skin/hair conditions transmitted at shows

[red]

well you've brought home a purple ribbon from a jackpot show! But could you have also brought home something else too that will cause skin problems & loss of hair for months? I'm going to talk about 3 different problems that can occur after a show. If anyone has anyothers to add please do so. Also if anyone has any different remedies let us know.

Ringworm- Ringworm is not caused by worms but is a result of a fungus. It is very contagious. It can spread from cattle cattle & also to you. Cows and heifers are reported to develop lesions on the chest and limbs most often, and bulls in the dewlap and intermaxillary skin. Lesions are characteristically discrete, scaling patches of hair loss with gray-white crust formation, but some become thickly crusted with suppuration. Ringworm as a herd health problem is more common in the winter and is more commonly recognized in temperate climates and in English
After a show I usually wash my cattle w/ an Anti-Fungal shampoo. Sullivan's carry a good product. I also try to spray any brushes, halter & the trailer w/ an Anti fungus spry, also available through Sullivan's.
There are many home remedies for ringworm. I've a a lot of success w/ a bleach pen, Fung-All by H2AG & Monostat ( guys love to buy that  ). After the ringworm has gotten out of the crusty stage you need to grow the hair back in the bald places. Many use Fluid Film (sold at tractor dealers or auto parts store), I use baby oil or some even bacon grease.

Red

 

[red]

this came from www.cattle.com I felt it had a lot of good info & was very down to earth.
Cattle warts appear on the skin of cattle and are usually confined only to the neck and shoulder region. In advanced stages, the warts may also appear on or around the teats and genital areas. All cattle under two years of age are susceptible to the condition. The four most common types of cattle warts are squat, pendulated, flat and tags. They appear as hairless lesions. The larger the warts get, the more susceptible they are to bleed due to rubbing. This could in turn lead to secondary infections where bacteria can invade and infect those areas.

Common Names
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Warts are also called Bovine Papillomatosis or Infectious Papillomatosis by most veterinarians. These names are linked with a special group of viruses. A papilloma is a tumor on the skin.
Causative Organism
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Warts are caused by papilloma viruses. There are at least 6 distinct strains of Papilloma virus. Each of them can produce characteristic lesions on the skin. The virus can easily transmit itself by direct contact, through equipment, and through insects which carry the virus. The viruses enter the skin through wounds. Infection may occur within one month or it may also take up to one year.
Common Symptoms
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.  Raised or plain lesions on the skin of cattle
2. Animals become stunted
3. Generally the symptoms can be seen in all or most of the members of a herd
4. Cattle warts may appear as small cauliflower like swellings
5. Warts may first appear on the sides of the ears and then spread to other parts of the body
How it Affects Cattle
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Warts are usually more of an appearance problem than a physical problem. Cattle warts usually shrink and drop off after a few months. But they can affect the cattle in several ways. In some cases, warts may also infect large areas of the body. This may interfere with normal functioning of the body part. Some types of warts erupt in the venereal regions. This may cause pain, deformity and infection of the penis of young bulls. Cows and heifers may also suffer from discomfort and pain if tissues inside their reproductive system are affected.
Regional Impacts
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Warts can be seen in almost any environment. The virus which causes cattle warts in cattle is resistant to extreme cold and heat. It is not uncommon to find cattle with warts during all months of the year and in all forms of cattle.
Warts can also be transmitted by contact & spread by animal to animal. Humans will not catch warts from cattle.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Treatments
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Warts usually fall off or shrink after about six months. The usual practice is to leave them unattended. Some good wart ointments are available in the market. If cattle warts continue to persist then surgery may be required.  I like to pull the wart out & the roots w/ a pair of tweezers.Also our vet recommends that you feed the warts back to the cattle after you've pulled them out. It acts as a natural imunity.
Vaccines & Prevention
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Commercial vaccines to prevent cattle warts are useful if there hasn’t been any previous infection. Autogenously vaccines can also be prepared by a veterinarian.  Also there are products called Wart-off & some people swear by tooth paste.

 

[red]

Hot spots or Rain Rot

This is a skin condition that I am too familiar with. It is not really contagious but showing or heavy coated cattle are more prone to it. Hot spots start out as areas where there is almost hair loss overnight. Imagine walking into the ban & finding your best calf w/ patches of hair missing. At first we thought it was ringworm & treated it as such. No improvement. Then we thought lice, nope. Finally in desperation I called the vet. We said it was caused by bacteria forming under the hair. It can be from washing a calf & not completely drying it off, sweating & have damp hair or in our case, snow blowing into the barn leaving the heifer damp. Since it was a bacteria, he recommended penicillin. He also said to not cover the area w/ a thick ointment & to let air get to it. After an allergic reaction to the PCN, she was improving. Later I used a light coat of baby oil w/ vitamin E to help w/ the hair growth.
Typically, the heavy, thick coated cattle are most affected. Like I mentioned, a lot of times we think it's something else until we realize what it is. I don't believe it can be spread from animal to animal but am sure I'll be set straight.
This how bad it can look!

