# spots of hair loss in cattle



## aintbea (Dec 8, 2004)

I purchased a several heifers from sale barn on 7/27/04 ranging from 400-550lbs
Last week I noticed that the red one of this group had a patch on one side of her jaw and around the opposite eye with no hair. It doesn't appear to be crusty just dry and now I noticed on one of my young bulls that have been here for 2 years he has a couple of small spots that are missing hair. Could this be a vitamin diffiancy(can't spell)? We have small patches of winter grass and are feeding peanut and regular hay along with some corn. I need help


----------



## bumpus (Jul 30, 2003)

.
Sounds like it could be ringworm. Which is not a real worm but a virus, livesrock get a lot of times in the winter. It can be transmited to humans.

Go to yahoo or google and just 
type in Livestock/ringworm  and read about it.
.


----------



## Ronney (Nov 26, 2004)

I too would think it is ringworm in which case it is best left alone as it will clear up on it's own. 

It is transmittable to other stock which is why your bull now has it, and also to humans as has been mentioned. If possible isolate the animals that do have it to try and restrict the spread and you yourself handle them as little as possible.

Cheers,
Ronnie


----------



## SilverVista (Jan 12, 2005)

There is also the possibility that you have brought in lice, and the bare patches are from rubbing where it itches. Do you have a dust bag with Co-Ral or some similar livestock pesticide dust hung in a gateway? It's easy to forget to keep it charged when fly season is over, but lice really like those big warm bodies when it's cold out.

Susan


----------



## JeffNY (Dec 13, 2004)

We had "barn itch" on some of the males necks. This usually happens on their mane though. I don't think the females had it, but the males did due to their thicker skin around their mane.



Jeff


----------



## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

cattle have lice that are surpressed by summer heat but become aggressive as the weather cools. The aggressive lice will move from the underneath areas of the cattle to the backside, shoulders, and head as the days cool. I think you have lice. There are dusting powders available or you can use a pour-on wormer.


----------



## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

Are the patches silver dollar size, or smaller, and totally bald? If so, it is ringrorm. Nothing wrong with treating for lice, but won't help for ringworm. As stated it is a virus, similar to warts in humans.


----------



## Laura Workman (May 10, 2002)

Ringworm is NOT a virus, it's a fungus:



> Ringworm is a transmissible infectious skin disease caused most often by Trichophyton verrucosum, a spore forming fungi.


 http://cattletoday.info/ringworm.htm

Anyway, I don't know about cattle, but when I get some on my goats, usually in the winter, I hit it with some miconazole, found in athlete's foot spray at my local drug store. Does a fine job. I guess dichlorphen works well on cattle, and is available in an ointment. 

I seem to have a lot less problem if I feed a little handful of BOSS each day. I think the fatty acids help the skin stay healthy, maybe? Anyway, it seems to work.


----------



## Jena (Aug 13, 2003)

Check with your vet before using a pour-on wormer in the winter. If there are warbles in your area, you shouldn't do it.

Jena


----------

