# Pinkeye Outbreak



## cedarvalley (Feb 28, 2012)

This is the first time I have had an outbreak of pinkeye that seems to be traveling through the whole herd. I rotationally graze and keep out free choice mineral and salt, and I don't play nurse maid to my cattle, and try to be a low cost producer, so have not individually treated for this. Just wondering if anyone has any advice on a mineral or supplement to feed to reduce or help with this pinkeye now and in the future.


----------



## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I hate pinkeye with a fiery passion!  :flame:

The cattle are obviously in great pain when they have it.

This little article pretty much sums it up.
Face flies spread it. 

http://beefmagazine.com/health/vets-opinion/busting-pinkeye-in-cattle-0401


----------



## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

You can vaccinate for it...might not be foolproof, but it can't hurt.
http://www.addisonlabs.com/products/maxiguard-pinkeye-bacterin.php

http://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/products/130_120651/productdetails_130_121070.aspx

Keep pastures mowed to avoid irritation of long grass in eyes. 

Maybe something in this article will help you?

http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/400/400-750/400-750.html


----------



## cedarvalley (Feb 28, 2012)

Forgot to mention that I keep all pastures clipped.


----------



## SpaceCadet12364 (Apr 27, 2003)

we found it best to keep flies to a minimum.


----------



## bigbluegrass (Jan 11, 2011)

I read Iodine and zinc help with pink eye - can't remember where I read it and I don't have a link. 

I run my cows a lot like you describe - except I don't mow - so I have seed heads to deal with as well. Five years ago half my cows got pink eye. One got it pretty bad. I was worried and watched them but I didn't do any shots. They all came out of it fine. Since then I have not had a problem. They have some flies, but not bad. I had more cows 5 years ago with more flies - I sold all the cows that had a lot of flies. I changed my mineral after that to a better loose mineral. I make sure it is out all the time and they eat it. I still keep an eye on them and I wouldn't claim that I won't have pink eye again - just trying to give you hope that maybe your cows will get over it and you won't see it again for awhile.

I wonder if cows get immunity to pink eye. If you can vaccinate for it, it leads me to believe a cow can get immunity to it. But it is a bacteria from what I understand. Anyway, I wonder if my cows got immunity to it and that is why I haven't seen it in awhile. I wonder if they can pass that immunity on to their calves via colostrum.

Edit to add: The article posted by GS says copper and selenium deficiency. Maybe it wasn't iodine and zinc. I would have to research that again.


----------



## happydog (May 7, 2008)

I've got a calf with pink eye. We've had rain almost every day and the flies are bad. I use fly masks on all my cows and calves, and that helps more than anything. I was late getting this little guy's mask on and he's the only one who's had it.

I started treating him right away with colloidal silver. I also put penicillin in the worst eye. I did a bunch of research (I kind of panicked, thinking of how a blind steer is going to function for 2 years.)

I got some Vetericyn and started putting that in his eyes twice a day. I bought the Pinkeye formula because it's a stronger percentage of the main ingredient. And every couple days I drop some LA200 in the worst eye. One eye is completely cleared but the other one is taking longer. It's improving, but slowly.

Best prevention is fly masks. My calf was 7 days old when he got it and I've been treating him for a week. It's painful and it helps if you can keep them in a dark stall or shelter, away from the flies and strong light.


----------



## happydog (May 7, 2008)

bbgrass - I think it might be iodine. I've read if you give your cows kelp it will prevent pinkeye. I keep kelp in the mineral feeders for my cows. But the calf came to me from a dairy and I'm pretty sure they don't feed kelp.


----------



## cedarvalley (Feb 28, 2012)

Thanks for all the replies everyone, talked to a guy today at salebarn and he suggested mixing in vitamins A,D&E and natural iodine in with the minerals. Someone also suggested kelp meal, mixed with minerals seemed to boost immune system to pinkeye. Im always interested in the the less invasive, more natural way to keep my animals healthy. Its easier on them and me.


----------



## myheaven (Apr 14, 2006)

I run a sulfur salt block in summer. It keeps the flies off their eyes. Tractor supply sells a spray that has had great results among the farmers around here. I personally would do as I do to my cats. Pen g under the top eyelid for 3 days. I'm sure you could make a spray with the pen g to mass treat without head restraint. Steril water pen g combo. 
Get a sulfur salt block. The flies are so bad here this year. So far so good.


----------



## DaziAcres (Jul 10, 2013)

One of our steers just came down with pink eye yesterday. I immediately grabbed the kelp but I'm sure that's not going to get rid of it.

Our problem is, we rotational graze but don't have a chute or any other way to restrain the cow to get medicine on his eye.

Any ideas on treatment that will work "from a distance".

Feels like so much fail...


----------



## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

Pinkeye is highly contagious and can be very painful. I doubt that kelp will be of much use with pinkeye. It's easily treated with an injection of long-acting antibiotic (Biomycin, for example), available from your vet. Sometimes a patch is placed on the eye as well. I myself don't know of a long-distance method of treating it. There are people who say to just ignore it, but I don't agree with that. You run the risk of the animal losing its sight. 

Many people vaccinate for pinkeye, keep pastures mowed to avoid irritation of the eyes while grazing, remove manure from areas where animals congregate, things like that. 

Here's an article on pinkeye: http://beefmagazine.com/health/vets-opinion/busting-pinkeye-in-cattle-0401, Try googling "pinkeye in cattle" for more articles and photos.

Sooner or later you will need a means of confining your animals if you need to treat them, vaccinate, or have an emergency of some sort, etc. Corral panels are a good way to start.


----------



## nosqrls (Jun 9, 2012)

tsc sells a spray for pinkeye . load la-200 in a syringe and spray in the eye. if you can get close enough.


----------



## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

Oooo, I forgot. There's Vetericyn Pink Eye Spray. New since any of mine had pinkeye!


----------