 

[red]

I hope this thread helps someone. If anyone has another remedy or condition add to it.

Red  O0

 

[dagrate1s]

Very nice post. I actually had our first exposure to rain rot this year. Can be some nasty stuff to get rid of for sure.

 

[SWMO]

Alot of our White cattle had it.  My daughters sr yearling heifer had it the worst.  Happened like you said almost overnight.  She looked exactly like the pictures.  she still had not completely grown out the hair that she lost.  Some of our pasture cattle also go it.

 

[occ]

The rain rot usually gets ours on the inside of the legs near the teats, on the belly, and between front legs.  Places I think my kids don't get dry enough.  We fought  it winter of '07 and nothing seeming to work, ended up having to turn one heifer out before the show season ended because it got up on her back and was really awful.  When we first started seeing patches of it this winter, we sprayed a medication that we use on "greasy" pigs in our hog farm.  It cleared up nearly over night and hair immediately started growing back.  We kept treating until the hair was back.  It also did not spread.    I'll try to get the name of the stuff.

 

[red]

The rain rot usually gets ours on the inside of the legs near the teats, on the belly, and between front legs.  Places I think my kids don't get dry enough.  We fought  it winter of '07 and nothing seeming to work, ended up having to turn one heifer out before the show season ended because it got up on her back and was really awful.  When we first started seeing patches of it this winter, we sprayed a medication that we use on "greasy" pigs in our hog farm.  It cleared up nearly over night and hair immediately started growing back.  We kept treating until the hair was back.  It also did not spread.    I'll try to get the name of the stuff.

OCC- that would be great! I have the same problem w/ a couple of cows that were former show heifers & still have thick hair. I hate to go around & give shots of PNC unless absolutely necessary.

Red

 

[doubled]

Monostat7 cream works well, (although the guy a walmart sure looks at you funny when you buy 7 tubes  (lol)might take some time for hair to grow back but it works well and we keep the area well conditioned with maine and tail after it starts to clear up,
it promotes hair growth for some reason.

 

[red]

one note on the difference between a hot spot & lice. A hot spot will be alsmost over nigter. Areas are usually red & a little weepy. Lice is more a rubbed off effect. Skin is usually dry & flaky. also in areas where a cow can run like the neck & tail head. Also if you use a dusting or pour-on & it still is getting wore you might have a hot spot. Hair also comrs off in clumps.

Red

 

[nutterbutter]

Some home remedies for ringworm that we have tried.
Captan(sp)- fungicide used for roses. 1lb/3gal water and spray twice a day
Vicks sav- it works well
Monostat- seems to take longer

 

[maineshowgirl_ok]

My Icepick heifer had it about a week before Jr. Nationals and we put tooth paste on them twice a day with a tooth brush and they were gone and the hair started back within 2 days. I ended up getting ringworm from her and I put the tooth paste on mine and it dried it up as well.  Also green walnuts work just cut one in half and rub on the ringworm. hope this helps

 

[justme]

Remember if your penning near sheep....Wool fungus.  Alot like ringworm but wow it is nasty stuff.  Our sheep got it last year, my daughter got it, and I got it.  Not a lot of fun and terrible to get rid of. 

 

[3GCC]

what kind or brand of tooth paste

 

[red]

I've heard Crest works but not sure if any others do too.

Red

 

[angusboy1]

my pig got ringworm right before a shwo liek when we got there if cost me the show the judge told me if it didnt have that i was woudl have been grand champ.

 

[BCCC]

my pig got ringworm right before a shwo liek when we got there if cost me the show the judge told me if it didnt have that i was woudl have been grand champ.

ring worm dont show up just like that, what would have you gotten grand in?? showmanship, or breed?

 

[txshowlamb]

luckily the only thing my steer has caught so far and hopefully the first and last thing he catches is ringworm the hair is back and looks good

 

[angusboy1]

thats good but bccc ii not sayin it i just didnt notice it my dad said it was heeling but it was right behind his neck i never did seen it

 

[ShortyJ13]

after shows we usually wash them down with an anti-fungal shampoo,
but of course, the one time i forget is the one time she breaks out in in ringworm. it was horrible, she had 4 or five spots on each side of her face near her eyes and a HUGE one right on her top (slightly smaller than my fist)... when all that hair started falling out i just wanted to break down and cry. it's still trying healing up and its been over a month  :-\