Yearling heifer problem

[OKshorthorn]

Ok, we have a problem with one of our calves, obviously the best one we have ever raised in my opinion, that's just how it goes. A little background on her. She is purebred shortie out of Fringe and a 10 year old cow out of CLV Braveheart who is out of Double Stuff. The dam is a big cow and has never had any structural issues.

The heifer was born in Sept of last year, during the reminence of a tropical storm that came up from the gulf. We checked her around midnight the first night and her mom had moved her and she was laying in about 4 inches of water. We got her dried off and she made it through the night, but she ended up with a pretty bad umbilical cord infection that took us a week to get over. She recovered fine and went on to win her class at several shows. This past summer was brutal, and she was pinned under fans every day, only able to walk around at night. She puts on weight very well and actually got a little heavy. I noticed she started looking a little bowlegged, I only saw her about once a month, and by that time it started cooling off and she was able to get out and walk more which seemed to correct that problem altogether.

She came in heat about 3 weeks ago and we got her AI'd, since then she has progressively gotten really poor on her real wheels. She really is short striding by about 4-6 inches, and when she comes to a stop, she will rock back and forth on her rear legs.

I don't know what to think about it. I fear that she has just got post legged for some reason and that's that. I also think that maybe she was injured when she came in heat and was getting rode by a cow. Or possibly this is a byproduct of the umbilical cord infection which could have gone to her joints.

I'm sorry for the long post and the detail, just wanted you all to know everything as to maybe give some insight as to what may be causing this.

 

[kfacres]

What is her mineral program? 

Sounds like something I would give a shot of Se to. 

Is her attitude right? 

 

[nkotb]

We are usually dry enough to not worry about it, but what about something like footrot?  I would consider having her feet trimmed also.

 

[frostback]

Is she standing with her head down and leaning forward? It could be Spastic Paresis, a mild case but it could be with Double Stuff in there twice.

 

[OKshorthorn]

Her attitude is great, she acts like fine, just seems like it hurts her to walk. I have looked for footrot and that isn't the case. She stands normal and holds herself together well everywhere but with her rear legs.

 

[sue]

Is she standing with her head down and leaning forward? It could be Spastic Paresis, a mild case but it could be with Double Stuff in there twice.

That is what I was thinking ? 

 

[jaimiediamond]

Would you be able to put up a picture or a video?

 

[twistedhshowstock]

If she was walking poor before and you thought it was a structure issue, then she started getting more excercise and it got better you thought, now she is having issues again, and you said that you feared she just got post legged and that was that.  Then I would say that without seeing her, my gut is telling me it is a structure issue.  I dont deal with just a ton of Shorts but from what I have seen and knew pedigrees on I have seen a lot of Double Stuff prodginey that wanted to get a little straight.
Mild structure issues can be confounded by lack of excersise, so that could be why you noticed it more in the summer when she wasnt getting more excercise.  You said she actually got a little heavy at one point, that could add to it to. Cattle typically get heavier in winter and that cold affects them to, which could make structure issues and straight joints express themselves. And there is a chance that if she had a structure issue, then the cow riding her could have made it worse.
Again its hard to say without seeing a pic or video, but when I read your post first thing in my mind was structure problem.

 

[OKshorthorn]

Thanks guys for your input. I will try to get a video of her, but it will be a few days before I am able too.

While I agree with you twisted, it sure seems to me like it is a structure issue, it is odd that she has never shown signs of this extreme prior to this summer. I know the added weight and age will bring these sort of problems out, but while she was showing as a 4, 5, 6, and 7 month old, she would get complimented on her ability to reach out and stride and her structural correctness. That being said, I always feared she was a little straight, guess I should know better than to trust a judges opinion!!! Everyone that would come by and see her, some that I really trusted their opinion, would say that she was just lazy or that i'm just seeing things and being paranoid (we had some people interested in buying her for way more than I would have imagined pricing her at.) I even took her to a chiropractor when she was about 4 months old, he said that she had a couple things out of whack but that he got her corrected, said it was probably an injury from playing with another calf or getting stepped on. Her mom has no strucural issues whatsoever, and Fringe is supposedly as sound as they come (that coming from the owner, I have never personally seen the bull)

Dangit, i'm basically talking myself into what I had already feared. I guess I was just holding out hope that someone had a similar issue and just gave them a little shot here and a supplement there and boom, good as new.

I will post a video that I took of her as a calf walking and see if you guys can see anything from it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vhapCJJhg8&feature=youtu.be

 

[kfacres]

She walks like a Visionary heifer we have...  Straight and posty..  Our Visionary heifer was loaned out to show, and they also foundered her. It took us several months, almost a year to get her feet straightened out...

I see very few steps in that video where she hits her track.. and even less where she flexs her hock... 

I'm not sure where you are, but the cold, and frozen ground (especially) are very hard on straight legged cattle...

As of Fringe...  I wouldn't say something bred 'clubby', is as sound as they come... sounds like promotion material to me...  I've never seen the bull, but seen plenty of progeny from him...  Most of which I would say are really stout powerhouse type females...

 

[OKshorthorn]

She walks like a Visionary heifer we have...  Straight and posty..  Our Visionary heifer was loaned out to show, and they also foundered her. It took us several months, almost a year to get her feet straightened out...

I see very few steps in that video where she hits her track.. and even less where she flexs her hock... 

I'm not sure where you are, but the cold, and frozen ground (especially) are very hard on straight legged cattle...

As of Fringe...  I wouldn't say something bred 'clubby', is as sound as they come... sounds like promotion material to me...  I've never seen the bull, but seen plenty of progeny from him...  Most of which I would say are really stout powerhouse type females...

Thanks Jody, what did you do with your heifer that over time she somewhat came out of it? Is there anything that I can do for her?

 

[kfacres]

She walks like a Visionary heifer we have...  Straight and posty..  Our Visionary heifer was loaned out to show, and they also foundered her. It took us several months, almost a year to get her feet straightened out...

I see very few steps in that video where she hits her track.. and even less where she flexs her hock... 

I'm not sure where you are, but the cold, and frozen ground (especially) are very hard on straight legged cattle...

As of Fringe...  I wouldn't say something bred 'clubby', is as sound as they come... sounds like promotion material to me...  I've never seen the bull, but seen plenty of progeny from him...  Most of which I would say are really stout powerhouse type females...

Thanks Jody, what did you do with your heifer that over time she somewhat came out of it? Is there anything that I can do for her?

we kept her feet trimmed about once a month (did it myself), bred her, and turned her into a cow...  She's a miserable looking beast- still straight legged, skinny, and never did really grow... but I tell you she's produced our number 1 heifer calf each of the last two years- and she's currently bred for her third calf.  My parents absoultely hate her, and are wanting to ship her just cuz she looks so miserable... but I keep reminding them of what she's produced the last 2 years...  I kept her, and had faith in her, mainly of what her mother is, was, and had done for us.  She was the only daughter of that old good cow.  I don't have a picture of her, or her daughters with me today, but I'll see if I can PM you some photos of her and the calves over time tommorrow...  The hard freeze takes its tole on her- as she'll be the last one up to the bunk... but I try to compensate her with a little extra TLC.