Calf broken front leg above knee chances?

[hubbahubba]

So last job of the day was too feed may born calves in calf creep. They creep onto straw and there mothers on slatts. One bullock holding a front leg up, vet out and they think its broken above knee like i thought. He is 340kg.

Options were put down or metacam and leave it and its mum in small straw pen. So going for that and unless he gets worse and looks bad i plan to leave a couple weeks and hope it could mend its self. Chances are slim but has anybody had similar? Gutted.

F**k knows how he has done it!

 

[deleted user 837354]

A beast that size you have zero chance. Freezer job.

 

[davidroberts30]

First loss is the best
You got 5 day withdrawal now too

 

[redsloe]

I had one older than that during last summer. Leg was swinging. Bullock's were running out but he chose to stay in. He didn't seem to be too distressed so let him go on. In a couple of months you wouldn't have been able to spot him. Gone fat ages ago now, no problems.
In reality you have nothing to lose by giving it a chance.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Got not a lot to lose, really, chances are he'll be fine in a few months.
Don't push him too hard with feed as that won't help him mend.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

No chance on a beast that weight...don’t waste it...get it in the freezer

 

[harperfarmer]

Would you want to be left to muddle along with a broken leg!? Don't hang about. Broken leg = shoot asap imo.

 

[redsloe]

Would you want to be left to muddle along with a broken leg!? Don't hang about. Broken leg = shoot asap imo.

Don't confuse nature with humanity. Nature is remarkable.
I thought the same but my bullock really didn't seem bothered. I gave him one jab of metacam but couldn't get close enough to give him a second! He didn't pitch in it for about 3 weeks and gradually got better.
Don't shoot it until your sure it's the right thing to do.
You'll know when or if it's time.

 

[hubbahubba]

Don't confuse nature with humanity. Nature is remarkable.
I thought the same but my bullock really didn't seem bothered. I gave him one jab of metacam but couldn't get close enough to give him a second! He didn't pitch in it for about 3 weeks and gradually got better.
Don't shoot it until your sure it's the right thing to do.
You'll know when or if it's time.

Hopfully mine will do the same... if he starts to look bad he will be put down or butchered depending how much butchering him will cost for a small carcass.

 

[muleman]

Would you want to be left to muddle along with a broken leg!? Don't hang about. Broken leg = shoot asap imo.

Possibly not.....but certain i wouldnt want to be shot!

 

[wdah/him]

we had a calf once when it was young broke its leg, back I think. removed its leg and kept it to the stage where its struggled to rise, it tasted lovely. seemed the only human thing to do.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

we had a calf once when it was young broke its leg, back I think. removed its leg and kept it to the stage where its struggled to rise, it tasted lovely. seemed the only human thing to do.

That was good of you

 

[wdah/him]

That was good of you

if the calf had of shown any trouble after the leg was removed below the knee, it would have been put down, it never looked back.

 

[Sir loin]

Bringing them home in the trailer a 275kg calf broke its back leg above hock, isolated it, and bandaged it with vetwrap. Iit has mended but leg at not true angle put hobbles on it and it is walking round like a good one pulling leg back straight again.

 

[unlacedgecko]

if the calf had of shown any trouble after the leg was removed below the knee, it would have been put down, it never looked back.

Are you fing serious?! You amputated the leg of a bovine??

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Are you fing serious?! You amputated the leg of a bovine??

It’s ok...he only kept it untill it struggled to rise ?

 

[unlacedgecko]

It’s ok...he only kept it untill it struggled to rise ?

I really hope I'm misunderstanding here, cos hour I'm reading that it's a very serious (probably illegal) welfare breach.

 

[wdah/him]

all was done by a vet, so assume it was legal, the animal was often seen by a vet and any farm inspections, cant remember what age it was at slaughter and kept in bedded pen, with mother to weaned. the leg was removed about the hock, it was thought to have been a better job as it was a bad break, the calf mended and thrieved, when it showed any signs of struggling to get up it was slaughtered. when the leg was removed the calf was young, and it wasn't a heavy carcase when slaughtered, it might have been around the weight of the OPs animal at that stage.

I still thing we did the right thing, perhaps the better thing to do would have been to bandage it and hope, but in the vets opinion it was better to remove the leg. I assume he knew best, clearly he must have been wrong by the men on this thread.

I wonder what you would do to a pet with a badly broken leg? I have seen a few farm dogs still alive with three legs, should they not have been put to sleep?

I was primary school at the time and that's 20 years ago, I fail to see the problem here so please enlighten me @unlacedgecko and @Northeastfarmer farmer without I might add claiming it illegal when done with a vet?

 

[deleted user 837354]

all was done by a vet, so assume it was legal, the animal was often seen by a vet and any farm inspections, cant remember what age it was at slaughter and kept in bedded pen, with mother to weaned. the leg was removed about the hock, it was thought to have been a better job as it was a bad break, the calf mended and thrieved, when it showed any signs of struggling to get up it was slaughtered. when the leg was removed the calf was young, and it wasn't a heavy carcase when slaughtered, it might have been around the weight of the OPs animal at that stage.

I still thing we did the right thing, perhaps the better thing to do would have been to bandage it and hope, but in the vets opinion it was better to remove the leg. I assume he knew best, clearly he must have been wrong by the men on this thread.

I wonder what you would do to a pet with a badly broken leg? I have seen a few farm dogs still alive with three legs, should they not have been put to sleep?

I was primary school at the time and that's 20 years ago, I fail to see the problem here so please enlighten me @unlacedgecko and @Northeastfarmer farmer without I might add claiming it illegal when done with a vet?

Vets are not infallible and are often 'leaned on' to do stupid or questionable things by clients. I don't see how amputating a limb of an animal in that circumstance makes any sense from a financial or ethical standpoint whatsoever. Stuff like that is how the Royal College gets medieval on your ass.

It's a beast going for meat and any kind of major operation will only set it back months, just as well euthanise and eat the thing.

 

[Farmer Fin]

Vets are not infallible and are often 'leaned on' to do stupid or questionable things by clients. I don't see how amputating a limb of an animal in that circumstance makes any sense from a financial or ethical standpoint whatsoever. Stuff like that is how the Royal College gets medieval on your ass.

It's a beast going for meat and any kind of major operation will only set it back months, just as well euthanise and eat the thing.

Completely agree. As an ex vet this is true. It’s all stupid and irresponsible. If is had a broken leg and can’t be cast then euthanasia immediately is the only option. You have a duty of care to the animal as 1st priority.

Once had a dairy client with bad lameness issues and couldn’t get through to him. His wife on the other hand was concerned, so she put some small gravel in his wellies and made him walk across the yard. Foot trimmer was in next week.