by Terry Lidral
Bucking Stock Talk Magazine talked with Mike J. Schoonover, DVM, MS about the health, care and injury in regards to the bucking bull’s musculoskeletal structure. Dr. Schoonover is an Associate Professor of Equine Surgery and Sports Medicine at the Oklahoma State University, College of Veterinary Medicine – Stillwater, OK. Dr. Schoonover is board certified in both large animal surgery and veterinary sports medicine and rehabilitation. (Read his bio below.)
BST: What is the musculoskeletal structure and what is its job?
Dr. S.: The Musculoskeletal System (MS) is made up of the bones, joints, ligaments, and tendons of the body. It is controlled by the nervous system through a network of nerves. Nutrition for the MS comes from the cardiovascular system through a network of blood vessels and lymphatics. Muscles are connected to bones by tendons and bones are connected to other bones by ligaments forming joints. So when muscles contract, bones are moved at the joints. The MS system has three purposes – support, movement, and protection. The MS allows an animal or person the ability to stay upright, move around, perform tasks, compete in sports (jump, kick, run) etc.
BST: What demands does competition put on a bucking bull’s musculoskeletal structure and does it differ due to the age of the bull?
Dr. S: When bucking bulls compete, they put a tremendous amount of stress on their MS system. They perform jumps, kicks, spins, and other maneuvers not often carried out by their non-athletic counterparts. The ground reaction force (GRF; force the limb applies when landing) of the forelimbs of a bucking bull is estimated to be approximately 3.6 times the animal’s body weight while the GRF of the hind limbs is estimated to be approximately 12.2 times the body weight.
The skeletal system of the bovine matures more slowly than that of other large animals, like horses. The growth plates in many long bones of cattle are not closed until they are 3-4 years old or older. Open growth plates are weaker areas of the bone so excessive stress on a growing animal can have detrimental effects.
BST: What are some common health issues that can occur in bucking bulls? Does this differ by age?
Dr. S.: In a retrospective study published out of UC Davis, bucking bulls were found to be 10.5 times more likely to have horn/sinus disorders, 13 times more likely to have a spinal disorder, and 3.3 times more likely to have a hind limb disorder, compared to non-athletic bulls. We see a similar pattern in the bulls presented here at Oklahoma State University.
In an unpublished retrospective analysis of the bucking bulls (greater than 1 year of age) presented to our hospital (OSU) during 2012-2019, the mean age of all bucking bulls was 4.1 years while the mean age of those presenting with fractures was 2.2 years. Thus, this suggests that younger bulls appear to be more prone to long bone fractures.
BST: What are signs of musculoskeletal fatigue and/or injury? How important is it to watch and deal with fatigue?
Dr. S.: In some cases, MS injury is obvious. Lameness and/or swelling of a specific location may be observed. In other cases, clinical signs may be very subtle. Lameness may only be observed when the bull is very relaxed. A decrease/change in performance (bucking intensity or change in bucking habit) may be the only clinical sign.
Any observed change in performance may be due to injury or systemic disease. Failure to investigate why the change has occurred may predispose the bull to worsening of the problem, possibly to the point where treatment/recovery is not possible.
When any animal is worked/exercised to fatigue, injury is more likely to occur. When muscles are tired, more stress is placed on tendons/ligaments and bones. This is usually when these structures fail.
BST: How does bucking a bull with little bucking activity in the weeks prior to performance affect the animal’s structure?
Dr. S.: It takes time for bone strength to be removed due to inactivity. A fit and prepared bull will not lose significant fitness over a couple weeks but will lose fitness if it is not conditioned/used for several months. Bones are very dynamic organs. A bone will adapt to the stresses and strains placed on it to a point. What this means is that if a bone needs to be stronger because of an activity, over time, with exposure to that activity, it will become stronger. But if at any time during the activity a bone is overloaded, it will fail (fracture). As animals become larger, the bones adapt to carry the weight and as they jump and land, the bone will adapt to those activities. But they need time to adapt. Bone remodeling is an ongoing event and it may take weeks to months, even years to significantly change a bone’s structure.
BST: Is there a potential issue with bucking a bull too frequently?
Dr. S: Any athlete needs to be fit to perform and not sustain injury. Bulls are unique because they perform for such a short period of time, 8 seconds or less. However, they generally get minimal or no warm-up. Human and other animal athletes generally have a warmup routine, but bulls are generally run from the holding pens to the bucking chutes. Then, when the chute opens, they are expected to fully exert during their performance. Reported injury rates are low, but subclinical injury may be more prevalent than we think.
