Expert: Karin - 4/5/2011

Question
we have a bull about 2 yrs old. found in meadow this am w/ what looks to be a broken hind leg. below the kneee. he will not  put any weight on it at all and he will let us move it. it just wiggles back and forth but he doesnt seem like it hurts if we move it. it has been rainy so all streams are up and of course he is on the wrong side. cant get to move to far at all.  leg seems to be warm to touch. any suggestions on treatment if any

Answer
Hi Julie,

All I can suggest is to butcher him.  A bull with a broken leg is only going to be a liability to you, even if he's tame and/or has produced some good calves so far.  Most cattle that do recover from a broken leg  don't completely recover (with the exception of young calves), and for a bull this will really hinder his ability to breed.  Bulls depend on their hind legs to breed, and if he's got a game leg even after it's healed, it will be a means of hindering his ability to breed your cows.   

So, I hope you can find some way to get to him to put him out of his misery and make him into freezer beef.  Bulls are still good for beef, and at that age they tend to be as good quality as a grass-fed steer.  

But, if you cannot butcher him until the creeks come down again, give him regular doses of an antibiotic like Oxymycin LA200 (or just LA200) to curb any potential infection according to the dosage recommendations on the bottle.  Be sure to follow the withdrawal times (also found on the bottle) so meat is healthy and free of antibiotic when you do eventually get around to sending him to the butcher.

Oh, and I also suggest to start doing some bull shopping too, as you are probably getting close to the season to breed your cows, likely within the next 3 to 5 months from now.

Good luck with him!

-Karin