Oxen Shedding Poorly

[dominiquer60]

My pair of Milking Shorthorn steers seem to want to hang onto their winter hair forever, any thoughts on why this could be?

Here is some history, they will be 2 years old in August. Last year (2011) on Easter they came down with a very bad case of coccidiosis, bloody loose stool and very high fecal counts as well as a few other parasites. I had to treat them 3 times before levels came down to what the dairy vet thought were acceptable. I used Corid for the Coccidia, it does not kill the bacteria, but it decreases the population by preventing the reproduction of these microbes. They seemed fine after this except that they wouldn’t loose their winter hair. Memorial Day weekend brought an early heat wave with many above 90 degree days, I decided to clip them so that they were more comfortable, clipping with the hair instead of against it left enough on so that the roan did not get a sunburn. Fast forward to last fall, when I knew that I was going to leave NY for VT I took fecals again so that I knew what I was up against. A few worms and some more coccidia, but not nearly as high as had been in the Spring. We tried a different approach, 5 days of liquid corid and 21 days of a preventative level of the corid

pellets, in addition to some Safeguard and Ivermectin. They came out very clean, no worms and only 3 coccidia in one of their samples, under 100 is an acceptable level to that vet so we had done well trying to limit the amount of unwanted friends moving with us to VT.

This year they grew a good winter coat and it seems to be leaving ever so slowly. I have not been home to curry them much but compared to the Jerseys that they pasture with who are slick with no currying, I would have hoped to had the winter hair off by now. Now and then there is a patch that hand plucks easy on the roan (withers and flanks) but beyond those specific spots the hair does not pull easy. I know hair quality is related to nutrition, they have always been on a quality first cut top dressed with some 2nd cut, a small amount of a 16% pellet, mineralized salt and kelp meal, until they started on pasture for the first time ever in May, and they still receive mineral supplements on top of the pasture. My suspicion is that they where wormy when they started growing the winter coat last summer, but I cannot confirm this until they have this year of good nutrition away from the parasite laden barnyard where I had them in NY, and if they shed out well next year.

Has anyone else had shedding issues?

[Tim Harrigan]

Erika, I am not so sure the parasite problem and shedding are related this long after the coccidiosis. Will starts shedding in late Feb and will not shed out completely for a couple of more weeks. That is with frequent brushing. A friend of mine has a couple of shorthorn/guernsey crosses that are completely shed out with no brushing. There is a dexter in with them that has a lot of his winter coat on yet, but again, no brushing. So there seems to be a lot of variation even with cattle housed together. Maybe there is a connection with parasites and coat as it affects shedding but I have never heard of it.

[Anonymous]

I have Guernseys which are from the same bull, same farm and their night and day with hair styles. My off steer shed out at the first sign of warm weather and the other one is still working on it, rather, I’m working on it.

[Vicki]

My Dexters also from same bull, coats are very different. One sheds all by himself, the other I have to body clip. I’ve known several shorthorns that don’t shed out well on their own.

I have heard that poor coat shed can be a sign of some mineral deficiencies. Selenium and copper are two that you may want to look at. If concerned, you can get blood or urine tests to find out about your steers’ levels. Most areas are selenium deficient. Also, sulfur and molybdenum are antagonist to copper. If you’re feeding molasses or corn gluten, those have sulfur that might interfere with copper absorption. Even environmental sulfur (near coal-burning power plants?) may interfere with adequate copper levels in feed.

[dominiquer60]

Thanks for sharing your experiences. I found an article from Ireland that claimed that parasites can be responsible for a poor coat, but not to blame for poor shedding, I’ll buy that. They are starting to let go better and I am sure that if I had spent time on it everyday they would have been nearly done by now, but I have been away for weeks at a time so hopefully next year I can stay on top of it better. I am looking forward to the horse shows coming to VT in July and August then I can give them some attention and training. In regards to minerals they have been on a good hay, a small amount of heifer pellets, kelp meal and salt fortified with Selenium ever since I have brought them home as calves, until this summer when they started on pasture with mineral supplements (kelp, salt, a clay mineral, 2:1 and 1:2 for P and Ca free choice). I can believe that they have gotten enough Se, but will look into Cu amounts in these supplements also, I am not too worried but I am glad that there is a test available. Thanks Vicki and others!

[Tim Harrigan]

I think it is good that you consider the parasite angle. Perhaps if the parasites affected hormone balances it could produce symptoms Cushing’s-like symptoms but it seems that would be quite rare.

[CharlyBonifaz]

I am not so sure the parasite problem and shedding are related this long after the coccidiosis.

me not either, but:
if I keep in mind, that coccidia live in the mucosal cells and destroy them after they have multiplied in them thus causing the diarrhea, and if I also remember that a heavily distroyed mucosa will never be replaced by villi as delicate as the original ones then I get an idea why there might be a connection even after such a prolonged time

[dominiquer60]

Even with occasional grooming they held onto their winter hair into August, not much of the hair, but that belly hair lingered on and on. Now that it is September and their winter coats are coming on, last years winter hair is finally gone. I am looking forward to next year to see if they do shed better now that their massive parasite problem is well behind them. I am going to do a fecal again this fall to see what we have after a much better living and feed situation this past season. They may still shed late, but my gut says that they will shed better next year than this past year, just a hunch, but I will report back when the time comes.

[dominiquer60]

Just an update.

After a grazing season on very well managed pastures with other well managed animals and no drugs/dewormers at all in 21012, my fall fecals were clean, no parasites to speak of. Their winter coats grew in very well and uniform, and yesterday they just started to let go of a few hairs when I brushed them, something that there was no sign of 2 days prior. I know that their guts will never be the same after the mess that they went thru that first year, but I an hopeful that they shed better now that their health has been consistently great for a while, giving the whole body time to adjust to the “new” and better normal.

Break out the shedding blades and curry combs, here comes 10+ hours of day length whether you are ready for it or not.

[near horse]

@dominiquer60 39652 wrote:

Just an update.

After a grazing season on very well managed pastures with other well managed animals and no drugs/dewormers at all in 21012, my fall fecals were clean, no parasites to speak of. Their winter coats grew in very well and uniform, and yesterday they just started to let go of a few hairs when I brushed them, something that there was no sign of 2 days prior. I know that their guts will never be the same after the mess that they went thru that first year, but I an hopeful that they shed better now that their health has been consistently great for a while, giving the whole body time to adjust to the “new” and better normal.

Break out the shedding blades and curry combs, here comes 10+ hours of day length whether you are ready for it or not.

IMHO – while you might have been seeing the impact of a parasite load, the gut does pretty well in compensating for damages, although it might be a slow process. Also, I would have expected a concurrent loss in body condition since the damage to the villi would be affecting absorption on nutrients from the gut into the blood stream. Those nutrients are needed not only for new hair growth but other more vital maintenance as well.

BUT – that said, there is what’s known as “protein sparing” that occurs when protein intake is low when compared to the demands. The breakdown or turnover of tissue proteins is slowed and in some cases the “less important” demands (like new hair growth, antlers growth) are left while more immediate demands, like lactation (not in your steers :eek:), are met. We’ve seen this in some female deer that won’t shed their coats until later in the season because they are nursing fawns.

Kind of neat that bodies under nutritional stress kick into a preservation mode (without our permission).

[Author]

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