BST: How does one evaluate an injury and when should the vet be called?
Dr. S.: Stock contractors know their animals best. If a bull seems off in any way, a thorough evaluation should be performed and a veterinary evaluation may be indicated. Since bulls are very stoic animals in general, any abnormalities displayed may be very subtle. A change in routine, behavior, feed consumption etc. may be the only signs of distress. Lameness may only be displayed when the animal thinks it’s alone and no one is around.
BST: Are there procedures that can be done for severe injuries to prevent further damage while awaiting professional care?
Dr. S: In general, just getting the bull to a veterinary hospital with appropriate facilities for evaluation in a timely manner is the most important. Splints and/or casts are very important in the first aid management of MS injuries in horses, but MS first aid can be very difficult or impossible to apply to bucking bulls. Severe injury sustained during performance can be worsened by weight bearing. Unlike horses, most injured bovines will attempt to lie down if placed in a quiet environment or while trailering which is generally a good thing. Most open wounds will benefit from a bandage of some sort to minimize further environmental contamination, but available facilities and temperament of the animal may not allow bandaging.
BST: What are some treatment programs used for MS injuries in bucking bulls?
Dr. S: Unfortunately, there is not a lot of scientific evidence to guide us in the treatment of injuries to the bucking bull. The demeanor of the bull is an important consideration. A lot of treatments used for MS injuries in the bucking bull are adapted from treatments used in equine sports medicine. Joint therapies, regenerative medicine and shock wave therapy are examples. Rehabilitation therapies may be applicable to the injury in theory but may be impractical. (e.g. if you need to chute the bull daily for treatment and he is likely to injure himself in the chute, it may be counterproductive).
Non-traditional modalities (such as chiropractics and acupuncture) are becoming more common both for maintenance and for treatment of injury.
BST: What are some things that can be done to keep a bull’s musculoskeletal structure healthy?
Dr. S.: Good nutrition and conditioning are essential to the overall health of the bull. It is important to reduce the risk of non-performance injury through: 1} Proper maintenance and monitoring of facilities to ensure a safe and healthy environment; 2) safe and comfortable transportation equipment; 3) prevention of bull fights. Post-performance monitoring is essential, as is early diagnosis and treatment if there is an injury.
Dr. Mike Schoonover is an Associate Professor of Equine Surgery and Sports Medicine at the Oklahoma State University, College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Schoonover received his DVM from Oklahoma State University in 2000. He then completed an equine field service internship at the Ohio State University followed by an equine surgery residency and MS degree at Oklahoma State University. In 2012, following an 8-year stint in private practice at Interstate Equine Services, Inc. in Goldsby, Oklahoma, Dr. Schoonover returned to his alma mater to pursue an interest in teaching and research. Dr. Schoonover is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary surgeons, Large Animal Specialty and a Diplomate in the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. His clinical practice is focused on sports medicine and surgery of the western performance horse. He consults frequently with the OSU Food Animal Service on orthopedic and sports related injuries in many farm animal species, including bucking bulls. One of his research interests is the application of regenerative medicine therapies in bucking bull patients. Dr. Schoonover is married to Dr. Jennifer Schoonover and they own a small animal general practice in Norman, OK. They have two sons, Willie and Garrett who are active in Junior Livestock Shows through the 4H and FFA.
Author: Terry Lidral
Terry Lidral is a western writer/journalist who lives in Idaho. She is the publisher and editor of the online magazine Bucking Stock Talk and the online magazine Western Living Journal. Her publishing credits include Storyteller for Real American Cowboy Magazine, writing feature articles for Humps N Horns Magazine as well as a wide variety of national and international web sites, historical magazines and news publications. She is known for her "up close and personal" profiles of celebrities and industry moguls such as NPR's Tom Bodett; PBR's Wiley Petersen and D.H. Page, PRCA's Sammy Andrews, Cindy Rosser and Julio Moreno to name a few. She has been applauded for her way of making a personal connection between her readers and her subjects. She indulges in her love of rodeo by serving as an associate board member for the Caldwell Night Rodeo. She is also an accomplished trainer and handler in dog agility. Her shelties Amelie and Milo are titled in NADAC, USDAA and AKC.
