Calf Rolling Rear Pasterns

[johndeereman]

Walked out to find a new calf this morning.  Everything seemed fine till I went to get it up.  She rolls her rear pasterns out when she walks and does not seem to be able to straighten them out.  She seems alright out of her hock and hip and gets up fine and moves ok despite this problem.  Otherwise, she seems to be a healthy 85 lb newborn calf.  I have never seen this before and wondered if anyone else had?  Could it be some sort of deficiency?

Thanks for the replies

 

[knabe]

Pretty common in many show cattle of many different breeds.

 

[johndeereman]

Is there anything that can be done for it?  Will she come out of it?  It seems to be pretty abnormal in the fact she is almost walking on her pastern.

 

[knabe]

Is there anything that can be done for it?  Will she come out of it?  It seems to be pretty abnormal in the fact she is almost walking on her pastern.

Post a pic and maybe dl will comment.

 

[Telos]

What is the pedigree? Is it on both or just one (right or left) leg?

 

[steer711]

give em a shot of selineum

 

[johndeereman]

Both legs.  Milkman on a crossbred cow, will try to get pictures tommorrow.

 

[RidinHeifer]

I am gonna say you have a set of contracted tendons. They dont sound too bad compared to some.  You will have to get that kid up and make sure it walks around everyday the more the better! Even if you have to help it get around by holding it up you have to do it or they will never get better. From my experience drugs never really help contracted tendons just time and work. Once you know it is getting up and walking on It's own make sure it has plenty of room to walk around. The exercise really is key for these guys. If it never gets good enough to be a show calf or a momma cow, the feeders are through the roof right now so you won't be losing much at this price!...just a grand or more if you don't try!

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

give em a shot of selineum

I will second that! Every once in a while we will get a calf like that, usually a big calf that the momma carried a bit too long. The shot and a bit of patience often does the trick.

 

[Pleasant Grove Farms]

stretch and straighten the affected legs....rub those tendons and pull that leg to straighten them; this always happens to BIG babies; I always thought it was cause they get so crowded in the cow before birth that there is no room to stretch their legs like they need to and so the tendon stays contracted too long and wants to stay that way after birth; kinda like once in a while one is born with an ear that was obviously bent the wrong way in the womb....looks funny cause then it is bent the wrong way after birth too but eventually straightens out.

 

[rcx]

It is most likely laxity of the extensor tendons rather than contracture of the flexor tendons.  A true contracture will be present in a non-weight bearing posture which as described did not seem to be the case.  A suggested course of action is benign neglect, Mother nature/Father time.  The condition will most likely  resolve spontaneously.

 

[Pleasant Grove Farms]

I have seen this a quite a few times and I would call it a true contracture....
when the baby is laying down, the hooves are bent backwards up towards the hocks, a fetal position; when the baby is so packed into the cow with no room to move and flex those joints, they become contracted over time; but with stretching and exercise, I have never had one that didn't come out of it.

 

[johndeereman]

Here's a picture. 

 

[hardenblu2]

I found an article in a short horn magazine requesting you contact Dr. Beever at the U of I or some one at the U of Neb.  I have a Jake's Proud Jazz calf with one hoof doing the same thing, ( the hoof turns inward not forward or backward like it does when it is a tendon)  They are leaning towards it being a genetic problem within the short horn breed and they are requesting blood, tissue and ex-rays. I have the 8th confirmed case in the last two years. It is a deformed bone between the pastern and hoof.

 

[Telos]

I too think this is a genetic issue. I don't know if this is only within Shorthorns.

 

[rarebirdz]

Telos could be right id contact the lab involved in similar research and send blood

 

[jaimiediamond]

This looks similar to some pictures of a suspected defect that has yet to be confirmed, I would recommend sending the pictures, pedigree and hair samples with follicles to Dr. Beaver.

 

[DL]

check your PMs

 

[DL]

If you check the post "potential genetic defects in Shorthorn calves" you will see (generic you) in both the CT scan and the XR that that the bones are normal but they are not aligned properly - this appears to be a much more subtle case of digital subluxation that the calf we posted earlier - this abnormality is interesting and much like fawn calf in Angus - some calves are crippled and unable to stand at birth - others appear fine except for a subtle twist below the hock

From all the evidence we have to date this is a genetic defect - hopefully we will find the mutation soon - samples have started to come in so it is just a matter of time

thanks for posting johdeereman

anybody who hasn't seen the 3D CT scan of a severely affect calf - check it out
http://www.steerplanet.com/bb/index.php?topic=35313.315

 

[DL]

I found an article in a short horn magazine requesting you contact Dr. Beever at the U of I or some one at the U of Neb.  I have a Jake's Proud Jazz calf with one hoof doing the same thing, ( the hoof turns inward not forward or backward like it does when it is a tendon)  They are leaning towards it being a genetic problem within the short horn breed and they are requesting blood, tissue and ex-rays. I have the 8th confirmed case in the last two years. It is a deformed bone between the pastern and hoof.

hardenblu2 - Are you saying the 8th confirmed case by the ASA? Did you submit samples to Dr B from the calf and the dam???