7 month old calf been chewing on fence for hours.

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I have this 7 month old bull calf Jersy.He will not leave fence even to eat.all he is doing is chewing on the wire on fence,What is happening.Help,thanks

-- Pastor Hughes (hbchurch@brightok.net), December 02, 2001

Answers

Do you offer them a free choice mineral? It usually is called cribbing and it is caused by a mineral defficiency.(sP?) You will sometimes see a mineral defficient animal chewing on the barn or eating dirt.

-- Nan (davidl41@ipa.net), December 02, 2001.

Oops! Hubby says that you don't call it cribbing in cattle, you call it pika(sp?). It is caused by the same thing.

-- Nan (davidl41@ipa.net), December 02, 2001.

Sounds like he is deficient in iron, as many veal calves are but thet are purposely raised that way to produce the pale meat. They will literally eat the nails out of the wall to get iron.. See if you can get an iron shot from your vet and get him some minerals, free choice. Check his gums and conjunctivae (linings of eyelids)....pale gums are a sign of anemia. That can be caused by parasites and/ or a diet lacking in minerals, such as just milk or hay and no minerals.

-- Kate henderson (kate@sheepyvalley.com), December 02, 2001.

I know it's obvious, but still - make sure that he's not caught up. Not just in his mouth, but also check his legs and feet - if he's been tangled up in something (hay-bale twine or loose wire, for instance). If he's effectively hobbled there, he could be chewing on whatever's available out of sheer boredom.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), December 02, 2001.

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