Calf Losing Hair

hello, i have a 3 week old miking shorthorn calf. He is very healthy, except that he is slowly losing the hair around his nose, eyes and ears. Can anyone tell me what this is and what to do? He eagerly drinks his bottle and is seemingly very healthy. He was not bought at a sale barn, he was born at our county fair and i bought him there. There's another question, WHY do people bring animals that close to delivery to the fair? Isn't giving birth enuff stress without doing it in a strange place, with strange animals and people?? Anyway, if anyone could tell me about the hair loss i'd appreciate it. He is drinking fresh goats milk, no temp,.....think that's it. thanks,
susan

[cowsndirt]

I've had my bottle calves slough off the hair around their mouth before, I'm guessing because of the moisture. There are diseases such as PI that I've read about with similar symptoms. Do you have a vet you can call and ask? We have over a hundred head of cattle, and our vet will give free advice. Plus, your medicine purchased from a vet is much better than a farm store. Your farm store medicines come in on a freight truck in all types of weather, sometimes with the instructions "to be refridgerated" on the bottle. I know, I worked at one.

We've shown at many county fairs, but never took any very pregnant females to show. Most calve early in the spring before fairs are going on. We didn't show many heifers, because the fair schedules, heat from the show oil, etc., made them hard to keep fetuses. They were never at home when in heat, and the show oil trapped heat in their bodies and many people used to say it would be harmful to the fetuses.

My holstein heifers I bought last year as newborns for $150 each sold this year for $1060 each for 3. What a profit, and in only one year! Outstanding prices. I have a jersey x holstein cross I raised from a calf on the bottle, as a 2 year old last year she helped raise 5 calves and this year she has helped raise 5 beef calves. I not only put her on good pasture, but she is taken out on the halter to eat the tall roadside grass and weeds she loves. My husband said this spring I spent more time with her than I did our family!


Good luck with your calf. Wish we had that breed around here in NE Missouri.

Sharon

[Patty0315]

It could be barn itch or lice. Both will clear up with some good old fashion sun light. You see this mostly in the winter when animals are in the barn. 4 weeks after they are let out its gone. Good luck.