What should I do?

[4Rcattle]

Several things are going on with my daughter's steer. I need some advice as to what I should do. About 2 weeks ago I gave him Banamine and Baytril for fever/respiratory junk. He was still running a fever for over a week past that. He hasn't been eating like he was either (I also gave probios for several days following the medication). He doesn't have the thick snot that he had but at times, he does cough. He's acting fine - alert and ears are up. I'm really worried about his eating. I thought it was the cottonseed hulls so I wet his feed with watered down molasses - tried that for two days but his feed intake did not increase. Now I'm cutting out the CSH all together to see if that helps (I have also decreased the amount of feed he was getting). I feel like I may be stressing over nothing but then again I feel like he may still be dealing with the respiratory stuff. I also thought about slicking him (it's still really hot and humid here) - not sure if that will help or not. We are supposed to show in two weeks (just a jackpot to get him out) and if I slick him he will not look as good. But then again, I would rather him eat than look good at this point. Is there a supplement (like appetite express or B12) that I should try? Different feed?  Any suggestions/advice is appreciated!!

 

[Chuck Wagon]

I’m sorry you are dealing with that, it can be frustrating.  A vet can put a stethoscope on his lungs to hear him breathing to determine if he’s still dealing with respiratory illness.  As far as feed, try a diff brand of feed like purina, put two big handfuls of alfalfa on top and see if he eats.

Best not take him to the show right now, get him on feed first

 

[cowman 52]

What do the droppings look like?  Hard, thin, or what.  Would think the belly is a little off,  we have really good luck with the chaff hay or the ground oat, Timothy, alfalfa at tsc. Mix a little with the feed and wet it,  seems to encourage the belly to get to work.

 

[4Rcattle]

Stool looks normal- not too loose or too hard. I thank ive decided to just slick him and see if that helps- along with trying some of the advice on here. He still isn’t eating his feed quickly but he’s finishing it eventually without the CSH. I think once I get him back on feed good, I may try to reintroduce the CSH in small amounts.

 

[4Rcattle]

I went ahead a slicked him yesterday. He didn’t clean his feed up at either feeding today but I’m hoping he will get back on track soon. I’ve taken the CSH completely out of the mix. Once he is back on feed good I plan on trying to add that back in.