Yearling calf not shedding out yet..

[cjb]

I've not raised a calf yet so I really don't know what to look for in terms of condition etc. Scarlet is now 13 months old and really not very large at all. Her sire was very small so I'm hoping that she will turn out small-ish, as well. The dam is quite a large jersey.

The Mom has shed out nicely to her usual fawn color but Scarlet doesn't look like she's shedding out yet. Also, she is getting that dairy-looking, bony hips look. Are heifers supposed to get that before actually making milk or is she too thin? She gets lots of grass and alfalfa. Also, have wormed her with Eprinex a few weeks back. Maybe I need to worm her with something else?

She was a fawn colored baby but she has so much black in her now that I wonder if she'll be one of those really dark jerseys?

[francismilker]

Have you wormed her? If the weather is still getting cold at night in your area this could also help her keep her winter coat. As far as body condition, she might be a little on the thin side but not "skinny" in my opinion. I'd try worming her first with some ivomec+ injectable and make sure she has mineral in front of her free-choice.

[tinknal]

Is she a purebred? She almost looks like she could have some kind of wolly coated breeding in her.

[cjb]

She's a purebred Jersey and looked like one last summer for sure. She just has a heavy coat.

Injectable? I've never injected wormer. Can't she just take Iver paste?

[cjb]

Originally Posted by francismilker

Have you wormed her? If the weather is still getting cold at night in your area this could also help her keep her winter coat. As far as body condition, she might be a little on the thin side but not "skinny" in my opinion. I'd try worming her first with some ivomec+ injectable and make sure she has mineral in front of her free-choice.

It's not that cold here at night (40's) and I would think that her Mom wouldn't have shed out then.

[agmantoo]

I am with tinknal. Any chance her Dad was from across the fence?

[cjb]

Geez! You guys are scaring me. She was AI'd so I would think not. The technician used the sperm from a Jersey stud. I suppose that it's possible that he mixed up the straws?

There are absolutely no cows in our neighborhood at all.

Here's a pic of her from last Fall. Looks pretty Jersey to me.

[tinknal]

I wouldn't worry about it. All the rest of her looks Jersey.

[cjb]

Strange how she is an entirely different color this year than last, though. I hope that she's not 1/2 Hereford!!!!!

Strangely, one of my horses shed out just fine and the other hasn't shedded out and has dark hair on him..... weird.

[tinknal]

Could she have lice?

[willow_girl]

I'd worm her.

[cjb]

Did the pour on - so I should Iver too?

[francismilker]

Depends on what kind of pour-on you used. I use cydectin pour-on every six months and ivomec+ injectable every six months. I like alternating with wormers. Some wormers (like safeguard pellets) are absolutely uneffective to parasites that have built up a resistance to certain internal parasites. My vet told me he tells all his customers to not even waste their money purchasing safeguard. He said when he pulls fecal samples on animals that have relied on it for protection he most always sees infestation.

I think the active ingredient you're looking for should be ivermectin. I'm not a vet though so you might want to get some professional info. The animal just appears to be wormy.

BTW, she looks jersey to me. Some are light red fawn colored, some are dark brown with black, and there's a variation of color in between. If she's the same calf in both of the pics you've posted I'd just chalk it up as her having a bad hair day and look forward to some rich, creamy milk.

[deineria]

Looking at the fall pic, I would NOT worry - looks as Jersey as mine - lol! Odd that she is lighter there than my heifer was in the fall, but my heifer only turned a tad darker now in the spring. She shed out a good 6 weeks ago or more, but it is warmer here.

My heifer at 9 months has the bony hip look, too.

I do wonder at the coat. That does seem odd - even in Oregon to not have shed yet.
I use Cydectin pour on for the heifer and goats, and it is very effective. Is that what you've used?

Where she has such a thick coat, I am not sure about her weight. We have Stella on 3 acres of pasture plus 3 cups grain / 1 cup soy meal, and she is a little on the thinner side, but most folks thought she was at a fine weight.

I know wooly coats can indicate worms in animals. . .

[cjb]

Bad hair Spring, maybe? Hahaha

Yeah, I bet it's worms too. I will use Ivermectic. I had already used Eprinex because I was worried about lice.