Calf hair loss near feet...

[Danllan]

I've seen calves lose hair from rubbing, from parasites and from ill health. But I have a seemingly very healthy two week old heifer calf, who has bare skin - pink but not broken - above and behind her two front feet for a few inches, and a little bit above the back of her hind feet too. If I had to compare it to anything, it would be to a dog's foot that was getting licked a lot. But I've spent some time watching her, and neither she nor her mother are licking them - admittedly I haven't spent hours gazing at her. It doesn't look like any parasitic reaction I have seen on a cow or calf. Her mother has access to all necessary TEs via licks and regularly uses them; grazing is good, water straight from a borehole, nothing is a amiss nutritionally.

I spoke to our usual vet' and to some experienced friends, none can think of anything obvious when her otherwise good health and normal behaviour is taken into consideration. On the principal that just because I haven't seen her licking, it doesn't mean she hasn't been, I asked the vet' if it would be alright to spray the bare patches with umbilical spray (supposedly tastes bad as a disincentive to lick) and was told yes.

Pic' below shows rear of front left foot any ideas? (poor picture due to my clockwork 'phone)

 

[choochter]

I've used sudocreme on bare patches on cattle before and it also has some water repellant properties. it's the stuff used for nappy rash in babies

 

[llamedos]

Do cattle suffer with mud rash? Horses do not need to be standing in mud constantly to set it off, some just seem very susceptible and just contact with some types of ground seems to set it off, I have found peaty ground worse. Green oils is very good at keeping it at bay.

 

[Woolgatherer]

Do cattle suffer with mud rash? Horses do not need to be standing in mud constantly to set it off, some just seem very susceptible and just contact with some types of ground seems to set it off, I have found peaty ground worse. Green oils is very good at keeping it at bay.

Zinc and castor oil cream works too! I have wondered if there's any link between mud fever in horses and digital dermatitis in cattle. @bovine?

 

[llamedos]

Zinc and castor oil cream works too! I have wondered if there's any link between mud fever in horses and digital dermatitis in cattle. @bovine?

I tried that at one time, but found any debris stuck to it, with GO I can rub it in and it repels the debris/mud, do the ends of their tails too, not too much oil but just enough to repel.

I have found different fields can or can not cause it.

 

[Danllan]

Thanks to all for the above, I haven't put anything on her yet and she is still fine in all other ways. I'm familiar with mud rash in horses, but have not come across it in cattle.

Hadn't heard of Green oils, googled 'green oil' and came up with an eco-friendly bike chain lubricant and a strong suspicion that @llamedos has a poor sense of humour.... Then added an 's' and have now ordered some, just in case (can't find anything saying it is unsuitable for bovines).

Am familiar with sudocreme from nappy rash - the children's, not mine - and that will probably be my first option.

 

[llamedos]

Thanks to all for the above, I haven't put anything on her yet and she is still fine in all other ways. I'm familiar with mud rash in horses, but have not come across it in cattle.

Hadn't heard of Green oils, googled 'green oil' and came up with an eco-friendly bike chain lubricant and a strong suspicion that @llamedos has a poor sense of humour.... Then added an 's' and have now ordered some, just in case (can't find anything saying it is unsuitable for bovines).

Am familiar with sudocreme from nappy rash - the children's, not mine - and that will probably be my first option.

Green oils is really old fashioned, but it is something I have used for years, and it does help both as a barrier, and so speeding recovery. imo.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Is it mange

 

[manhill]

I've used sudocreme on bare patches on cattle before and it also has some water repellant properties. it's the stuff used for nappy rash in babies

Batch no? Qty? Expiry? You naughty man, remember not to pick up the soap in the prison shower! Unless you have other interests that is...

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Batch no? Qty? Expiry? You naughty man, remember not to pick up the soap in the prison shower! Unless you have other interests that is...

@choochter is female

 

[manhill]

@choochter is female

I'd still be careful with the soap, you can never be sure these days.

 

[Danllan]

Just seen a thread on ringworm and though I'd put an update on this one.

She had one smearing with sudocreme a fortnight ago. She now has a covering of short hair on all the formerly pink areas so I am relieved and happy. Still not 100% certain of what caused the problem; a vet' friend, although not in farm practice, took a squint and didn't think it was any fungal or reaction based problem he had come across. I watched her more carefully and I'm fairly sure the problem was caused by habit-licking.