Should I give up on my son's heifer?

[Sambosu]

My wife and I are facing a difficult decision.  We own a heifer that my son shows and it used to do very well at shows until it fell at a show.  I mentioned on another post a couple months ago that I was going to try an animal chiropractor.  The chiropractor was awesome and the heifer was walking pretty much normal again.  We decided to take her to a show to see what the judge thought about her now that she seemed to be better. 

In an effort to minimize any soreness, we took the calf down a week early and kept it at the place we bought her.  On the day of the show we loaded her up and took her to show (only 8 miles away).  When I unloaded her at the show, I noticed she was walking funny (all hunched up).  She never loosened up while at the show.  The judge absolutely loved everything about her but couldn't use her as the champion or reserve champion maintainer because how she walked and I totally agreed with the judge.  He mentioned her two times during the breed champion drive and told people what he liked better about ours then the ones he picked.  I took her home and let her out with the cows due to frustration.  Guess what, the very next day, she no longer is walking funny. I am dumbfounded.

Short story long.....What would you do?  Would you give up on her and just let her be a cow? Keep showing her since she can be shown by children of all ages?  I will post a picture tomorrow just in case that would influence your decision. ??? ??? :-\ :-\

 

[AAOK]

We had a heifer that was habitually nervous, and never got used to a trailer ride.  She started something similar to yours, which I diagnosed as soreness from fighting the nerves.  I started giving her a half dozen Aspirin orally when we started fitting (about an hour before show time) and all was well.  I never stopped that procedure, and never had the problem again.  As I was told by my Orthopedist, plain Aspirin is the only pain reliever which reduces inflammation.

 

[Sambosu]

I never thought about Aspirin.  I thought about banomine (sp?) though.  Someone mentioned after the show that we should try accupuncture.

 

[savaged]

I would try the aspirin boluses, and also put a lot of straw for cushion in the trailer.  I would stay away from regular/ on-going  use of Banamine.

 

[AAOK]

I would try the aspirin boluses, and also put a lot of straw for cushion in the trailer.   I would stay away from regular/ on-going  use of Banamine.

I never messed with a bolus, just tossed em in and held the mouth shut for a few seconds.  Much easier and less noticeable at a Show.

 

[Steve123]

I used to do this with my show pigs. Just bake the aspirin in a pan of brownies and give each one a couple of squares before the show. They went nuts for them. I don't know what the equivalent for cattle would be. Maybe oats and molasses treats, like rice krispie treats.

 

[DL]

My wife and I are facing a difficult decision.  We own a heifer that my son shows and it used to do very well at shows until it fell at a show.  I mentioned on another post a couple months ago that I was going to try an animal chiropractor.  The chiropractor was awesome and the heifer was walking pretty much normal again.  We decided to take her to a show to see what the judge thought about her now that she seemed to be better. 

In an effort to minimize any soreness, we took the calf down a week early and kept it at the place we bought her.  On the day of the show we loaded her up and took her to show (only 8 miles away).  When I unloaded her at the show, I noticed she was walking funny (all hunched up).  She never loosened up while at the show.  The judge absolutely loved everything about her but couldn't use her as the champion or reserve champion maintainer because how she walked and I totally agreed with the judge.  He mentioned her two times during the breed champion drive and told people what he liked better about ours then the ones he picked.  I took her home and let her out with the cows due to frustration.  Guess what, the very next day, she no longer is walking funny. I am dumbfounded.

Short story long.....What would you do?  Would you give up on her and just let her be a cow? Keep showing her since she can be shown by children of all ages?  I will post a picture tomorrow just in case that would influence your decision. ??? ??? :-\ :-\

I don't remember the original post so I don't know exactly what the issue with the heifer is but I have questions
1) Where did the heifer fall? Did she fall getting out of the trailer?
2) After the heifer fell was she seen by a vet and given a diagnosis and prognosis? This goes to the if you don't know what is wrong it is hard to decide what to do?
3) If she has a diagnosis what did the vet tell you to do?
4) If the effects of the fall are over then either she becomes painful while traveling or she becomes fearful/anxious when on/in the trailer
(if she fell getting out of the trailer that bad experience could explain being fearful/anxious)
5) Mats and or straw in the trailer might help - also don't tie her
6) Aspirin is an anti inflammatory approved for use in cattle (grandfathered in) but AAOKs orthopedist in incorrect it is not the only pain reliever that reduces inflammation - if you think it is soreness from being on the trailer I would give her ASA before the trailer ride and I would give it by bolus gun - it tastes terrible and can irritate the mouth - besides there is nothing illegal about giving a cow aspirin

Long story short before I made a decision I would need a diagnosis - is her "walking funny" related to the fall or is it related to structure or is it something else. If you medicate her without knowing what is going on you are doing her a disservice

BTW good advise from savaged re routine use of Banamine and Steve123 not sure that aspirin remains stable with baking (in fact pretty sure heat inactivates it) but your pigs were happy with the brownies

 

[Sambosu]

DL, I will try to answer all your questions.

