Need advice on a baby calf

[blackdirt cowboy]

I've got a week old calf that can't fully straighten his front legs. He gets up and down and moves around and nurses fine, just is bucked over at the knees. Is there anything I can do to help him straighten his legs or do I just have to wait and see if he gets better. If anyone has had this issue before, I would appreciate some advice. Thanks.

 

[librarian]

http://www.steerplanet.com/bb/the-big-show/week-old-calf-bucked-over-at-knees/msg378946/#msg378946
Check out this thread, especially the Cowboy posts on Naval Ill. If that's the problem, you have to get on it with antibiotics.

 

[cpubarn]

Read the post above, don't be afraid to ask a vet.

I have had them get worse, I have had them get better to the point that by fall they are perfectly sound.  Don't give up too soon.

 

[librarian]

How's your calf doing? If it was just knuckled under it should be on its feet by now, I'd think. Hope its okay.

 

[blackdirt cowboy]

He's doing much better. He is still bucked over a tad. I put him on a round of antibiotics just in case it was navel ill. I think his bones just outgrew his tendons and they just need time to stretch out and catch up.

 

[utshowgirl]

We had a Young Money steer calf out of a Naughty Pine cow two years ago that was that way. He was a difficult pull and he was so over in his knees when he was born in march that he looked like a bull dog. In may he was still over some. By our fall sale in Sept. he was as sound as you could ever make one, he almost floated when he walked. He just needed time for the inflammation to come out of the ligaments I think.

 

[Spencer10218]

I see it at my work a lot with foals (race horse have everything go wrong with them) and we usually put stints on its legs and make them get up every hour
We have never had to put one down for it but we had to send a more expensive foal off to Kentucky for special care because with horses you pay a live foal fee (like buying a straw of semen) and since the foal was technically "alive" they would have lost a lot of money