“These are the times that try men's souls.” | Well being he is the Wife's pet I would call around and get some ACE to knock him out so you can work on him. Would be easier to lay him down. Then get some quick cast material and a cast sock. If I recall you need about two big rolls for a baby calf. Have someone sit on the calf while you work on him if not really knocked out. Then one person two help hold leg in place, one to put cast on. Put cast sock on, go above hock and just above hoof with it. You use hot water to soak cast material, then you have to work fast to put it on. Then just keep him from all other cattle, best to lock him up in a dry barn with good bedding. Then try to leave cast on for as long as you can, 3-4 weeks maybe. If it looks as it is giving him problems you might have to take it off early.
I've only casted baby calves. I had a Hol. heifer slip on ice and snap rear leg above hock almost going into hip. I was sick, was going to get gun and put her down. Well something happened that day and I didn't put her down. Well the next day she hobbled around to eat, I even left her in the pen with others her size 500-600 lbs. Well by the end of the week she was doing better. So I just forgot about her, in a month you couldn't tell which one she was.
I've also had quite a few bulls break legs over the years. If they don't break bone out of skin we just leave them were there at provided they have water and grass. Go back in a month to get them, the heal up fine to get so you can sell them. I had a Yearling bull break a front leg once, had to leave him a canyon all summer as we couldn't even get a trailer to him. Well that fall he walked out, kept him for another year. Was always going to sell him, didn't get around to it. Well he traveled good, just the leg was a third the size bigger as the other three. But he wasn't lame. I then ran him with the cows that summer. Then sold him. I thought he would ever breed a cow, well I was wrong, he covered 30 cows or more. I was totally amazed he did. Was easy to tell as he was Red bull, the rest where Black Angus.
If it was mine I wouldn't cast him, just pen separate, shot of antibiotic, pain killer to get him to eat and keep him warm and dry. I betting he will heal just fine. But you better try casting if wife is involved, because if he doesn't make it you know who will get the blame. Please don't say "Russ said". |
Calf with broken leg, what are the options?
