Beef calf leg issue

[jhwis]

Got a little Angus bull calf five days old. He mostly walks on his left front knee (not ankle) He doesn't want to put much pressure on it. He drinks well and follows mom around, but limps quite badly. Tendon laxity or something it's called. Anyway, just wondering any experiences on such issue. What is he gonna look like in a month or two?

 

[495man]

Did you have Vet check him? I have no experience with the exact issue, I'd be tempted to let him be and see what happens.

 

[jhwis]

Did you have Vet check him? I have no experience with the exact issue, I'd be tempted to let him be and see what happens.

No on a vet. Pretty sure I'll leave him be. Just wondering what others have uncountered.

 

[caterpillar guy]

Can you straighten it by hand with out a lot of pressure on it. If so you might be able to use an elastic of some kind to pull on the leg as he walks to help support it and work it into place as he walks. Like tape a stick to the leg above the knee and then elastic to the bottom end by the hoof or a brace type thing ont he back with the elastic pulling back to the brace from the knee area. Just thinking. Dad used to use old corsets with a plywood piece sewn in for calf hernias get it on the calf then work the guts back through the hole tie the corset to the front and rear legs and leave it one for a few weeks solved the problem for several calves. Bulls or heifers. Bulls were a bit more effort due to the urine location. Don't rememebr what the solution was for that. Mostly had heifers with the problem.

 

[mtf]

You need to put some splints on the side of the leg and wrap them up with the material like an ace bandage. It needs to flex some, but it needs to straighten that tendon, or he will always walk on his ankle. We have done this many times with the herefords.

As soon as he is walking good, take off the splint so it doesn't chaff his leg. I have seen Dr. Pol use the strips from a bushel basket.

 

[Not db4600]

Got a little Angus bull calf five days old. He mostly walks on his left front knee (not ankle) He doesn't want to put much pressure on it. He drinks well and follows mom around, but limps quite badly. Tendon laxity or something it's called. Anyway, just wondering any experiences on such issue. What is he gonna look like in a month or two?

The nature of a farmer is to nurture a needing animal. It’s in his best interest as a farmer and businessman.
Right now with calf markets demanding $1,000 - $1,300 it’s in the best interest.
Good luck.

 

[Scott Farm]

I have cut a piece of 2” pvc longways. Wrap the leg with a small towel and place the pvc over it and wrap it up with a roll of vet wrap. I have done this several times and it works great.

 

[rrlund]

I have cut a piece of 2” pvc longways. Wrap the leg with a small towel and place the pvc over it and wrap it up with a roll of vet wrap. I have done this several times and it works great.

I saw Doc Pol do that one time with a Colt.

 

[JWinIndiana]

I saw Doc Pol do that one time with a Colt.

Bet you never saw him have to do that to a Smith and Wesson.

 

[jhwis]

Here's a follow up on this calf from the spring. It's a good follow up. A few weeks after I posted this, the calf all of a sudden started to walk better and more normally more often. He would still walk on that front knee, but less and less. Then one day I noticed he was walking normally and that was it. He figured it out. I never splinted it or anything. I can't explain it. I never had seen anything like it. Sometimes it works out i guess.

 

[Janicholson]

Thanks for the update and good outcome. Nature has a solution hiding one way, or the other. Jim

 

[hoghollow]

Have simiular story only calf was 3 weeks old injured itself right front leg would not put any weight on it. Made it so he could lay in barn by himself and come out when he wanted to. He came out to nurse on his mother etc. He limped around for a month or better than slowly started walking on it a little better every day. Now you would not know he ever had an issue.
sometimes leaving them alone and giving it time works out sometimes not.

 

[SweetFeet]

Here's a follow up on this calf from the spring. It's a good follow up. A few weeks after I posted this, the calf all of a sudden started to walk better and more normally more often. He would still walk on that front knee, but less and less. Then one day I noticed he was walking normally and that was it. He figured it out. I never splinted it or anything. I can't explain it. I never had seen anything like it. Sometimes it works out i guess.

That's a good news update for sure.

 

[rrman61]

That's a good news update for sure.

For future reference:had a lower leg injury on a horse once.we wrapped it with vetwrap but he wouldn’t let it heal without biting at it causing it to reopen the wound.my wife used an old pair of jeans with one leg inside the other.she ran a soft rope over his back to hold the jeans up.sounds funny I know but it was the only thing that worked.kinda looked like a horse with overalls

 

[da.bees]

I have cut a piece of 2” pvc longways. Wrap the leg with a small towel and place the pvc over it and wrap it up with a roll of vet wrap. I have done this several times and it works great.

Hard luck must follow you like a shadow, I've haven't even seen one calf with this problem in my life.

 

[dcarp]

Here's a follow up on this calf from the spring. It's a good follow up. A few weeks after I posted this, the calf all of a sudden started to walk better and more normally more often. He would still walk on that front knee, but less and less. Then one day I noticed he was walking normally and that was it. He figured it out. I never splinted it or anything. I can't explain it. I never had seen anything like it. Sometimes it works out i guess.

Had one like that this spring. Had him checked at vet. The vet gave us a mixture of antibiotics, steroid & minerals, called it dummy calf shot. We gave him 1 shot a day for 3 days. Was walking gingerly on the leg the 4th day. After 2 1/2 weeks he was fine.
Glad yours came out fine also.

 

[miner09]

I cut a pvc pipe and cut in half. Sand down edges so don’t do damage to skin. I use old sheet around legs then put pipe around legs and duck tape. Keep on for several days. I’ve used the same pieces several times on different calf’s.