a) what would cause this much weight loss, or is it a simple grocery issue and b) how can we tell the owner to get some weight on them safely, but rapidly?

We are forecasted a blizzard here today/tonight, and they have NO fat.

Thanks in advance.
 
The humane society would my first call people like that should be behind bars !!!
 
Sounds like a classic case of hollow gut. They need energy! Especially if the temp is going to be dropping. My opinion would be, A.S.A.P., a dairy quality grass hay 140 or 150 RFV on an ad lib basis. If less RVF supplemented with a lic tub and or some oats. What size are the cows. How dragged down are they, could they run or trot with a little encouragement, or is all they can do is plod along with no enthusiasm?
 
One thing is for sure, you aren't going to be able to put weight on them FAST, but with plenty of good hay you can stouten them up. I sure would not call the humane society, and I don't know where you live, but the sheriff in our area would be the one to call about it, or perhaps a brand inspectior. Someone needs to do something, that's for sure. Call the people that own the cattle and talk to them first. What about the landlord, what did he say or
plan to do? This is just awful!

Animlals are just victims of their owner., Thanks for caring, I've sure
turned in my share and more of people who abuse or starve animals.
 
kelpies4me said:
A friend of mine is leasing some pasture space to a guy who has a small herd of Angus. It's a mixed herd of cows/steers and some calves (not sure of sex). This is the second winter with them. First winter they did well, and looked good. This year, he added more animals. Well, from a distance, as I drove by, I could tell they were not looking good. WAY too thin, but again, that's as I drove by.

Yesterday, when I stopped over and went in the field with the land owner, and got a good close up look, it was BAD. Spines sticking up several inches, you can see all bones, pins, hooks, you name it. They were given some sileage (how I got to see them close up) and apparently, that's a new thing. Until then, just round bales of less than optimal hay.

One calf was down, and they got him up, and when I was there, he looked okay.

My question is a) what would cause this much weight loss, or is it a simple grocery issue and b) how can we tell the owner to get some weight on them safely, but rapidly?

We are forecasted a blizzard here today/tonight, and they have NO fat.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

#1 Call humane society/sheriff
#2 Why waste time telling the owner anything,takes a pretty good while to get cattle to loose that much body,talkin is a waste of time.
#3 Blizzard will kill cattle quick in that body condition,and if I was involved I would make sure the humane folks saw that and used it as evidence to put this parasite where he belongs.
Its sad to see this done to cattle and gives the animal lovers all the ammunition they need to prove their case.
good luck
 
HAY MAKER said:
kelpies4me said:
A friend of mine is leasing some pasture space to a guy who has a small herd of Angus. It's a mixed herd of cows/steers and some calves (not sure of sex). This is the second winter with them. First winter they did well, and looked good. This year, he added more animals. Well, from a distance, as I drove by, I could tell they were not looking good. WAY too thin, but again, that's as I drove by.

Yesterday, when I stopped over and went in the field with the land owner, and got a good close up look, it was BAD. Spines sticking up several inches, you can see all bones, pins, hooks, you name it. They were given some sileage (how I got to see them close up) and apparently, that's a new thing. Until then, just round bales of less than optimal hay.

One calf was down, and they got him up, and when I was there, he looked okay.

My question is a) what would cause this much weight loss, or is it a simple grocery issue and b) how can we tell the owner to get some weight on them safely, but rapidly?

We are forecasted a blizzard here today/tonight, and they have NO fat.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

#1 Call humane society/sheriff
#2 Why waste time telling the owner anything,takes a pretty good while to get cattle to loose that much body,talkin is a waste of time.
#3 Blizzard will kill cattle quick in that body condition,and if I was involved I would make sure the humane folks saw that and used it as evidence to put this parasite where he belongs.
Its sad to see this done to cattle and gives the animal lovers all the ammunition they need to prove their case.
good luck
Click to expand...

right on HayMaker
 
Kinda sad that ranchers would automatically take the word of somebody they don't even know - about cattle that they haven't even seen - and recommend throwing another cattleman to the wolves - the animal rights wolves. Don't you think the responsible thing to do would be to at least ask for some pictures first?

