A question about cow poop

emke · #1 07/09/05, 07:32 PM

This is probably a silly question, but I have noticed a difference between our two calves poop and the poop of all the cows we feed down the road.

What is the proper consistancy of cow poop? Our calves always have a big soft mound of poop when they go, and never have it on thier butts when they are done. We can pick it up with a pitchfork after it is dried, to throw in the trailer. But the cattle we feed all have poop that plops down and makes a round circle about only 1/4 inch high. To me it looks too runny. They also all have it smeared all over their butts. Is it because of what they eat? Their pasture grass doesn't look the best in the world, and we only feed them some range meal and a few cattle cubes to get them used to being around people again. These cows have been in the pasture, without human contact for over two years before we started feeding them.

One of our calves should really be classified as something else as she is 10 months old, or so. She is also huge. The baby is only about a month and half old and still gets milk in a bucket. But both have the same consistancy of poop. We give them both sweet feed and cattle cubes as treats. They also get staked out in the yard to eat grass there, besides the bigger one getting grass in the pasture.

Thanks for helping me clear up my confusion.

agmantoo · #2 07/09/05, 08:10 PM

The difference is due to diet.

Ronney · #3 07/09/05, 09:22 PM

...... and possibly worms.

Cows grazed on pasture should still have firm poops the exception being in the spring perhaps when the surge of fresh growth may make them runny for a few days. If it is smeared across the backside and tail it is often inidicates a problem.

You say these animals have had little human contact for the last two years in which case when were they last wormed?

Cheers,
Ronnie

agmantoo · #4 07/09/05, 09:52 PM

here in NC where I live this has been a great year for clover. Even in mid July one would be taking a high risk by walking within a few feet of the rear end on one of my bovines.

emke · #5 07/09/05, 10:24 PM

No clover in this pasture. When you drive over it it smells like sage. Is that sage brush??

These cows belong to a man who lives out of state. He doesn't really care for them. I think he has them more for the idea of owning cattle. There was one cow that was just terrible looking. She looked skinny and sick. We asked him what we could do about her. His reply was, "Oh well, some die, some do good."

We haven't seen her since July 3rd. When we told him he said he figured she would die and acted like it was no big deal. When we first started caring for these cows he talked about taking them to the sale and getting rid of them. Now he only wants to take one of his big bulls. We are trying to persuade him to get rid of the rest of the smaller bulls. There was a huge fight between what we call the mean bull and a small bull over a female. He just wants to get rid of the mean one. This bull really isn't mean anymore. He will stand at the side of the pickup and wait for me to toss it treats. I now have two cows eating out of my hand (from the safety of my truck). He will go into the corral, for us to be able to load onto the trailer, but the guy who hauls the cattle to the sale doesn't want to go down his rutted gravel road. We have to creep down it because of how deep the ruts and holes are.

I just feel so sorry for these cows. Nothing I can do about it, but give them a little care. Is there any type of worm meds that can be given with food? I might be able to slip it in on them. It would have to be good for PG cows, since most of them are in various stages of gestation, due to all the bulls running around. None have been castrated, but just left to grow and breed with anything that they can get. It is a total of 48, with all the bulls, cows, and calves.

Ronney · #6 07/10/05, 05:27 AM

I take my hat off to you for taking the time to care about these cattle but they are beginning to sound as though they are an animal welfare issue and should be reported to the relevant authority. The owner, along with his attitude, needs to be pulled up with a round turn to stop him continueing with his farming methods - or lack of them.

In the meantime, have a talk to your vet. I'm unaware of any worming product for cattle that can be mixed with food but a vet may be able to help. Also, with 48 cattle, it would be difficult to know that each and every one of them were treated and nor could the correct doseage for size be administered.
If these cattle can be yarded, the next easiest method is pour-on drench.

These cattle sound as though they need drenching urgently and no amount of food that you can chuck at them is going to improve their condition until the worm burden is disposed of, particularly in those carrying calves. Bear in mind that both the food and the drench are expensive with no benefit returning to you so you may want to look very hard at where you go from here.

Cheers,
Ronnie

longrider · #7 07/10/05, 12:45 PM

I worked part time on a cattle farm in LA (lower alabama) two years ago. I found out that half of all the bicarbonate produced in the US goes to cattle feed. Cows simple dont fair well with feed, given the nature of the cattle business most cattlemen dont care if a cow has an unpset stomach. Clover and kudzu can cause some serious bloating if not mixed with other grasses.

you may benefit from having a wildlife specialist come out and talk to you about the health of your land in addition to a Cow Doctor.

the guy i worked for is only interested in dollar signs and wont spend any money to replenish grasses or soil. he leases land, wears it out and then goes somewhere else and pushes the cattle growth along. i didnt like his methods at all. but then I have a lot to learn too.

pygmywombat · #8 07/10/05, 01:14 PM

Hmm. My calves manure (heifers and bulls) always is more compacted, almost like a loaf of bread, compared to my cows. My heifers manure became looser and more plop-like as she got older, but the steers manure was always loaf-like. Cow get's pasture, hay, and minimal grain. The calves got no grain and nursed until a year or older.

agmantoo · #9 07/10/05, 03:10 PM

There is a molasses block that contains a wormer but it is expensive to use. You would need the cattle owner to foot the bill. You can see one of the blocks here http://www.mytscstore.com/detail.asp...productID=2593

emke · #10 07/10/05, 11:35 PM

Thanks for the link agmantoo. I will see if DH will talk to the guy, since he is in town this week. Plus the man has now decided that since we can get the one "mean" bull into the corral and out the chute he wants to take a load of bulls to the sale. It is a start, I guess.

agmantoo · #11 07/11/05, 10:12 AM

Emke,
May I suggest that you submit that with your involvement with the absentee owner that "together" meaning you and your involvement that you could assist in upgrading the herd and that it could become more profitable and overall more valuable by selectively thinning the herd and employing some wormers and minerals? I have found that some people just do not have the "where all" to make good judgements and actually want help but are unwilling to ask. This may be the case with the owner! This could become a mutually beneficial effort. I manage an absentee owners farm that is adjacent to mine and I think he now would not want it any other way. His involvement is only financial at this time and he seems very happy with the arrangement to the point he sends unsolicitated appreciation gifts.