limping cow

[mikecoen]

4 year old cow, pregnant, limping on right front. I don't see anything like a rock stuck in the pad. There is no swelling like if it was foot rot infection. Hooves have never been trimmed and they are on pasture that is not rocky. This is the third day that I am watching this. She is eating normally but laying down more than usual. Her buddy, her daughter, a first calf heifer is in the same living conditions and is just fine. What would you suggest I do to investigate further.

 

[WildRoseBeef]

Could be something wrong above the foot, like a leg injury or something. Sprain, cracked bone, anything like that. It doesn't have to be the foot itself that will make a cow limp, the leg will do it too.

Any gopher holes in your pastures, by any chance? Or anything similar that can get her leg caught up in and cause a sprain or something? We had a steer that got around on three legs b/c he busted his lower leg somehow or other, no holes in the pasture, probably got it from scrapping with other steers or something because when we separated him he was getting picked on pretty bad. I doubt that's the case with your cow but anything's possible...

 

[jhm47]

Spent most of yesterday AM getting one of my cows into the corral and treated for foot rot. It was in the early stages, and the foot didn't show much sign of swelling yet, but I feel it's important to treat them early. Gave her 50 cc's of LA200 SQ. Will check on her this AM to see how she's doing.

 

[Cricket]

I don't know if beef get the same thing, but check for raspberries and hairy warts. But if she wasn't limping one day and the next was, I'd agree with possible injury. At work, we've had cows pick up a small stone and have it grow in to the hoof so that there wasn't anything to see until you trimmed it.

 

[mikecoen]

broken claw is the diagnosis, now that it is obvious. she broke the outside of both right and left front claws because they have not been trimmed. I would guess her two "toes" crossed a bit and her weight broke an inch of the tip of the outside "toe". She's better, not so tender now, and we are looking into ways to get the trimming done here in northern colorado. Hard to treat right now without stressing the pregnant cow, giving her a shot to calm her or putting her into a squeeze chute with the capability of laying her over to work on the hooves or hauling her to a facility with the right equipment.:/

 

[Cricket]

Thanks for the update! My farrier (who went to ag school for dairy management) said he used to put his steer's hooves on a piece of board and use a wood chisel to knock the tips off if they started to grow too long. (Haven't tried it myself, but for what it's worth!).

 

[mikecoen]

For anyone still reading this thread, I thought I'd give an update. The tips of each claw on eachfront foot cracked and eventually broke off. At a certain point in the process the cow had pain when stepping on that foot. At times, both feet were sore to some degree. I couldn't get anyone to come to our place and since the cow is pregnant, I didn't want to stress her by hauling her off to the vet clinic at CSU. In time, she shed all four tips a full inch back from the tip end and they are worn smooth and round and she has no problems. I will get botyh of my cows in for a hoof trim once they calve or when they wean or when it is a problem, whatever seems best. This cow and her first calf who is also pregnant are due Christmas Eve and are pretty healthy looking heading into winter. I grew enough corn to give them homemade ensilage all winter (a 5 gallon bucket for the pair per day) plus 4 pounds each of 15% protein supplement pellets and some rather cheap hay. I am hoping to find another ton of hay to make it to spring.

 

[Cricket]

Thanks for the update. It will be interesting to see if on your pasture they'll even need trimming. We've had dairy cows where I work that had cracked peeling hooves from health problems months before that eventually grew out.

 

[dcmercedes]

Just found this thread - I am also from Berthoud and wondering if you found a bovine hoof trimmer in the area that would come to you place, or do you have to take your cow to CSU?