I know I've got a couple of older cows that I just pulled big calves off of and I admit that they are looking a little rough. Kinda like the ones described here, you can see some backbone and some ribs. Those cows will put some condition back on now that their calves are weaned and I'm feeding more, but they might look like they've been abused or mistreated to somebody who didn't know any better. Guess I'm the only one here who ever has cows get a little too thin?

If some of you people read a post on the internet (from somebody you don't even know) that saw those cows of mine, I guess you'd recommend calling the humane society on me, huh? You wouldn't even want to talk to me about it or even see pics of them for yourselves? Just call the humane society based on the word of a stranger?
 
Texan said:
Kinda sad that ranchers would automatically take the word of somebody they don't even know - about cattle that they haven't even seen - and recommend throwing another cattleman to the wolves - the animal rights wolves. Don't you think the responsible thing to do would be to at least ask for some pictures first?

I know I've got a couple of older cows that I just pulled big calves off of and I admit that they are looking a little rough. Kinda like the ones described here, you can see some backbone and some ribs. Those cows will put some condition back on now that their calves are weaned and I'm feeding more, but they might look like they've been abused or mistreated to somebody who didn't know any better. Guess I'm the only one here who ever has cows get a little too thin?

If some of you people read a post on the internet (from somebody you don't even know) that saw those cows of mine, I guess you'd recommend calling the humane society on me, huh? You wouldn't even want to talk to me about it or even see pics of them for yourselves? Just call the humane society based on the word of a stranger?
Click to expand...


We ain't detectives,the respones you read here are assuming the statement is true,its all we got to go on,but now if you want you can come and get me and drive up there and if the facts are different my response will be different as I'm sure the others will be.
And assuming the statement is factual,You and I have a big difference of opinion on the term "cattleman". There is a helluva differnce between thin cows and starved cows.
This is the part that bothered me " Yesterday, when I stopped over and went in the field with the land owner, and got a good close up look, it was BAD. Spines sticking up several inches, you can see all bones, pins, hooks, you name it."You insult our intelligence implying we dont know the differnce between a thin cow and a starved one
good luck
 
I really hesitate with the humane society/SPCA with some of the stories I've heard recently, especially about a gal in NY with her horses. I hate to see animals treated poorly, but I have a very low level of trust with these animal rights groups. I'm not going to give a suggestion without knowing the complete situation and seeing it first hand, doesn't sound good though.
 
Texan said:
Kinda sad that ranchers would automatically take the word of somebody they don't even know - about cattle that they haven't even seen - and recommend throwing another cattleman to the wolves - the animal rights wolves. Don't you think the responsible thing to do would be to at least ask for some pictures first?

I know I've got a couple of older cows that I just pulled big calves off of and I admit that they are looking a little rough. Kinda like the ones described here, you can see some backbone and some ribs. Those cows will put some condition back on now that their calves are weaned and I'm feeding more, but they might look like they've been abused or mistreated to somebody who didn't know any better. Guess I'm the only one here who ever has cows get a little too thin?

If some of you people read a post on the internet (from somebody you don't even know) that saw those cows of mine, I guess you'd recommend calling the humane society on me, huh? You wouldn't even want to talk to me about it or even see pics of them for yourselves? Just call the humane society based on the word of a stranger?
Click to expand...

sounds like a bit more going on then just some big calves left on for to long. IMO
 
Well,I have very little use for anyone that will starve cattle,I am at a sale barn or 2 weekly and some of the cattle I see wobbling thru the alleys are a damned shame.
drought worked us over pretty good around here,I sold down every year to keep flesh on my cows,cows that i sure hated to see go,I seen too many so called cattle men wait for rain and better prices only to loose their ass when they unload,damned cows are so weak and poor barely can get to a pen,and what are they worth ?
Folks I call cattlemen know when to hold em and when to fold em .
good luck
 
You should look at what part of the USA the cattle are .we have winter up north.
 
hhhmmm, that's funny we have winter here too.


