# Cattle losing Hair



## Phil - MO (Oct 1, 2003)

I have some beef cattle that seem to be losing a lot of hair around the neck and shoulders and hind quarters.
I know they rub their winter coats this time of year but one year old steer in particular has an extra large patch on its shoulder that looks bad.
I'm getting ready to ship about 12 head to the sale barn and am wondering if this could be a problem with selling them?


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

They will sell obviously but they may not bring top price as they will be viewed as being neglected/unthrifty due to having excessive cattle lice.


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## ksfarmer (Apr 28, 2007)

Agmantoo nailed it. Lice. A good pour-on will take care of that, but takes a while for the haircoat to grow and smooth out. I agree, they might sell a little lower.


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## Phil - MO (Oct 1, 2003)

Thanks for the replies. I hope I didn't mislead anybody but I only have one steer and one older cow that looks bad. I didn't want to ship it with the others and affect the overall price.
We have had cattle on the place since my family homesteaded it in 1875.
I pulled the 240 acres together and am now raising cattle by myself.
We normally shipped feeder calves in the fall. I understand that lice are worse in the winter and peak in the spring. This year I was trying to sell in the 700 to 800 lb. range instead of 350 to 500 since feed is now so high that feeders are buying larger calves (I think)
I am trying to raise these cattle with a minimum of chemicals and free ranging with hay when needed. I'm not sure why since if I sell feeder calves at the sale barn I don't get a better price than anybody else.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

Phil,
Off the internet you can order from a vet supply company the generic equivalent to ivermectin pour on for cheap. It will provide an all purpose parasite treatment. 
I found that like you there were many things I was doing for the cattle did not give me any return. I stopped those practices. Today, prior to making expenditures I ask myself how it is going to benefit my operation. No gain = no purchase. In todays feed related expenses it is more difficult to remain afloat. I concentrate on improving my profit and let the production take care of itself. Rather than market heavier feeder calves I am lowering the weight mine take a trip. This keeps the cows in better condition and reduces the load on the pastures (we are still in somewhat of a drought with projections of prolonged water shortages). I will cull deeper into the headcount if the weather doesn't shift to the better. I have reduced fertilizer consumption since there may be no chance to recover the expense.


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## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

I agree with agmantoo. I have really started to analize spending on my beef cattle operation. In the past, I've always castrated and dehorned and wormed on a twice a year basis. Last year, due to scheduling problems, 40 head of calves got left undone. Consiquently, they brought the same money at the sale barn as the ones that I averaged $25 worth of meds and labor on. I've also cut back on the number of beef I'm running to try and better utilize the grass. I'm not going to feed as much as I have in the past because I can no longer make it pay. 

The dairyman I worked for as a kid once told me,"The dairyman is at the most disadvantage of anyone in farming. They are forced to pay a non-negotiable price for feed and they are forced to sale their milk at a non-negotiable price."
Well, now with feed prices so high, I understand what he was talking about. I have always primarily ran beef cows and done my small dairying project as a hobbyfarm or "prozac on the hoof". At this point, with high feed prices, the profit margin on the beefers is considerably lower than it was two years ago. I'm paying a lot more for feed and receiving the same at the sale barn!


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