Calf has ankle issues - Cause?

WJMartin · #1 07/27/12, 07:54 AM

My new heifer is great except for her ankles, they seem to be frozen. She gets around OK, walks like she is on stilts and is unsteady but she is just a week old today.

Has anyone else seen this in calves and how did it turn out? This was a big calf and had some trouble getting her started breathing.

This cow's last year's bull calf had curved front legs, they are fine now but we had him cut for butchering.

So I'm wondering if this is genetic or mineral deficiency or just the roll of the dice. I have to stop by the vet today so I'm going to ask him also but just wondered what others have experienced.
Calf has ankle issues - Cause? - Cattle

agmantoo · #2 07/27/12, 08:13 AM

I have sen what the calf has but mostly with front feet. IMO the calf will be OK within a few weeks. Big calves come from cramped quarters and have little room to stretch. Time should take care of the problem. The cow is really fat and that did not help. Keeping cattle in body condition score of 5 makes for better calf rearing.

Cliff · #3 07/27/12, 08:13 AM

Have had this issue with calves and goat kids also. They've always straightened out for us with no intervention. Google contracted tendons in calves, lots of info out there. Apparently it can sometimes be a genetic issue, sometimes just the way they were positioned inside the cow and there is some mention of mineral deficiency but don't remember details.

linn · #4 07/27/12, 08:37 AM

We have had this happen with the front feet. They usually straighten out and the calf does fine.

WJMartin · #5 07/27/12, 08:53 AM

Thanks for the comments, I'm concerned that I might have to cull this cow and she is such an easy keeper and good mama that I just hate to. I know they aren't suppose to be pets.

>agmantoo - I was thinking I might need to start supplementing because of the drought conditions but I guess not yet, she's my skinny cow.

genebo · #6 07/27/12, 09:20 AM

One thing you can check is the selenium levels in your soil, grass and feeds. Low selenium in the cow makes her uterus less flexible, so it doesn't stretch as easily as it should. This cramps even a small calf and can cause what you're seeing.

Having it hapen repetitively is a flag for selenium deficiency. Feed a good loose mineral with adequate selenium in it.

The stiff, bent legs usually straighten up after a while without help. It's most likely not a genetic fault.

MO_cows · #7 07/27/12, 09:43 AM

Contracted tendons. You can do splints and therapy and all kinds of stuff but from numerous first hand reports I have read on different cattle forums, they seem to clear up on their own just as fast, as long as the calf is able to get up and put weight on them to stretch them out. A hungry calf following its mother around does its own therapy.

Knock wood, we have never had this one with our cattle but I did see it first hand in over size foals. They straightened out on their own, too.

If your cow stays that fat on drought stricken pasture she sure is an easy keeper!

G. Seddon · #8 07/27/12, 10:59 AM

Ask your vet about giving your knuckled over calves a dose of Bo-Se and Vital E plus A/D at birth (mine get it as soon as they're dried off). This will help them get started a little better/faster, although your calf looks like this will clear on its own with a little time. A Dexter, right?

I agree that it's most likely a selenium problem. Check your area here:

Selenium in Counties of the Conterminous States)

If your pastures are selenium deficient and the cows aren't eating enough of the loose mineral supplement, your vet may recommend that they themselves need Bo-Se or Mu-Se sometime before they calve again (and your calves may need more at weaning). You can also ask your vet about getting a mineral panel done on blood from the cow(s), especially if you have more than one knuckled over calf.

PaulNKS · #9 07/27/12, 12:14 PM

My first thought would be that the cow is way too fat to be breeding or calving.

If you are graining, I would gradually start cutting back on the grain and any treats. Always keep out free choice mineral that is considered a 1:1 ratio. Also keep salt blocks out for them at all times. This will usually clear up any mineral deficiency... if it is good quality mineral. Not all mineral is equal.

If she needs anything in addition to grass/hay, try a protein supplement first, mainly to keep her milk production up when you cut back the grain.

It is always hard on a cow and the calf when she is "fat" through gestation and calving. Sometimes it can also make settling after a breeding more difficult.

Nice looking pair, by the way.

Allen W · #10 07/27/12, 01:04 PM

WJMartin

Your cow has rode easy through the best of our grass season here in OK just carrying a growing calf inside. When a cow has plenty of good feed during the last of her pregnancy she will have a bigger then average calf as well as being fleshy herself.

