Part of tail missing. What would cause this to happen?

[TNcowman]

I noticed one of my cows, that a third of her tail has fallen off.
She seems to be eating OK and not lost any weight. Should I be concerned? Do I need to do anything or watch her closely?

 

[Grippie]

probably got tangled up in barbed wire (or something else). I wouldnt worry about it.

 

[3MR]

Is she grazing on Fescue? Does she seem to be moving around less (Lameness) or hotter than normal (Stands in water if she can). If so it may be Fescue toxicity, but I woudnt rule it out based on a lack of the other symptoms. Usually results from grazing taller fescue.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Is she grazing on Fescue? Does she seem to be moving around less (Lameness) or hotter than normal (Stands in water if she can). If so it may be Fescue toxicity, but I woudnt rule it out based on a lack of the other symptoms. Usually results from grazing taller fescue.

Thats what my money is on

 

[Alice]

When I was a little kid I remember asking Daddy what happened to the cow's tail. He told me another cow stepped on it. Now whether that happens or whether he was just giving me a quick answer to keep me from going into the little kid question mode, I don't know. But with a large herd of dairy cattle, it would make sense.

And, at the dairy sales here it's not at all unusual to see several cows with part of their tales missing. I don't think it's too much to worry about...but that's just me.

Alice

 

[TNcowman]

No dariy cattle here. Just angus blended. Grass is fescue/bermuda and other mixed grass. Hair on the end is gone and you see exposed red tail. Not swollen. Cow eats OK and acts fine. I have 37 head of cattle and never had a problem or seen this before in 5 years of being a part-time cattleman. Thanks

 

[Grand Chaser]

one of my cows had that happen to her but we have alot of little pine trees and her tail got wraped around it and she pulled it off getting away from the tree. somthing like that probably happened

 

[dun]

With the fescue being diluted and she isn;t showing any other signs and isn;t losing weight I'ld lean to an injury. With fescue the shedding of body parts tends to happen more in the winter when the blood supply is less to the extremites.
As far as far as dairy cows not having part of their tails, some dairys that milk in paralell parlors cut of anywhere from a third to 2/3 of the tail so it isn;t in the way when milking.

dun

 

[milkmaid]

And, at the dairy sales here it's not at all unusual to see several cows with part of their tales missing.

Dairy cattle frequently have their tails docked. Especially when the cows will be milked in a parallel barn - from the rear - tails are docked as calves so they don't get in the way during milking.

I personally really dislike docked tails simply because I dislike the way it looks. I like mine with tails, thank you! Although most of mine do have tails, I have two calves that were docked before I bought them.

 

[mnmtranching]

I've got a few cows with shorter tails, I think the most common cause is getting caught in barb wire. I watched it happen once, the cows standing next to the fence, the tail got caught in the barbs, and she pulled until the tail broke, happened fast. There was a lot of blood and all over the cow from swishing what was left of her tail. I still have the cow.

I sounds like your cows tail fell off? Something must have caused the blood to stop, like getting pinched.

 

[Alice]

Well, for that matter, I can remember my Daddy shooting at wild/stray dogs for chasing and biting at the cow's tails. It could be from any number of things, it sounds like.

Alice

 

[milkmaid]

I've known cow's tails to get covered with a ball of frozen manure that cuts off circulation and it acts the same as if you'd banded them. There's one in boss's heifer herd that lost half her tail this past winter.

...doubt that's what happened to the original poster's cow, being in Tennessee. :lol:

 

[Lammie]

And, at the dairy sales here it's not at all unusual to see several cows with part of their tales missing.

Dairy cattle frequently have their tails docked. Especially when the cows will be milked in a parallel barn - from the rear - tails are docked as calves so they don't get in the way during milking.

I personally really dislike docked tails simply because I dislike the way it looks. I like mine with tails, thank you! Although most of mine do have tails, I have two calves that were docked before I bought them.

If their tails are docked,how do they swat flies? I know, they aren't supposed to have flies, but what do they do? Sounds mean to me.

 

[dun]

If their tails are docked,how do they swat flies? I know, they aren't supposed to have flies, but what do they do? Sounds mean to me.

They get very good at swinging at them and hitting them like a baseball. When they land on them they use the end to smash them like a finger poking at a fly.

dun

 

[milkmaid]

If their tails are docked,how do they swat flies? I know, they aren't supposed to have flies, but what do they do? Sounds mean to me.

Most of the time the dairies have state-of-the-art fly control programs. Can't have that many cows in one spot without doing some serious work to keep the number of flies down. Come to think of it, I don't recall noticing any flies on that 1200 cow dairy I was at on Monday.

Dun- LOL.

 

[born2run]

Entire herd I milk, with the exception of 1 cow out of a milking herd of 400 has their tails docked. Sawdust is changed in the freestalls two or three times a week, and fans and misters are on constantly in hot weather. The flies are basically non-existent. Worth nothing that I milk in a herringbone, not a parallel. But the cows' backs would be filthy if they had tails.

 

[KMacGinley]

I found the swish off a tail just yesterday, where the cows were laying, I would say it got stepped on and cut right off. Cows hooves are sharp.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

I've had a few calves with short tails - I always thought it was dogs or inexperienced coyotes. Never even thought of something stepping on it.