Doctorin Cattle

[Dee]

Well DG, this is another one of those things we do ourselves. This is a hematoma I likely take care of with a pocket knife a a little penicillin. You find stuff like this when you're feeding and checking cattle.
Likely she was kicked by another cow, or maybe in a fight, or a tree limb. You drain'em and keep an eye on'em for a few days

[Ranger99]

Whew !
Lordy, you brought up something worse
than burning hair brand stink

Those with the cottage cheese looking
mess smell the worst of all   
The strawberry milkshake mess is
a bad visual   

Good Luck with it
Don't forget a face shield or some
safety glasses or something if it's
swelled tight. Maybe some rain
pants too

[darkgael]

Dee: I much appreciate the post. I am continually impressed (amazed even) with how much practical knowledge and work is involved in the raising of cattle. You had written earlier that you had 330 head. How often do you run in to a problem like the one described? Is finding these problems a matter of chance or is there a process that enables you to stay atop health issues like this? How much help do you have?
A neighbor of mine in PA kept a half dozen dairy cows. Those few required considerable attention and they are only a fraction of what you refer to.
A busy life as I see it.

[Dee]

I am only running 40+ head, and certain times of the year,  might have 70+ head. I  helped a neighbor process 330 new bred heifers. I am managing a fairly small cow/calf operation there are ranches around me that are not only famous, but enormous by comparison.

I check cattle daily and am always looking for out of the ordinary behavior, injuries ect.

Last year I had a bull that had learned he could walk through barbed wire fences and kept getting into the cow pastures. Not good. I let him in with the herd from mid April to mid August. That way, all the cows calve between mid February, and May.

Day before yesterday I saw a cow in the distance standing all by herself. She was alone and wasn't grazing. I was pretty sure I knew why, so drove as close as I could get,  then got out and walked. Sure enough, she had calved that night, and was with her new baby. Hope he makes it through the winter.

As far as help, I don't have any. Ranchers occasionally help each other certain times of the year.

[ironglow]

  Here in areas where there is more moisture, that calls for a different type problem..  As a teenager on our dairy farm, I was often faced with our cows
  gettig an infection between the toes, from hanging around in wet areas .

Generally, if not to far advanced, a suitable sized rope coated with pine tar and drawn several times through the crack between the toes..took care of it.