warts on cattle

[datokie]

I was wondering if anyone can help me with a condition that one of my stocker heifers has.

I purchased the heifer from a sale barn April 14, 2004 when she weighed 400 lbs. and was about 6 months old. She was vaccinated, had a fly tag inserted and had her horns cut off at the sale barn. She was bought as a stocker heifer to be fed out and sold in the fall.

About 45 days ago, grayish growths began to appear on her neck, and brisket area. Small oblong and circular at first some looking like small gray balls hanging on the underside of her lower jaw. Now they have become larger and have spread to either side of her face. The cow appears to be alert and eats and drinks well. But the growths just seem to remain and now there are more of them. Really gross looking. Grey in color. Sort of crusted in texture.

I had planned to sell the cow about mid October. But now I am not sure. From the research I have done on this, these growths are identified as warts. And treatment is not too effective. They will eventually go away. I have not contacted a vet as I am trying to resolve this without doing so.

I have other cows on the same pasture and none of them have this condition.

Are these warts? If not warts, what is the condition? How can they be cured?? Is the cow in any danger? Will the selling price be reduced if she is sold with the warts? Will they go away without being cured? And when?

Any comments about this condition would greatly appreciated. Thanks.



David in Oklahoma

[Kathryn L.Holck]

Originally Posted by datokie

I was wondering if anyone can help me with a condition that one of my stocker heifers has.

I purchased the heifer from a sale barn April 14, 2004 when she weighed 400 lbs. and was about 6 months old. She was vaccinated, had a fly tag inserted and had her horns cut off at the sale barn. She was bought as a stocker heifer to be fed out and sold in the fall.

About 45 days ago, grayish growths began to appear on her neck, and brisket area. Small oblong and circular at first some looking like small gray balls hanging on the underside of her lower jaw. Now they have become larger and have spread to either side of her face. The cow appears to be alert and eats and drinks well. But the growths just seem to remain and now there are more of them. Really gross looking. Grey in color. Sort of crusted in texture.




I had planned to sell the cow about mid October. But now I am not sure. From the research I have done on this, these growths are identified as warts. And treatment is not too effective. They will eventually go away. I have not contacted a vet as I am trying to resolve this without doing so.

I have other cows on the same pasture and none of them have this condition.

Are these warts? If not warts, what is the condition? How can they be cured?? Is the cow in any danger? Will the selling price be reduced if she is sold with the warts? Will they go away without being cured? And when?

Any comments about this condition would greatly appreciated. Thanks.



David in Oklahoma

David: Infectious Papillomatosis, aka, wart virus enters the body through a wound. It also can be on equipment, especially at sale barns. When a veterinarian checks the animals before a fair, if they have a wart, they are disqualified from bringing it on the fair grounds. You may be able to obtain a med. from vet for faster treatment. But within 6 months they can disappear. Granted your equipment may have to be sanitized if not exposed to the sunlight. Sunlight will kill viruses on equipment. klh

[uncle Will in In.]

I bought 5 Holstien steers at the sale barn in the spring and they all got warts on them shortly after I got them. I pastured them all summer and resold them in Oct. The warts were nearly gone by that time. My Vet told me they could be treated, but it wasn't worth while if they weren't going to a show. I had them with my beef cattle from mid summer on and none of the other cattle got warts. I never had any with warts in the following years.

[Jena]

I had one with a big, nasty wart. I called the vet because I got tired of looking at it. Her treatment recommendation was to yank it off with a pair of pliers. I left it alone and it went away eventually.

Jena

[Kat]

I have 6 young calves bought in Feb at the sale barn as stockers. About 1/2 of them now have warts. Vet said it is a virus and they will eventually go away once their immune systems strengthen.

[cowman]

There is a wart virus vaccine and it not expensive. It is very effective. If you will just rough up the wart a little, like make it bleed a little the shot will work a lot better and it will go away faster.