Cliff · #11 07/27/12, 04:48 PM

She's that heavy just on pasture? And the others are heavier?

G. Seddon · #12 07/27/12, 05:05 PM

Dexters that carry chondrodysplasia are usually short and stocky; I don't know if WJMartin's cow is a chondro carrier, but that would be my guess.

Cliff · #13 07/27/12, 05:10 PM

I have Dexters, some have been chondro carriers, none that heavy on pasture. And this cow's horns don't look Dexter... maybe Jersey/Dexter cross? Udder sort of looks like that may be the case as well.

genebo · #14 07/27/12, 06:40 PM

Dexters have a wide variety of horns. It's how I tell mine apart. I have one whose horns are nearly identical to this cow.

Dexters are one of the breeds that really do well on grass. I'm still happy over the grass fed Dexter rib-eye steak I ate a couple of days ago.

WJMartin · #15 07/28/12, 12:14 AM

She is a registered Dexter, chondro positive, and I have been giving her cubes just this week to make sure she is getting some protein but only 7 or 8, all my cattle (5) are looking very good just on the pasture so far. I'm not moving them daily, more like every two weeks or so because I'm gone alot right now, I have been careful not to overstock my pastures, they are on about 30 acres so I still have alot of grass. I have them on loose mineral that is suppose to be adjusted for our area but I"ll ask the vet about the mineral panel. This cow is the only one that has had a calf with these issues.

When I stopped by my vet today he gave me a vit ABDE for the calf, she's alittle more flexiable tonight and getting around well so I'm sure she'll be fine.

I did find out today that there is a local store that I haven't purchased from that has protein tubs with minerals that are suppose to be specific to our area. The guy we just bought hay from was telling my DH that these tubs are all they use for their cattle. Guess I'll check them out.

agmantoo · #16 07/28/12, 09:54 AM

WJMartin

This may sound harsh but that is not the intention of this post. You need to drop some weight off these cows if you do not want more issues. Forget the protein for now and let the cow convert some of that fat she is carrying to milk. Get yourself a pic of BCS of 5 and try to mold your animals to that. The TLC that you are providing is neither in your best interest nor that of the animals.

Cliff · #17 07/28/12, 09:57 AM

Agree they don't need a protein tub

I personally wouldn't limit their grazing but I sure wouldn't be giving them anything at all extra. Except salt and a good loose mineral.

PaulNKS · #18 07/28/12, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cliff

Agree they don't need a protein tub

I personally wouldn't limit their grazing but I sure wouldn't be giving them anything at all extra. Except salt and a good loose mineral.

I agree 100%. When I mentioned the protein tub, the OP needs to look at my context.

After you've removed grain and treats, let them get back down to a healthy weight. IF... IF... IF the cows cannot keep weight on after that, or if their milk production drops too much, you can provide a protein supplement. BUT... if you do, stay away from the mineral/protein tub combos.

For now, you need to drop their weights to within a healthy range and judge that by the body condition score that has already been mentioned.

As was already said... your TLC will cause more health issues for a cow and calf than anything else.

WJMartin · #19 07/28/12, 12:15 PM

I know you are giving me good advice, I don't take it as harsh, animals have health issues with weight just like humans.

I swear I'm not giving any grain and haven't since they have been on grass, I think March, the cubes have just been to calm mom down to get a better look at the calf, she won't get any more.

Here are a pic of the others, do you really think they are too fat? This a a 2 yr. old heifer, about 4-5 months bred, Angus/Holstein.
Calf has ankle issues - Cause? - Cattle

These are yearling steer and heifer, Dexter, chondro.
Calf has ankle issues - Cause? - Cattle

Cliff · #20 07/28/12, 12:53 PM

Thinking maybe they were fat coming out of winter on grain? The two yr old heifer looks like a hippo

from that angle at least. The other two look ok for what they are but hard to see also. It's best to take pics square from the side. Your cows don't need grain in the winter, they'll do great on hay. Imo no beef cow ever needs grain, people just feel like they need to "do something" to take care of their cows sometimes I think. I didn't even feed grain to the cows I used to milk for house milk, I only took at max a gallon a day and they did fine with no grain.

When I had more dexters and wanted them tame I'd get a bag of alfalfa cubes and hand feed them sometimes. I never gave them much, just a cube or two to keep them looking for me and so they'd come when called. We do only grass fed so I didn't buy the range cubes or whatever they're called. It worked great.