Steer with loose manure

[dutch pride]

One of our steers was a little loose when we picked him up at the breeder but he had just been on feed for a little while so we were not concerned. It has been about a month since he has been home and he has still not firmed up. He is growing well and is healthy but make a mess of himself and his pen mates. The others we have on the same feed do not seem to have this problem. He gets a a grain mix that is about half cracked corn with oats, soy hulls, corn gluten feed, bean meal and molasses. Also a slab of grass hay a day. Any suggestions on how to firm him up? we do not have a heated room to wash him in and it is getting colder up here in MI.

Thanks for any ideas.

DLZ

 

[Show Heifer]

Try adding more grass hay to his diet....also might check for coccidea. It is a parasite that is similiar to worms, but you have to use another drug (A sulfa based drug) to get rid of them. They cause dark, runny manure. Your vet can run a fecal to see if that is the problem. If not, add some hay or straw and see if that helps.
Good luck!

 

[frostback]

I would get him some sulfa boluses and then in about 3 day probias him. I use penicillin for stuff like that too but if it is a show calf I try to stay away from shots. You could just try the probias too.