Keeping calves healthy at shows

[mandi_a97]

I took both of my steers up to Heart of it All in Lima, Ohio over the weekend. We arrived Saturday and got home Sunday night. Both calves have been acting perfectly fine after the show until today. I noticed my one steer didn't finish his feed and when I fed him tonight after cleaning out the pan he didn't seem interested. So I took his temperature and sure enough he has a fever of 104.5 F.
Of course I plan on calling the vet first thing in the morning to come out and find out what's wrong but my dad is mad saying that this is what happens when you take calves to big shows. What tips do yall have for preventing calves from getting sick at shows? I want to continue showing in Ohio BEST shows but I also don't want my calves to get sick because of it. Anything helpful that I should know?
Thanks!

 

[cowman 52]

One of the main causes of sickness you describe is over feeding, over watering, over doing about anything.  Activity level goes down at a show, so the feed requirement is not as great,  he over eats and all of a sudden calf don't feel so hot.  You get home and want to get back to full feed and guts just not ready.  104 not too bad on temp,  could he have got some strange feed off the ground,  a touch of odd hay,  parked in traffic and inhaled exhaust fumes.  The shows ain't the problem,  it's something he got into at the show. Forget the feed, maybe a cow aspirin, and bet by tomorrow things will be better.

 

[Jive Turkey]

Remember, the normal temperature for a bovine is 101.5 not 98.6.

 

[shortybreeder]

Mine went through the same thing after the NAILE bit also had a lot of runny noses, so we gave then some terramycin (?) pellets, and about a week later they were back to normal. These were fully vaccinated calves too, so make sure your show stock is fully vaccinated and boostered before going to really any show.

 

[Chuck Wagon]

It's a good idea to hit some jackpot shows at least once or twice a month to get the cattle adjusted to trailers, showing, getting tied up and all.  It probably builds their immune system a little bit.  I usually give them some Probios before and after a trailer haul to keep the rumen healthy.  You do have to keep it cool though or all the good microbes die off in the heat.

 

[mandi_a97]

One of the main causes of sickness you describe is over feeding, over watering, over doing about anything.  Activity level goes down at a show, so the feed requirement is not as great,  he over eats and all of a sudden calf don't feel so hot.  You get home and want to get back to full feed and guts just not ready.  104 not too bad on temp,  could he have got some strange feed off the ground,  a touch of odd hay,  parked in traffic and inhaled exhaust fumes.  The shows ain't the problem,  it's something he got into at the show. Forget the feed, maybe a cow aspirin, and bet by tomorrow things will be better.

That makes sense but I have a one more question, wouldn't he have gone off feed immediately after the show instead of 4 days later?

 

[dimebag]

I've found that using SureChamp keeps our calves healthy and on feed , so you may give that a try also .

 

[cowman 52]

Worst thing in the world is a cow with a full belly, on a trailer and a bouncing ride home.  Gets home hungry, eats, and then digestive system is full and then some.  Takes a while to empty out and get going again.  Best thing to remember about feeding, in a time of stress, 1/2 feed  is always better than full feed.