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Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2007 7:01 pm
by Colin
On Monday this week I noticed on the udder of one of the cows some round, brownish, crusty looking patches about 1 to 2 cm in diameter. There are a couple on the side of a rear quarter but a fairly extensive area underneath a front quarter. The teats look fine and she otherwise seems normal, alert and feeding happily. Been through the cattle ailments book and have got a few possibilities such as ringworm, but they all say they affect animals in poor condition. I've prided myself on just how healthy mine have been and they all have a lovely healthy sheen on their coats. So I'm wondering if this could be something else. She has a 5 month old calf. I've also noticed a three small patches on the side of the shin of my bull, just above the fetlock about 1 cm in diameter. These may or may not be related.
Anybody got any ideas ?
Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 4:28 pm
by Duncan MacIntyre
Ringworm is a distinct possibility, but difficult to say without seeing it, can you post a picture? The crusty bits of ringworm are usually greyish but this may take time to develop. Sometimes animals will take ringworm despsite good general health. Immunity is a factor, and cattle which have managed to avoid contact with it till later life will still be susceptible. They would be likely to have had a source of infection, either direct or indirect.
Duncan
Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 6:13 pm
by Colin
Thanks Duncan that's kind of you. I need to get her in the crush this weekend to get close to her as she's shy and I can only get to within a yard of her in the field. Having studied her again this evening I have a sneaking suspicion that this could be very innocent. One of the calves (not hers) likes to suckle through his mothers rear legs and his head gets covered from time to time in the inevitable. He sometimes suckles off her too. So I can think of something else that's brown and crusty. I'll discover the truth this weekend. Shan't include a picture if my suspicion is true.
Colin :D
Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 8:40 pm
by welshdexterboy
It wouldn't be the right time of year for ringworm as a rule. Cattle mainly get it from infection in your sheds. It can live in your wood or concrete blocks for a long time and pressure washing alone will not kill it. Also it used to be related to Vit D deficiency i.e. those dark cots all through the winter plus the short days, but we have just left Summertime so that is another reason i dont think it's ringworm. Like Duncan says it would be easier with a picture.
Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 10:23 pm
by Saffy
When my tenant brought his young cattle in from the fields for the winter into one of my barns a month ago I had a fit when I saw the quantity of ringworm on them as they will be relatively close to my new Dexters!!! Also frankly it doesn't look great when there is that much of it on the animals.
I was a little tactless shall we say but it worked nicely, he has been dosing them ever since,( not like him at all,) and it is improving but I shall keep my little darlings as far away as possible. As it will lurk in and on everything.
Is it a bad year for it or something?
Stephanie
Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 12:39 am
by Colin
Well I was right. The brown crusty skin ailment underneath my cows udder turned out to be cow poo, head butted between the cows teats to form nice little compact circles. The guilty culprit is not her calf, but another who loves to feed between his mothers hind legs. He often has a cow pat hair piece to show for it. Very endearing, but not sure it will catch on.
At least I know I don't have a ring worm problem.
Duncan shan't send you a photo.
Colin :D