News & True RV Stories

Since I am often asked about Bob, I thought this would be an appropriate time for an update.  Friday while helping my wife tidy up the house I noticed our resident bull, "Bob", limping across the pasture.  With an hour to go before the Bodebach's arrived for dinner, I took aggressive action.  I lured Bob into the barn with some grain, and then pushed him into the runway and squeeze chute with the help of a (fully charged) electric cattle prod.  Once in, I cleaned up his foot and noticed some black material near his hoof.  As I got a closer look I realized he stepped on an old irrigation pipe gasket and it slid up his hoof, it must have been cutting off circulation so Dr. Rapozo took abrasive action.  Using a flat screwdriver and a side cutting pliers (after many failed attempts) I was able to pry the gasket away from his hoof enough to get my pliers in there and cut it off.  It took a few cuts as it was very sensitive, he kept kicking the pliers off about 40' behind him.  Racing the clock before my guests arrived for dinner, I cleaned his foot up once more and then gave him an injection of 40cc's of antibiotic LA-200.  The entire herd gets injections every year, vitamins and wormers.  Most are numb to the needles but we have a few cattle that are very sensitive, unfortunately Bob is one of them.  What makes this difficult is we cannot "squeeze" him still, he will not fit in the squeeze chute so we always get him about half way and run 4 by 4's across the runway behind him.  He is still free to move side to side and back and fourth a bit so one has to be very careful.  The goal was to get 20cc's in each shoulder muscle; as soon as the needle goes in he starts to move fast.  You have to be ready with both hands holding the syringe, squeeze it, and move it around following his lead to keep the needle in and straight.  After 3 bent needles we completed the job, which might be a record.  Bob has a few new girlfriends out there so I'm sure he is feeling better already.

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