Need help on a steer that is scratching himself to death!

[Simmymom1]

Okay, my daughter's steer is about to drive me crazy.  This has been going on for a while but seems to really getting worse.  He is scratching and rubbing on everything he can in his pen.  He rubs his eyes and every part of his body he can.  What really bothers me is we are about a month out from our county show and he is so distracted by this rubbing and scratching, that it seems to be affecting his eating.

This calf was sprayed for lice back in December.  Do you think we should maybe spray him again.  It is really weird, his eyes even seem to get really red and they water up all of the time too.  Is it possible that cattle get allergies like we do?  We have a ton of Oak trees around our place and even my allergies are bothering me.  Would it help to give him to hit him up with an antihistamine shot?  I am at a loss here...I just know he is driving me crazy!!  He needs to be gaining a little more weight, not rubbing and scratching all of the time?  Any suggestions? 

Thanks - Lisa 

 

[skeeter20]

its lice,wash him often and use your lice product after you wash him with your conditioner. After a few times of this he will stop scratching.

 

[KCK]

Wouldn't hurt to toss on a conditioner, too. Always helps us, doesn't it Good luck!

 

[Simmymom1]

Thanks for the replies.  My daughter is going to wash him tonight and then we are going to spray him again for lice and his bedding too.  I am going to get her to start conditioning him a little more, even though we usually do that about once a week.  Now that I think about it, she really never puts any conditioner on his face, maybe she needs to start.

SOMETHING is really bothering him...and I think we have a good start here!  Thanks again.

 

[KCK]

We had vermin in an old barn by our showbarn. We had to spray and spray the cattle and the pens for a whole dang summer. Finally had to burn the old barn to get rid of the invested little critters. Been great ever since. Honestly, good luck. This does suck so close to showtime. Might put PVS pipe on things that can cause him to wear hair off, too.

 

[frostback]

I would wash him really well, then dip him with a heavy vinegar rinse, then put on a good leave in conditioner. Plus the lice treatment.

 

[CAB]

Quite a few PPL will line their calves run pens with a hot wire so that they can't rub on anything. My guess is also that it may be lice, but it is also the time of year when they naturally want to rub out their winter hair coat.