Snake bit steer

melco · #1 06/19/15, 02:06 PM

Our steer was recently snake bit. We were hoping to process him around Oct/Nov. I'm just wondering is there any reason not to eat him since he has been bit? Will the venom remain in him for that long? Thanks.

GaryS61 · #2 06/19/15, 07:47 PM

it will be fine as soon as the wound is healed and all swelling has gone down you can eat him wait an extra month after that if you have any concerns.

melco · #3 06/19/15, 08:06 PM

Thank you for your response. I was thinking we should be ok but wanted to make sure.

Gravytrain · #4 06/20/15, 05:59 AM

A little snake venom will just put a little hair on your chest.

ETA: If you are female...wait an extra couple of weeks...

melco · #5 06/22/15, 05:56 PM

I will wait a bit then.

Jimoutside · #6 07/12/15, 11:08 PM

So do cattle (especially adults) usually survive snakebite? What kind of snake was it? Anybody have any die from snakebite? I believe Australian farmers have to deal with this some, and some of their snakes are highly poisonous.

melco · #7 07/13/15, 04:55 PM

We don't know what kind of snake other than poisonous. This turned into an uphill battle for sure. He is just now beginning to gain weight back and regaining health. I can't answer your question about adults getting bit and surviving. He will be two in October and there was a point there I really thought we would loose him. Thanking God that we didn't.

haypoint · #8 07/14/15, 08:46 PM

Just eat around the fang marks.

Alaska · #9 07/19/15, 10:27 AM

WE had a young steer bit in the face last year. Pretty sure it was a rattler as we have a lot of them around here. WE took him to the vet , who gave a large dose of antibiotcs. Took a few weeks for the swelling to subside.
He is doing great now. at 13 months old. Looking forward to him going in the freezer in the spring.
Caught this one in the carport yesterday.

GaryS61 · #10 07/20/15, 05:50 PM

That is all we have in Montana is Rattle snakes much smaller than your Texas boys. That is where they get bit is in the face since cattle are curious and want to sniff the snake they swell up bad and look like it is killing them but I have never lost one yet. Horses are another story they can swell so bad that they suffocate. I hate snakes. I kill a hand full a year on my place.