This last cold snap has tested everything, including the power grid and the ability of watering bowls and anything with water in it to not freeze up.
It has also tested the resiliency of our cattle, especially newborn calves.
They’re usually fine, as long as they have adequate bedding and potentially an area to be with other calves.
However, there is one ailment that I have not seen to this degree until this year — rapidly forming manure balls on their tails from the extremely cold weather.
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Please be on the lookout for these because of their potential harmful effects if allowed to remain on the tail.
If you notice them one day, they could be much advanced by the next day if the temperature remains very cold. The weight of the manure ball weighs down the tail, which they cannot lift, and within a couple days you are in a bit of dilemma.
The tail within the manure ball freezes solid and will either be amputated when you remove the manure ball or slough off later.
As well, the manure ball is very sharp and will cut and lacerate the back of the hocks or freeze to other parts of the back end. Its weight restricts the animal’s ability to move along.
If nursing, the cow won’t produce as much milk and it may even bang into the calf during nursing.
Producers must catch the animal and knock the manure ball off with an axe or hatchet. I have chiseled down the tail until I got well into the frozen area and amputated it at that point.
There should be zero pain and bleeding if you have done it right. If you do get some bleeding, I would wrap the tail.
A ball can quickly form if the weather is extremely cold and the switches are long.
On one farm, these balls were always happening on the cows after calving and not before. I don’t know the exact reason. Maybe it was because the animals didn’t arch their back when defecating or urinating because they were nursing.
There are long-term ramifications.
The shortened stub tail means the animal has lost its fly swatter.
I also worry about nerve damage if left too long, which would almost be like having an epidural. There would be less feeling in the tail and the whole problem could repeat itself.
Veterinarians sometimes give alcohol epidurals to prevent straining in long-term prolepses, which can result in a limp locally anaesthetized tail that the cow can’t lift when urinating or defecating.
Manure balls seem to happen when temperatures dip below -20 C on cows with long switches.
This is where you will see breed differences. Breeds such as Simmental have switches that go almost to the ground, while Angus cattle have much shorter switches.
One never knows what the next winter will bring, but a good way to prevent the problem may be to crop the switch with clippers at pregnancy checking time. This prevents the manure ball from starting in the first place.
It could also decrease the chances of nursing calves being exposed to manure containing pathogens such as E. coli, cocci and Johne’s.
If only one animal has been affected, it may be caused by diarrhea. Johne’s disease is always a possibility, especially if the cow is losing weight, so checking for that may be a good idea.
I have seen manure balls form both on cows eating silage feedlot rations and straight hay, so diet is not really the culprit.
Here’s to a good calving season and a minimum of manure balls. One really does not want to become an expert at taking them off, but having a good set of clippers or scissors handy at preg-checking time will definitely pay off.
Roy Lewis works as a veterinarian in Alberta.