I would talk to the owner. Get an age on the cows and more info on them.
No sense jumping to conclusions.

Some owners figure they should take care of themselves and that is it.

I would like more info about this issue before I post any more advice.
 
I kept seeing cattle looking just as the OP described on my LOOMIX route. After about a month, without EVER seeing any outside feed brought in, I called the brand inspector and turned the sorry ass owner (whom I didn't know) in and signed the complaint (which none of the neighbors would do). Turned out a divorce was in the process, and the retard with testicles wasn't gonna feed cows that his wife had 50% interest in.

I'd do it again, in a heartbeat. Talk to the owner, my ass.
 
I would like the rest of the story before offering any advice. NY has plenty of unused farmland and had a good growing seaon so there is no reason for the cows to be low body condition. The person leasing out the pasture needs to intervene if the cows are in bad way. Remember the Northeast plays by different rules then the cattle states and the land owner stands to take as much blame or more for the cows as the actural owner of the cows.
 
I am in agreement with the sentiment that one cannot know the full picture by a post on the internet. I can assure you that I can tell the difference between just a bit under condition and thin, versus WAY too skinny. Now, these animals are able to get around, I would put them at a 2 on the bcs. They can hurry up and get to sileage, and are spending time looking for forage in the pasture (which there is none).

The main gist, is that last year they looked fine during the winter, this year, they are not the same animals, which made me wonder if it was a parasite problem, or another health issue.

There are other cattle, Scotch Highlanders, in another field, and they are doing very well. They have good hay, and are pretty relaxed, and look good. The Angus not so much.

This year, we did have a drought at the end of summer which stopped good grazing early, and I do believe this may have contributed (along with increased stocking #s) less forage and hungry cattle.

I think the owner of the Angus may have gotten the point, as his brother was there and I was basically shocked, when I saw these animals close up, and he heard my comments.
 
kelpies4me said:
I am in agreement with the sentiment that one cannot know the full picture by a post on the internet. I can assure you that I can tell the difference between just a bit under condition and thin, versus WAY too skinny. Now, these animals are able to get around, I would put them at a 2 on the bcs. They can hurry up and get to sileage, and are spending time looking for forage in the pasture (which there is none).

The main gist, is that last year they looked fine during the winter, this year, they are not the same animals, which made me wonder if it was a parasite problem, or another health issue.

There are other cattle, Scotch Highlanders, in another field, and they are doing very well. They have good hay, and are pretty relaxed, and look good. The Angus not so much.

This year, we did have a drought at the end of summer which stopped good grazing early, and I do believe this may have contributed (along with increased stocking #s) less forage and hungry cattle.

I think the owner of the Angus may have gotten the point, as his brother was there and I was basically shocked, when I saw these animals close up, and he heard my comments.
Click to expand...

"IF" you know how to body score cattle and they are in fact a 2 my response stands,call the sheriff.
regardless of owner circumstances...........party's over
good luck
 
loomixguy said:
I kept seeing cattle looking just as the OP described on my LOOMIX route. After about a month, without EVER seeing any outside feed brought in, I called the brand inspector and turned the sorry ass owner (whom I didn't know) in and signed the complaint (which none of the neighbors would do). Turned out a divorce was in the process, and the retard with testicles wasn't gonna feed cows that his wife had 50% interest in.

I'd do it again, in a heartbeat. Talk to the owner, my ass.
Click to expand...

I wish you were sellin feed around here..........you would damn sure have my buisness,its a good thing to have some one that knows what they are lookin at in your pastures and getting back with you,good or bad.
good luck
 
I've got a few cows that make me crazy because they're always skinny....always throw a good calf and produce plenty of milk, but always skinny.

I guess what I'm saying is that the tale of the tape so-to-speak is how the animals as a group look. A few skinny cows in a herd of otherwise healthy-looking animals is probably the norm.

If the entire herd is skinny, they're obviously undernourished.
 

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