Need help for sick cow

[Pooh_Bear]

No black cherry anywhere around.
Got Polk Salad plants in the fence rows
but they don't touch those.
Right now it is in a lot by itself being fed hay
and twice a day some crushed corn.

Pooh Bear

[Pooh_Bear]

Ok, correction and more info.....
It is not a heiffer, it is a young steer.

Problem started 2 months ago.
The animals ribs were starting to show.
The animal went in the lot for a month
and got a little better. When his ribs
stopped showing we turned him out with the herd.
Last weekend is when the problem came back.
So back in the lot it went. Now it is skin and bones.
Gave it several does of LM200 (I assume this is penicillon).
Gave it sulpha pills several times. Gave large doses of vitamin C.
Gave it feed with Ruminent(?) in it. Something for the rumen.
The animal is up and around and eats some. He drinks water.
It was mentioned that with the severe drought and lack of pasture grass
for the animals to eat that they may be eating stuff they normally wouldn't.
But we have been feeding hay for the last month.

Unless we find a solution for this steer, the next step will
be to decide whether to start digging a hole or call a vet.
And the guy that owns the animal is giving serious thought to calling a vet.
So hopefully this will turn out OK for the steer.

Pooh Bear

[windy acers]

IT PROBALLY HAS YONIS DISEASE - GOOGLE IT- SAME AS CROWNS IN HUMANS

[windy acers]

we had a cow with the same problems. Bought it at the auction. extra thin. We knew we could improve it by putting it in a good pasture. Filled out but then got thinner and thinner. Call the vet. We bought a sick animal and the farmer knew it. But it was to late. We all ready bought it. Jones or Yonies disease. same as crowns disease in people. The food doesn't do the animal any good. Has the runs. The animal just dies of lack of food. We didn't have a gun and the cow died on its own. It was bad. The rest of your cows can get this from the sick cow. Good luck
we lost another cow too from this disease. just by the sick cow being around the others.

[Soundguy]

Grasping at straws here.. but if the AB's didn't help.. and yuo have already given it probiotics to rebuild the rumen.. then it starting to look bad. plenty of cattle diseases out there.. a big one's been mentioned.

This didn't start when it was castrated did it?

Last idea.. got any sweet feed for it? Crushed corn won't do it much good... it doesn't sound like it is keeping food in to get any use out of it.. same with the hay.. corn requirs alot of work to get any good out of it... that's why cows have rumen, and birds have gizzards... this cows running stuff thru too fast..

Soundguy

[texasjohn]

Ideas..

hardware disease (wire, nails, metal messing up the stomach)

plastic bag or plastic twine from hay in one of its 4 stomachs

Both of the above occur during drought and poor feeding conditions

You have done all the usual things ... it's a lost cause if it is either of the above or several of the diseases others have suggested.

[Pooh_Bear]

Neighbor gave the steer a huge dose of something called Bysol (sounds like Lysol)
on Saturday and another huge dose on Sunday. I didn't go up there today
so I don't know if the animal is any better. Looked a little better on Sunday.
Hope it is not something contagious as several other cattle were put in the
weening lot over the weekend. He usually feeds crushed corn and gluten
but he mentioned something about reducing the amount of gluten for the steer
because it is hard on an animal with the scours. I'll ask him about sweet feed.
I did see the steer eating some hay and picking grass on Sunday morning.
I don't know when the animal was 'de-bulled' so I don't know if it started then.
Maybe tomorrow I will get a chance to go ask about the animals progress.

Pooh Bear

[Soundguy]

The sweet feed may be a little easier for that steer as the animal will get some energy from the molassis even if it doesn't stay in him long. If it's a texturized feed that uses peanut hulls as filler.. that may help with the scours a little bit too.

I've never tried the kaolin/pectin on cattle, and don't know if it's appropriate for them.. might have to read my jug tonight.

good luck

soundguy

[Pooh_Bear]

I went up to the barn yesterday and visited with my neighbor.
I asked him about the cow and he said it seemed to be putting on weight.
I didn't see the cow yesterday but I will today.
So maybe the Bysol and sulpha pills are helping.

Pooh Bear

[Soundguy]

sulfamet can trat some fairly resistant stuff.. It's used for humans too. I had a skin infection from getting cut working in the pig pen.. piece of welded wire panel cauge me back of the upper leg... I didn't think much of it.. I get cut every day on my farm..e tc. Anyway.. week later.. it didn't get better.. I took notice and tried to doctor on it myself for another week. gave up and went to the doc.. no problem.. 1 course of antibiotics and you'll be ok. that passes with -0- improvement. HMMMM.. must be antibiotice resistant strain.. they gave me sulfameth/trmethoprin.. 20 days.. -finally- started getting better on the 18th day... had me slightly worried... wasn't sure what the next step after 1 regular course of cehpalexin AB, and then 2 of sulfe/trimeth.. etc..

Soundguy