Calf bent at knees

[CharcoalWally]

The calf is fine. He'll come right in time if he's anything like the hundreds and hundreds of other calves that are like this for a while after birth. Just let him take his own exercise and leave him to get on with it.

 

[sjewart]

The calf is fine. He'll come right in time if he's anything like the hundreds and hundreds of other calves that are like this for a while after birth. Just let him take his own exercise and leave him to get on with it.

Thank you. Its no holding him back anyway [emoji106]

 

[Timbo]

I wouldn't touch him, he is on his feet, he'll be fine.

^^ this

 

[sjewart]

^^ this

I'm only concerned as he's 6 days old and no improvement (deteriorating if anything)

 

[Angus77]

Had one even worse than this and yes they do seem worse after they have been up for a while. I put it down to the legs getting tired as they are walking on tippytoes. My lad was so stubborn even when his legs got tired he refused to lie down but rested on his knees for a few mins then got up and went again. Came right 100% and headed off to work as a stockbull @ 14months

 

[sjewart]

Had one even worse than this and yes they do seem worse after they have been up for a while. I put it down to the legs getting tired as they are walking on tippytoes. My lad was so stubborn even when his legs got tired he refused to lie down but rested on his knees for a few mins then got up and went again. Came right 100% and headed off to work as a stockbull @ 14months

Good to know. Rather than contracted tendons mine seems to have more lax tendons (very bent knees). For that I wondered if it might be more appropriate to restrict his movement. Please yours came OK.

 

[Angus77]

Good to know. Rather than contracted tendons mine seems to have more lax tendons (very bent knees). For that I wondered if it might be more appropriate to restrict his movement. Please yours came OK.

I looked back at your pics and see what you mean, his feet are flat on the ground. But i still would say he looks worse after being up due to being tired. It took my lad a long time to straighten and even longer for the legs to strengthen (would have bent at the knees if tired even at a few months old) Fingers crossed for your lad but even with lax tendons exercise should be his friend

 

[CharcoalWally]

I'm only concerned as he's 6 days old and no improvement (deteriorating if anything)

As @Angus77 says, they sometimes seem worse before they get better, but most normal calves eventually come right .

 

[M-J-G]

I'm only concerned as he's 6 days old and no improvement (deteriorating if anything)

If he's the same in 6 weeks I'd consider having a think.

He'll be getting heavier and bending them a bit at times, running makes them tired and less likely to hold themselves up.

I see nothing to bother about.

 

[sjewart]

Thanks everyone for your patience and good advice. Will come back to you all in 6 weeks with a progress update [emoji16]

 

[Highland Mule]

I’m going with you intervening with the jack at 1800h

Well everyone the heifer calved herself, about 6pm. Bull calf! View attachment 769290

Was it pulled out?

Aye but it wasn't much of a pull [emoji848]

Wait a minute....... Was this the same animal?, because if it is I want my prize!

 

[sjewart]

Wait a minute....... Was this the same animal?, because if it is I want my prize!

Aye u were very close to what happened in the end [emoji106]

 

[Happy]

The calf's legs seem more bent after he's been charging about so I wonder if that's making him worse.

Both legs are bandy. Surely you have to splint both? View attachment 771364

If he can charge about I’d leave him be. As said already he will come allright himself.

Had a Char calf with both front legs bendy at kness and knuckled over tendons in the autumn.
First one ever that I thought wasn’t going to come good. Eventually did after 8 weeks of splints, bandages and plenty alamycin spray where splints were rubbing and navel getting infected from lying down so much.
If yours is just bendy once he gets tired after a run around then I’d say you’ve nothing to worry about with him.
A few more days and he’ll be fine

 

[sjewart]

If he can charge about I’d leave him be. As said already he will come allright himself.

Had a Char calf with both front legs bendy at kness and knuckled over tendons in the autumn.
First one ever that I thought wasn’t going to come good. Eventually did after 8 weeks of splints, bandages and plenty alamycin spray where splints were rubbing and navel getting infected from lying down so much.
If yours is just bendy once he gets tired after a run around then I’d say you’ve nothing to worry about with him.
A few more days and he’ll be fine

Ah well my calf is bendy all the time - just worse after charging about.

 

[Pistonbroke]

Do you recall how old the calf was when he got alamycin?

Couple of days old. Nothing to do with an infection just the carrier in the jab has an effect on tendons ( so he said ) . Did as told and calf came right. Not quite as bandy as yours to start with,just bent forwards.

 

[willie waver]

another vote for leave him be, he'll come good on his own time

 

[Dry Rot]

Not a calf but I had a foal born like this a couple of years ago. She straightened up by time she was about a month or so old.

Same here. Large foal in a small mare, delivered naturally. They looked really bad (worse than that calf) but were normal in less than a week!

 

[sjewart]

Same here. Large foal in a small mare, delivered naturally. They looked really bad (worse than that calf) but were normal in less than a week!

That's really great [emoji4]... but my calf isn't newborn - he's 6 days old already and not getting any better.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

That's really great [emoji4]... but my calf isn't newborn - he's 6 days old already and not getting any better.

I had one once that had very bent legs and he couldn’t get about....the vet did a wee operation on him in which the tendons were cut and the next day he was running around like a lamb....but yours is nothing compared to that

 

[sjewart]

I had one once that had very bent legs and he couldn’t get about....the vet did a wee operation on him in which the tendons were cut and the next day he was running around like a lamb....but yours is nothing compared to that

That's amazing, didn't know they could do that.

Mine doesn't look tight or lax tendoned. He just has all over bendy legs [emoji19]