Help on stillborns needed please

[PowersCattle]

thank you very much, that definitly makes sense

 

[DL]

Powers - talk to your vet about a vaccination schedule - the appropriate vaccines depend upon area of the country, what you do with your cattle (is show, co mingle with other herds etc) and previous disease you have had to deal with....my adult cows annually get....

CattleMaster Gold PF 5L5 (that covers the generic IBR, PI3, BRSV, BVD, lepto)
Spirovac (Lepto hardjo bovis)
Imrab (rabies)
Vision 7 or ALpha 7 (clostridial diseases)

But my herd is closed - if you move cattle in and out you might want to get more aggressive with the respiratory vaccines. If you have issues with scours you might add the scour vaccine, use a herd bull might add the vibrio vaccine, have pinkeye problems the pink eye vaccine etc

The best thing you can do now IMHO is take that calf to OSU for a full necropsy - if you have a herd problem it would be good to know what it is (and isn't) before you have other issues. I think if you google testing for mycotoxins you will find where it can be done - OSU might do it or they might ship it out for you - if you take the calf take samples of feed as well as the placenta (if you can find it) - good luck

 

[simtal]

We were told that the cornstalks would not have a effect on cows, and that the distillers grain was clean.  

Your cornstalks can have effects on cows. I would sample your stalks and send samples off to Romer labs in MO. They test for mycotoxins.  

The bugs in the rumen never get a chance to adapt to a constant feed source the way that you are alternating feedstuffs.

Alternating between these feeds would have little effect on rumen microbial population. Now if you were feeding corn instead of DDGS, that would be another story.

 

[CAB]

Hope thing are going better for you. Have you gotten a prognosis on your problem yet? Just curious. Brent

 

[jbw]

The sulfur should not be a problem at all at only 4.5 lbs.  You USUALLY will not get in trouble with sulfur, unless they back flus and put syrup with the distillers grains, Usually the problems occur when feeding alot of syrup that has high levels of sulfer.

I don't understand the reasoning of a protien tub, hay and ddg should be plenty of protien.  I would have a mineral balanced for feeding ddg's in place. You don't need any Phos added to your ration, but need your Calcium ratio balanced. 

If the cow that aborted looks bad and the rest don't you could have individual problems.

Consistancy in your feedstuffs is VERY important in cattle feed, once there guts are used to it stay with it. [if it is working].

 

[PowersCattle]

I talked to my feed nutrionilist, and he said to stop the DDG's and feed straight hay with tubs for now.  The vet came and checked the sick cow, and found nothing so we threw a magnet down her.  He did not think the cows looked as bad as I thought they did.  Good news is we since have 4 others that are healthy.  I will just have to see if they turn around, maybe it was the DDG's. Thanks for all you're help, I will keep you posted.

 

[oakbar]

I'm just curious.  You mentioned you were feeding sweet corn silage and I started thinking that sometimes different pesticides are used on sweet corn than on field corn and at later stages of maturity.  Do you know the history of pesticide use on the sweet corn?  Could you possibly get any tests done?  It may not be the cause of your troubles but it sure seems like it would be a more direct possibility than some of the others mentioned and it would sure be nice to rule it out as a possibility.

Good luck!!  I hope things are getting better for you by now!!

Oakbar

 

[jbw]

JLR,

Have you found the problem? 


Powers,
  Are you feeding 4.5 lbs of wet, or dry DDG's? 

 

[PowersCattle]

DRY

 

[JLR]

Sorry to have went missing. I've just been very busy with school and our family has been passing around the same upper respiratory virus the past two weeks We have yet to figure out our problem. To add another piece to the puzzle the same seems to be occurring with our sheep as they have began to lamb. Same symptoms as the cattle. Stillborn lambs born at approx. due date to ewes that didn't act like they were going to lamb and oddly don't seem to care that they lost their lambs. They consume entirely different feed than the cattle. Everything they eat comes from a mill in town that observes very strict testing of commodities. Another possible piece could be reduced fertility with my purebred dogs as well. In the past 6 mos, One failed to ovulate completely. Another did not conceive on her most recent season or her last, despite progesterone testing, evaluation of the semen and a surgical AI. Yet another had a litter of two this October when I would expect 8-10 based on her genetics and past history. All are healthy, very well maintained, eat an organic diet, and have pristine reproductive histories. The only common link amongst any of these animals is water and we are still awaiting testing.

Any one have any experience with well water that could cause issues such as these?

Thank you for everyone's concern and input thus far and in advance for any ideas you may have to offer.

 

[hamburgman]

We vaccinate our sheep with a clostridial disease I believe, because a neighbor had similar problems to what you are having.  I can look at the medicine tomorrow if you wish.  I am going to have to agree with DL now, he had a suggestion for clostridial and I believe he is on the right track.

 

[DL]

There are a number of infectious diseases that can cause abortion in both sheep and cattle -don't dismiss infectious diseases because you vaccinate or nothing was found on the previous exam -  if you have not submitted an aborted fetus for a complete necrospy at a state or university laboratory I would suggest that you do that...sorry for the bad season you are having

 

[ELBEE]

Sorry to have went missing. I've just been very busy with school and our family has been passing around the same upper respiratory virus the past two weeks We have yet to figure out our problem. To add another piece to the puzzle the same seems to be occurring with our sheep as they have began to lamb. Same symptoms as the cattle. Stillborn lambs born at approx. due date to ewes that didn't act like they were going to lamb and oddly don't seem to care that they lost their lambs. They consume entirely different feed than the cattle. Everything they eat comes from a mill in town that observes very strict testing of commodities. Another possible piece could be reduced fertility with my purebred dogs as well. In the past 6 mos, One failed to ovulate completely. Another did not conceive on her most recent season or her last, despite progesterone testing, evaluation of the semen and a surgical AI. Yet another had a litter of two this October when I would expect 8-10 based on her genetics and past history. All are healthy, very well maintained, eat an organic diet, and have pristine reproductive histories. The only common link amongst any of these animals is water and we are still awaiting testing.

Any one have any experience with well water that could cause issues such as these?

Thank you for everyone's concern and input thus far and in advance for any ideas you may have to offer.

Nitrates!

Saw this about 20 years ago from the well on my Uncles family farm. Dairy, beef, and hogs and it put him out of business.

Also have seen abortions from Urea Plasma, and witnessed heavy losses from moldy hay. Any kind of sorghum\corn stover is prone to mold.