I picked up a 7 month old Dexter calf yesterday that had been castrated by the vet on Friday (I didn't want my heifer to be alone!). I'm very new to cows so need what may be silly advice. He was cut by the vet and seemed ok when I picked him up from the breeder,he loaded ok and travelled the 1 hour trip well. Today he ate his hay, but when he walks he is dragging his back hooves on the ground, he is finding it difficult to get up and lay down (takes his time). I am not sure if I am panicking over nothing and a few days will ease his stiffness, or I have something to worry about. Please let me know if this is normal after castration( I feel a bit silly about this, I'm sure it must hurt).

Thanks in advance,

-- Carol Koller (ckoller@netsync.net), November 12, 2001

Answers

It might be shipping fever, or something else. How much does he weigh? Just in case give him ONE cc(ml) for every hundred pounds of body weight of penicillin. And he should be fine.

-- Chandler (ProvidenceFarms2001@yahoo.com), November 12, 2001.

Call the vet

-- George Wilson (cwwhtw@aol.com), November 12, 2001.

I agree to call the vet, the one who did the castration. First off he will ask you for his temperature. If you don't have one, get yourself a vet/large animal thermometer from a farm store ( Agway here ) or from the vets. I'm not sure on cattle, sheep are 101 to 103 degrees. Also look at the incision,check for redness or swelling or any discharge. We had a ram castrated this spring who acted the same way. On advice of the vet, I had to do warm soaks on the poor guy for a week, twice a day five minutes each time, but was able to hold him across my lap for that. I don't imagine that you are going to manage that with him.If he has an infection, the vet should reccomend the best antibiotic for him.

-- Kate henderson (kate@sheepyvalley.com), November 12, 2001.

Carol take his temp and look for an infection. Other than that I would be surprised at 4 days post castration at 7 months old, if he wasn't gimping! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), November 13, 2001.

Thanks for replies. I haven't called the vet yet as his temp. is 101.6, so he is normal. I kept an eye on him through the night and he only moved a few times. Today a.m. temp. is still normal, and he is up and moving (still a little cautiously may add, he ate his hay, but now I every time I go near him I can't grab his halter, he moves away, so I'm taking that as a good sign! I'm gonna try and get him at feed time, but this is only his second full day here and he's not quite settled. I really should have brushed up on what castrated males look like and maybe I'd feel more confident! I guess I'm learning fast with everyones help- thank you all.

-- Carol Koller (ckoller@netsync.net), November 13, 2001.