True or False about Red Water

NewBeefFarmer

Vet told me last year, that cattle don't usually tend to get red water till they are about the 2 yrs or more age mark.

mine are all in the 12-13 month old bracket, and while ill use the Bayticol again in late apr/may i was just thinking, was the vet correct in what he said?

do you use Bayticol against red water? What time of year do you apply?

and if not why?

thoughts also?

st1979

NewBeefFarmer wrote: »

Vet told me last year, that cattle don't usually tend to get red water till they are about the 2 yrs or more age mark.

mine are all in the 12-13 month old bracket, and while ill use the Bayticol again in late apr/may i was just thinking, was the vet correct in what he said?

do you use Bayticol against red water? What time of year do you apply?

and if not why?

thoughts also?

Is it not that young cattle get it and cope with it better and then are sort of immune to it. Older animals with no immunity who get it can be very serious

munkus

3 years ago I let 12 month old heifers out of the shed in march. Gave them the shot of bayticol as always. They were in a field that had been reseeded within the previous four years, so not land you would associate with red water. One of the got a bad dose of red water and nearly died on me. Never take the chance if it's a problem on your land. We're riddled with it.

P.S They were dry going out so it didn't wash off them at any stage.

KatyMac

I lost a 14 month old heifer couple of years ago. I have to put Bayticol on every 3 weeks from once the cattle go onto the bad fields until they come off during August. The heifer I lost - the weather was (surprise, surprise) awful wet and I waited too long for a dry day. I now do it every 3 weeks religiously irrespective of the weather as it seems to be water fast, and for the past 3 years all has been well. My vet tells me that very young cattle, ie, calves can build up an immunity but the fields I'm talking about have some nasty soft places so I don't put young calves there.

NewBeefFarmer

you all seem to be associating red water with quality of land?.. I thought it was a tick that carried something, and that's how they get it?

if its land related? how do they get it? what causes it?

jp6470

We have an outlying field away from the farm about 20acres in size,that grandfather always wintered cattle at. my father always said to me cattle always got red water there. And grandfather would go there every evening on the bicycle to sit with them and check them.is it not soil ph level related we always thought?

just do it

NewBeefFarmer wrote: »

you all seem to be associating red water with quality of land?.. I thought it was a tick that carried something, and that's how they get it?

if its land related? how do they get it? what causes it?

Tick lives in rough grazing ground or in ditches

KatyMac

jp6470 wrote: »

We have an outlying field away from the farm about 20acres in size,that grandfather always wintered cattle at. my father always said to me cattle always got red water there. And grandfather would go there every evening on the bicycle to sit with them and check them.is it not soil ph level related we always thought?

Even with putting Bayticol on my cattle I spend a lot of time just standing with them until I see every one of them pass water, or looking for slackness over their kidneys. If I'm lucky they might be lying down so once they rise they will oblige. It can take an hour or more, but gives me peace of mind for at least one day!

munkus

NewBeefFarmer wrote: »

you all seem to be associating red water with quality of land?.. I thought it was a tick that carried something, and that's how they get it?

if its land related? how do they get it? what causes it?

About 30 acres of our land was reclaimed in the 70s and most of it hasn't been reseeded since. No matter how well it's grazed there a bit of a wig on it. This is prime territory for ticks. You'll rarely find them in reseeded ground.

Katy, you must be broke from doing them every 3 weeks, that stuff is €100 a bottle. We do them going out and seems to work for the year. Odd time reapply in late summer.

greysides

The other option is Imizol.

Marooned75

Bayticol at turn out and every six weeks from then on.

mf240

greysides wrote: »

The other option is Imizol.

Just to add there is a very long withdrawal on this product. Several months iirc.

KatyMac

munkus wrote: »

About 30 acres of our land was reclaimed in the 70s and most of it hasn't been reseeded since. No matter how well it's grazed there a bit of a wig on it. This is prime territory for ticks. You'll rarely find them in reseeded ground.

Katy, you must be broke from doing them every 3 weeks, that stuff is €100 a bottle. We do them going out and seems to work for the year. Odd time reapply in late summer.

Sing that, but at least I haven't lost one to redwater in the past few years. You can buy a good few bottles for the price of a year old heifer!!! My cattle are generally quiet so I can run my hands on their legs and bellys to see if I can feel ticks. I definitely can't leave a gap of more than 3/4 weeks between doses. The land is badly rushy which I top (or at least try to) twice a year. Planning to spray once growth starts this year which I hope will improve things a bit.