My TM Gus Calf (and my bonehead mistake)

[savaged]

I've been looking forward to this calf for months, and then she comes breech and I break her leg with the calf puller.  Of course, she is thick and nice, out of my Double Stuff heifer.

If anybody can offer hope on this one I'd feel better.  Complete fracture just above the ankle.  Vet says if we can keep it stable for two weeks it will fuse and at least be functional, it not perfectly aligned. 

 

[red]

ouch! That had to hurt both you & the calf. Hope it turns out well for you!
Looks like a dandy.

Red

 

[old timer]

I had same thing a year or two ago.  The hock locked up and she was a complete loss (plus a couple hundred in vet bills).  I would recomend not letting the cast go above the hock any longer than possible. 

 

[clubcalve]

To bad but another good calf out of Gus. Good luck

 

[LT]

Wow, sorry for the way things came out.  Nothing can be worse than expectations of a calf and have a mishap like that.  Hope it all works out.  We all can feel for you!

 

[DL]

I do not know where you are or if your vet x-rayed the calf or made the diagnosis by palpation - which is actually a pretty easy thing to diagnose by palpation - I am assuming you are talking about the fetlock joint - so btwn the fetlock and hock? is it in the long part of the bone or near the joint?

Calves have a remarkable ability to heal bones - if you think this calf has the potential to be "valuable" take her to the nearest University - have the bone x-rayed to check it's alignment - if it is in the middle of the bone the prognosis for full normal function is very good. If it is near the joint, near the growth plate the prognosis for healing and walking is good but the leg may not be "perfect" show leg - good luck

 

[linnettejane]

poor thing...

 

[CM Cattle]

:'(Hope everythingl works out.

 

[stumpy]

If you contact me I will be happy to GIVE you another unit of Gus to try again for next year. I hate the bum luck deals. The calf looks good from what I can tell. I know a Vet that is almost a wizard for fixing crazey problems and freak injurys. Please give me a call and I will try to get you in touch with them. My cell number is 620-282-8463, my voice mail is not working so just keep trying. I hope for the best.

 

[OH Breeder]

You would be surprised how cheap Ohio State is. you all are not that far from OSU. Like DL said, if this little gal has a future take her to OSU. Have your vet call for a referral or you can call the animal hospital. It is not expensive at all. I had one there for 4 days with a hoof injury. They did x-rays etc dressings and the bill was under 300. I think it is worth a call. feel free to PM if you need some more info.
Shawn

 

[justintime]

Good luck with your calf. I have had similar things happen. Two nights ago, I had a cow calve a beautiful heifer calf. When I went out three hours later, I noticed the calf's front leg looked strange so I checked it and found that it was broken below the knee. The cow must have stepped on her accidently. I had to put her down as it was so severely broken that it has cut the circulation off to the leg so it had no chance of ever healing. That really hurt as she was a good one... and it is way harder as she really wanted to live. She was chasing her mom around the pen with a front leg flopping.

One of my donor cows had a severely broken back leg as a baby and we casted it and when the cast came off you could not tell it had been ever broke. She just died a few months ago at 12 years of age, so I hope your calf heals as good

 

[kanshow]

We had one that broke her leg right above the stifle.  She healed & is a functional cow, she walks off a little cockeyed but is otherwise good.  She's a big cow & a 2003 model at that.    Her worst problem is her bag this year and I'm guessing that will be her eventual ticket to the sale barn.  Her mom was a commercial simm cross that was nothing special but we kept her up in the lots that summer because the calf couldn't get around & consequently AI'd her because we had no bull at the house & needed her bred, not because we were attempting for anything special.    We had some extra Franchise semen we used because we had it & .. HOLY SMOKE!!  The calf that cow had the next year was outstanding...So after a few well thought thru breeding decisions.. we just keep getting better & better calves from that family.