1. The heifer fell at a show. Just finished washing her.  When we turned down the isle where we were stalled, her back end slipped and fell to the ground.
2. I have had a vet look at her when he came to do a preg check.  When he saw her she was walking pretty good and didn't give me any advice.
3. See #2
4. She doesn't show signs of having major problems at home.  It just seems as though it flares up after she has been in a trailer. Night and day difference between home and after trailer.
5. The trailer has rubber mats and 4-6 inches of shavings.
6. What is ASA? Aspirin?

She had the smoothest stride until after the fall.  We noticed a difference immediately after the fall.  I will try to upload a video of her tonight.

 

[herfluvr]

I wonder if  she has a stifle injury or a sublaxation of her hips.  I am a horse girl but I see a lot of lameness in calves that is very similar to what we see in horses.  A stifle injury would cause an animal to not extend its stride and would make it short a choppy.  A sublaxation is basically a twist of the hip joint(sacroilliac) and causes the cartilage to tear and makes the hip unstable and also causes the animal to sort stride.    A sublaxation will cause the hip to heal itself but there will be a noticable lump over the hip and often a loss of muscle on one side of the hindquarter.  I would get her wet and stand her up square and look behind her.  Look forthe lump or the look of being not balanced.  If you see this we have found in horses the stride is never perfect again but it is a long heal process.  About 4-6 months and very iportant they dont slip again.
A stifle injury will look more peggish in her stride.  Like her toe is stabbing the dirt.
Vitamin E is always a good idea for any tissue injury.  Msm, condroitin, and glucosamine all promote good joint health. 
We like Cosequin and GLC 5500

 

[DL]

I wonder if  she has a stifle injury or a sublaxation of her hips.  I am a horse girl but I see a lot of lameness in calves that is very similar to what we see in horses.  A stifle injury would cause an animal to not extend its stride and would make it short a choppy.  A sublaxation is basically a twist of the hip joint(sacroilliac) and causes the cartilage to tear and makes the hip unstable and also causes the animal to sort stride.    A sublaxation will cause the hip to heal itself but there will be a noticable lump over the hip and often a loss of muscle on one side of the hindquarter.  I would get her wet and stand her up square and look behind her.  Look forthe lump or the look of being not balanced.  If you see this we have found in horses the stride is never perfect again but it is a long heal process.  About 4-6 months and very iportant they dont slip again.
A stifle injury will look more peggish in her stride.  Like her toe is stabbing the dirt.
Vitamin E is always a good idea for any tissue injury.  Msm, condroitin, and glucosamine all promote good joint health. 
We like Cosequin and GLC 5500

herfluyr - while any of those things are possible before spending a bunch of money on a bunch of stuff which may not work in ruminanats or perhaps should not be used in animals raised for food I think it is important to know exactly what is going on

sambosu - thanks for the clarification -  yes ASA is aspirin (sorry
any chance you can take the heifer to OSU and have her evaluated? They could determine if the issue is related to the fall or being in the trailer or both and make some recommendations - if they find no evidence of physical problem (by physical exam and perhaps xray or ultrasound) l then you might assume that she becomes sore or anxious in the trailer and muscles spasm / tense etc - giving ASA prior to the trailer ride could help

on another note you mention you are becoming frustrated - what does you son think?

 

[Sambosu]

DL, my son enjoys showing her.  She is great  because anyone can show her.  My daughter (starts showing next month) actually cried when we came back from the show because I didn't put her back in the show pen/pasture area (she stayed out in the large pasture area with the 1st time mothers).  I guess, the question I need to get answered is: Am I putting the heifer at any type of health risk by continuing to show her?  I don't want to do anything that could prevent her from being a good cow.

 

[DL]

DL, my son enjoys showing her.  She is great  because anyone can show her.  My daughter (starts showing next month) actually cried when we came back from the show because I didn't put her back in the show pen/pasture area (she stayed out in the large pasture area with the 1st time mothers).   I guess, the question I need to get answered is: Am I putting the heifer at any type of health risk by continuing to show her?  I don't want to do anything that could prevent her from being a good cow.

sent you a PM -

 

[OLD WORLD SHORTIE]

Save yourself the trouble and get a new heifer.